Coker Vessel Life Extension Repair Implementation Amador AZZ DCU Mumbai 2016

Coker Vessel Life Extension
Repair Implementation
Pedro E. Amador
VP Business Development & Technology
Pamador@AZZ.com
Coker Failures
Why?
• Weren’t designed well for low cycle fatigue
or compressive strength of coke
• Increasingly aggressive cycles
• Running different feedstocks
Typical Repairs:
• Skirt Repairs
• Piping Repairs
• Bulge Mitigation
• Cladding Restoration
• Partial/Through-Wall Crack Repairs
(External or Internal)
Not for Redistribution

Confidential & Proprietary to ASS|WSI
WSI Coker Repair Jobs
Everybody has issues with their cokers!

Bulge Repairs

Bulging
API Industry Survey (1996)

57% Reported shell bulging
87% of bulged shells cracked within 5-7 years
97% of the cracks were circumferential Not for Redistribution
Fig. ref.: API 934G, DRAFT, “Design, Fabrication, Operational Effects, Inspection, Assessment, and Repair of Coke Drums & Peripheral Components in Delayed Coking Units”Confidential & Proprietary to ASS|WSI
Typical Drum Heating & Cooling Cycle
• Cycle times, heating,

& cooling rates vary
significantly.
• Non-uniform
temperature
distributions, i.e.
localized hot & cool
spots.
• Severe temperature
gradient during
quenching.

Temperature Gradients During Quenching
• ~10” temperature band that

progresses up the Coker during
quenching.
•Thermal gradients:
• ~700∆F on surface
• ~150∆F through-wall
• Thermal stresses due to quenching
causes localized bending stress
concentrations that exceed yield
thus bulging occurs.
Ref.: Chen, S., and Wang, Z. 2005, “Investigation of temperature distributions and deformations
for coke drums”, Multiscale Damage Related to Environment Assisted Cracking, ISBN/ISSN: 7562818045 Bending Stress DistributionNot for Redistribution
Bulging Repair by Weld Overlay
Laser Mapping

Bulge Repair Options
Typical Contractor (Manual GMAW or Mech. Assisted Machine)

• Slow, manual welding process
WSI Approach (Automated Machine GMAW/FCAW)
• Faster, automated welding process
• Precise control for improved weld quality
• Use of temper bead avoids PWHT requirements
Note: Conventional repair options i.e. Window or Section

replacement have not historically performed well!
Bulge Repair by Weld Overlay
• Weld overlay with Ni-Cr 625

• Superior low-cycle fatigue resistance
• Superior corrosion resistance
• Coefficient of thermal expansion similar to steel
• Readily weldable to carbon steel, minimal cracking due to dilution
• Overlay design can be optimized based on detailed topography and
operating parameters of the vessel.

Gouging in process 2 – 3 mm
material removed
Cladding
Surface removed
“prepped”
410 cladding
Bulge Repair by ID Weld Overlay
External Preheat in place
Close-up of 1st layer
Machine applied ID overlay

Bulge Repair by OD Weld Overlay
Close-up of 1st layer
Machine applied OD overlay

Automated Welding
• Optimal and controlled welding parameters
• Consistent minimal heat input throughout the deposit
• Optimal homogeneous mechanical properties
• Facilitates temper bead process (no PWHT)
• Optimal chemistry / minimal dilution
• Predictable weld quality
• Minimal distortion

Multiple machines running simultaneously at different elevations for productivity

Skirt Repairs

End of Fill Cycle
Tensile
Stresses
Compressive
Stresses

Ref.: Bedoya, J. & Boswell, R., 2009, “Fast Quency Problems and How They Damage Coke Drums”, Coke Drum Reliability Workshop, Rio De Janeiro Brazil, Aug.7. Confidential & Proprietary to ASS|WSI
1-Hour into Quench Cycle
Compressive
Stresses
Tensile
Stresses

Ref.: Bedoya, J. & Boswell, R., 2009, “Fast Quency Problems and How They Damage Coke Drums”, Coke Drum Reliability Workshop, Rio De Janeiro Brazil, Aug.7. Confidential & Proprietary to ASS|WSI
Skirt Attachment Repair
Remaining Life Assessment

• Use Fitness-For-Service (FFS) techniques
• Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD)
• Estimate cycles to through-wall crack

Skirt Cracking

Process:
1. Excavate are to remove cracks & previous repairs
2. Utilize temper bead technique to eliminate PWHT
3. Re-contour geometry to minimize stress concentrations

Automated Welding As-Welded Deposit
Contoured Finish

Skirt Attachment Replacement
• 3-year old DCU

• Extensive cracking (vertical) in
the skirt attachment weld.
• 1-1/4Cr (P4A) Skirt to 2-1/4Cr
(P5A) Cone.
• Multiple repairs attempted.
As Fabricated
Removal of Skirt Temper Bead Install Proprietary

& Attachment Cavity Repair Backing
Weld Not for Redistribution
Complete Weld Install Skirt & Contour Grind

Metal Buildup Weld Groove Groove Weld ID
& Contouring From OD & Cap Not for Redistribution
Case Study: Skirt Repair
Client options:
SMAW Repair:
• Already had contracted with local general
contractor to gouge and re-weld, and it
was going to take 3 outages to complete.
• Required separate PWHT vendor
• 3 Outages x 5 days = 15 Days Required
Machine GMAW Repair:

• Utilize Temper bead technique to
eliminate PWHT
• Work on both Coke Drums simultaneously
• Eliminate PWHT
• 5 days Total Required

Case Study: Skirt Repair
• Engineered Repair Design:

• Utilized 8 Automated Weld Systems
• Machined and Re-Welded Circ Seams
using Temperbead Process
• UT Shear Wave acceptable
• Customer avoided 10 days of Downtime
Re-inspected after 1000 cycles - no cracks

reported!

Case Study: Skirt Replacement
• C-1/2Mo shell with C-1/2Mo skirt.

• The Skirt has machined keyhole slots for
reducing cyclic thermal stress on the
skirt-to-drum attachment weld.
• Three types of cracking observed:
• Keyhole – initiates at keyhole and
propagates upward.
• Type 1 – initiates at ID radius of
skirt attachment weld.
• Type 5 – initiates at top of skirt
attachment weld and propagates
through coker wall.

Replacement of the upper skirt (~top 21

inches) using panel replacement
• 360 degree replacement (12) panels
of ~8ft in length.
• FEA model determined that two
panels 180 degrees apart could be
removed in parallel
• Welds were 100% UT inspected
• A controlled deposition process was
used to eliminate the need for post
weld heat treating

Utilized GTAW Hot PulseTM Process

• Semi-automatic & machine
• 90% machine roots
• Good production rates
• Excellent root quality
• Lowest potential for volumetric
repairs
• Excellent mechanical properties with
controlled deposition

Results
• Two machines used per panel with two panels being worked per
drum (four machines per drum operating at any time).
• Total duration of ~40 days.
• Less than 0.3% reject rate using PAUT inspection for all welds.

Piping Repairs

Case Study: Refinery Blowdown Piping
• Decoking process uses large amounts of steam and water

• Blowdown system water recaptures water, hydrocarbons & coke.
• Typical steam temperature of 820°F (438°C)
• Typical steam pressure of 50psi (3.5 bar)
• Subject to severe temperature and pressure cycles
• Failures due to thermal & mechanical fatigue are common

Issue
• Fatigue cracking in 17 circumferential seam welds.
• 30 inch diameter, 0.312 to 0.500 inch P1 (carbon steel)
• Did not want to shut down operations for repair
Considerations
• Some seam welds had an inadequately designed weld overlay repair
• Repair in-situ during operation (200oF to 500oF)
• Space restrictions

Engineered Repair Solution:

• Evaluated effect of overlay thickness, taper & material
• e.g. 625 provided 6X life extension over match carbon steel filler
• 0.5 inch thick, 10:1 taper design with 625
• 360o O.D. Weld Overlay of 6 inches & 12 inches wide
• GTAW was chosen for integrity
• 3 to 4 layers to achieve build-up thickness 0f 0.375 inches


Ground smooth for UT inspections

VT, PT, UT
External Crack Repair
• On-going debate over life of repair.

• Joint Industry R&D Project
• WSI
• Shell
• Stress Engineering
• Ohio State University
• Various configurations
• Full vs. Partial Excavation
• Matching or Nickel Filler
• Structural Overlay

Thank You!
Pedro E. Amador
VP Business Development & Technology
Pamador@AZZ.com


Coker Vessel Life Extension Repair Implementation Amador AZZ DCU Mumbai 2016

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Coker Vessel Life Extension

Not for Redistribution

Everybody has issues with their cokers!

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

API Industry Survey (1996)

• Cycle times, heating,

Not for Redistribution

• ~10” temperature band that

Not for Redistribution

Typical Contractor (Manual GMAW or Mech. Assisted Machine)

Note: Conventional repair options i.e. Window or Section

• Weld overlay with Ni-Cr 625

Not for Redistribution

External Preheat in place

Close-up of 1st layer

Machine applied ID overlay

Not for Redistribution

Close-up of 1st layer

Machine applied OD overlay

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Multiple machines running simultaneously at different elevations for productivity

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Remaining Life Assessment

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Automated Welding As-Welded Deposit

Not for Redistribution

• 3-year old DCU

Removal of Skirt Temper Bead Install Proprietary

Complete Weld Install Skirt & Contour Grind

Machine GMAW Repair:

Not for Redistribution

• Engineered Repair Design:

Re-inspected after 1000 cycles - no cracks

Not for Redistribution

• C-1/2Mo shell with C-1/2Mo skirt.

Not for Redistribution

Replacement of the upper skirt (~top 21

Not for Redistribution

Utilized GTAW Hot PulseTM Process

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

• Decoking process uses large amounts of steam and water

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Engineered Repair Solution:

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

Ground smooth for UT inspections

• On-going debate over life of repair.

Not for Redistribution

Not for Redistribution

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