We developed a seven-year program for the recertification of aging pressure vessels and pressure systems for the NASA-Glenn Research Center.
Some of the vessels and systems were over forty years old, and were part of the original NACA installation. Some were layered vessels for 3-6000 psi service, some were monobloc high pressure vessels, and others were for mundane service. In addition to the determination of lifetime/ intervals between NDT examination, we were also asked to evaluate the vessels to conformity to ASME Code – despite some of the vessels not designed to the Code.
The program covered vessels and piping systems, including:
- Performing stress, fatigue and fracture analyses to establish regions to be subjected to nondestructive examination.
- Performing nondestructive examination of selected regions and features.
- Performing repairs or analysis to determine the permanent or temporary acceptability of defects.
- Defining the conditions and lifetime for which the system has been recertified, and the calendar or cyclic interval at which inspections are necessary.
- Establishing a Fitness for Service program – identifying locations requiring repair and recommending repair and/or replacement based on cost effectiveness. In addition, vessels were evaluated in conformance to ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. Pumps and valves were also analyzed to various conditions, and cost-effective solutions were made for malfunctions.
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We perform design, analysis and troubleshooting services to codes including AWS, API and ASME.
Give us a call to discuss your engineering challenges.
Related Projects
– API 579-1/ASME FFS-1 Fitness for Service on a Brewery Tank
– API 579-1/ ASME FFS-1 Fitness for Service on Boiler
Similar Services
– Fitness For Service Evaluations
– Material/ Metallurgical Consulting
Resources
– Introduction to Fatigue Analysis
– (PDF) “Weld Defects and Failures: Quantifying Fitness For Service – How Finite Element Mathematical Simulations can Mitigate Risk, Cut Costs and Improve Overall Safety”Â
– Publications – Heat Exchangers, Pressure Vessels, Weld Applications, Fatigue, Elevated Temperature