Case Study

GLYCOL RE-BOILER TUBE DAMAGED

Content
1 – BACKGROUND
2 – METHODOLOGIES & REFERENCES
2 – INSPECTION & FINDINGS
3 – RECOMMENDATIONS & ACTION PLAN
4 – CONCLUSION
Background
 During normal operation of the boiler, the operations team noticed that some of the glycol
loss from this boiler.
 Unplanned shutdown was activate to perform details internal and external inspection and to
find out the cause of glycol loss during operation.
 Details of the re-boiler:
- Material of shell = SA 516 Gr. 70 (12.7mm thickness)
- Material of tube = SA 106 Gr.B (9.53mm thickness)
- Design Pressure = 7.0 Barg
- Design Temperature = 0°C/250°C (Min/Max)
- Content = Shell – Glycol
Tube – Fire
 Background

Fire Tube A

Fire Tube B
Background

GA Drawing
Background

Exhaust stack side

Burner side

Tube Drawing
METHODOLOGIES & REFERENCES
 Methodologies of inspection :-
1. Visual Internal and external inspection as per API 510, Pressure Vessel Inspection Code and
ASME Section I, Rules for construction of power boiler.
2. NDE – such as DPI, MPI, UT and RT as per ASME Section V, Non Destructive Examination and
acceptance/rejection criteria as per ASME Section I, Rules for construction of power boiler.
3. SHELL - Design and Engineering Practices DEP31.22.20.31 2001, SMEP.EP72.GL.0186 and
IMP 0.03.
 Inspection & Findings
 Visual internal and external inspection was done supplement with UT wall thickness
examination.
 Fire tube A findings:-
- Corrosion and pitting observed on fire tube burner side, one pit already leak. Max pit depth
approx. 4.0mm – 5.0mm.
- General corrosion on fire tube exhaust stack side.
 Fire tube B findings:-
- Corrosion and pitting observed on burner side. Max pit depth below 2.0mm.
- General corrosion on fire tube exhaust stack side.
 Inspection & Findings

Exhaust stack side

Close view corrosion & pitting

Burner side

General view fire tube A, burner side

Fire tube A, burner side
Inspection & Findings

Corrosion, pitting Leak/Perforated

Leak/Perforated

Close view corrosion, pitting

Fire tube A, burner side

Inspection & Findings

General corrosion General corrosion

Fire tube A, Exhaust stack side

 Inspection & Findings

Corrosion & Pitting

General view fire tube B, burner side

Fire tube B, Burner Side

Inspection & Findings

Corrosion & Pitting

Corrosion & Pitting

Fire tube B, Burner Side

Inspection & Findings

General Corrosion

General Corrosion

Fire tube B, Exhaust Stack Side

Recommendation & Action Plan
 After final completed final inspection and obtained result, discussion with client technical
authority (TA), both tube (fire tube A & B) on the burner side will be replaced.
 This replacement required removal of the damaged burner side section and replace with new
pipe (welding repair).
 Inspection before, during and after repair:-
1. Before repair – DPI/MPI on bevel area of new and existing pipe.
2. During repair – DPI/MPI on root, min. preheat at repair area 95°C and maintain during
welding. Max. interpass temperature not exceed 230°C.
3. After completed repair – DPI/MPI on completed weld and RT. PWHT NOT mandatory as per
construction code and as per construction drawing.
 Recommendation & Action Plan

Exhaust stack side

Removed & replaced section

Burner side
Conclusion
 From the inspection findings and results, we can conclude that the main damaged mechanism
with this boiler tube are CO2 corrosion.
 The function of this boiler to re-boil the glycol from contactor tower used to separate HC gas
and water. As natural gas contain Wet HC gas + H20 vapor + CO2, some of the CO2 gas dissolved
in glycol and re-boiled inside of boiler. This CO2 gas then dissolved with water to form carbonic
acid, H2CO3 and promote general and pitting/localize corrosion on boiler tube.
 This corrosion become severe when the boiler tube temperature increase.
 Others recommendation is to replace the tube material with higher resistance material to CO2
such as austenitic stainless steel. Also need to consider material that resistant when operating at
high temperature.