Corrosion Rate and Remaining Lifetime Calculation of Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger XXX-E-XX Based on Eddy Current Test and Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement Inspection Methods in the Delayed Coker Unit Operation Area

Abstract

Shell and tube heat exchangers play a vital role in refinery operations by ensuring efficient heat transfer. However, corrosion significantly impacts their performance, reliability, and lifespan, leading to potential operational risks. This study assesses the corrosion rate and remaining lifetime of the shell and tube heat exchanger XXX-E-XX using Eddy Current Testing (ECT) for tube bundles and Ultrasonic Thickness (UT) measurement for the shell. The objective is to evaluate the extent of material degradation and predict the remaining service life based on API standards. Corrosion rates are determined by analyzing thickness reduction from historical inspection data, covering the period from 2016 to 2020. The results indicate that the corrosion rate of tube bundles ranges from 0.105 to 0.21 mm/y, while the shell exhibits a wider corrosion rate variation of 0.095 to 0.535 mm/y. The estimated remaining lifetime for tube bundles is between 5.28 and 14.56 years, whereas the shell components range from 1.89 to 43.09 years. To enhance operational reliability, periodic inspections, predictive maintenance strategies, and material improvements are recommended. These findings provide valuable insights into maintenance planning and longevity assessment of heat exchangers in refinery applications.

Country : Indonesia

1 Tony Suryo Utomo2 Berkah Fajar TK3 Hafiz Akbar Simanjorang

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof Soedarto SH Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia
  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof Soedarto SH Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia
  3. Mechanical Engineering Department, Diponegoro University, Jl. Prof Soedarto SH Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia

IRJIET, Volume 9, Issue 5, May 2025 pp. 254-262

doi.org/10.47001/IRJIET/2025.905034

References

  1. X. Liu, H. Zhu, C. Yu, H. Jin, C. Wang, and G. Ou, "Analysis on the corrosion failure of U-tube heat exchanger in hydrogenation unit," Eng. Fail. Anal., vol. 125, p. 105448, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2021.105448.
  2. W. Faes, S. Lecompte, Z. Y. Ahmed, et al., "Corrosion and corrosion prevention in heat exchangers," Corros. Rev., 2019, doi: 10.1515/corrrev-2018-0054.
  3. Z. Jin and X. Li, "Failure analysis and preventative measures on cracking of tube-to-tubesheet joints of the large-scale heat exchanger," Eng. Fail. Anal., vol. 163, p. 108630, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.engfailanal.2024.108630.
  4. T. Baba, S. Harada, H. Asano, et al., "Nondestructive inspection for boiling flow in plate heat exchanger by neutron radiography," Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A, vol. 605, no. 1–2, pp. 142–145, 2009, doi: 10.1016/j.nima.2009.01.140.
  5. H.-Z. Jin, Y. Gu, and G.-F. Ou, "Corrosion risk analysis of tube-and-shell heat exchangers and design of outlet temperature control system," Pet. Sci., vol. 18, pp. 1219–1229, 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.petsci.2021.07.002.
  6. R. E. Melchers, R. Jeffrey, I. A. Chaves, and R. B. Petersen, "Predicting corrosion for life estimation of ocean and coastal steel infrastructure," Mater. Corros., vol. 75, no. 2, pp. 163–175, 2024, doi: 10.1002/maco.202314201.
  7. G. H. Koch, M. P. H. Brongers, N. G. Thompson, Y. P. Virmani, and J. H. Payer, Corrosion Costs and Preventive Strategies in the United States. U.S. Federal Highway Administration, 2002, doi: 10.1061/9780784413586.ch01.
  8. R. W. Revie and H. H. Uhlig, Corrosion and Corrosion Control: An Introduction to Corrosion Science and Engineering, 4th ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2008, doi: 10.1002/9780470277270.
  9. Thulukkanam, Kuppan. Heat Exchanger Design Handbook. 1st ed. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420026870.
  10. Roberge, Pierre R. Handbook of Corrosion Engineering. Vol. 1128. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000.
  11. García-Martín, Javier, Jaime Gómez-Gil, and Ernesto Vázquez-Sánchez. “Non-Destructive Techniques Based on Eddy Current Testing.” Sensors 11, no. 3 (2011): 2525–2565. https://doi.org/10.3390/s110302525.
  12. Sophian, Ali, Guiyun Tian, and Mengbao Fan. “Pulsed Eddy Current Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation: A Review.” Chinese Journal of Mechanical Engineering 30, no. 3 (2017): 500–514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10033-017-0122-4.
  13. AbdAlla, A.N., Faraj, M.A., Samsuri, F., Rifai, D., Ali, K., and Al-Douri, Y. “Challenges in Improving the Performance of Eddy Current Testing: Review.” Measurement and Control 52, no. 4–5 (2019): 46–64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020294019835232.
  14. Alvarenga, T.A., Carvalho, A.L., Honorio, L.M., Cerqueira, A.S., Filho, L.M.A., and Nobrega, R.A. “Detection and Classification System for Rail Surface Defects Based on Eddy Current.” Sensors 21, no. 21 (2021): 7937. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21217937.
  15. A.D. Goodall, L. Chechik, R. L. Mitchell, G. W. Jewell, and I. Todd, "Cracking of soft magnetic FeSi to reduce eddy current losses in stator cores," Additive Manufacturing, vol. 70, 2023, Art. no. 103555. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2023.103555
  16. Machado, Miguel A. “Eddy Currents Probe Design for NDT Applications: A Review.” Sensors 24, no. 17 (2024): 5819. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24175819.
  17. Palanisamy, R.P., Pyun, D.-K., and Findikoglu, A.T. “Accurate Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement for Arbitrary Time-Variant Thermal Profile.” Sensors 24, no. 16 (2024): 5304. https://doi.org/10.3390/s24165304.
  18. Rommetveit, T., Johansen, T.F., and Johnsen, R. “A Combined Approach for High-Resolution Corrosion Monitoring and Temperature Compensation Using Ultrasound.” IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 59, no. 10 (2010): 2843–2853. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIM.2010.2046598.
  19. Zhang, Y., Cegla, F., and Corcoran, J. “Ultrasonic Monitoring of Pipe Wall Interior Surface Temperature.” Structural Health Monitoring 20, no. 7 (2021): 2476–2492. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475921720957592.
  20. Malikov, A.K., Cho, Y., Kim, Y.H., Kim, J., and Kim, H.K. “A Novel Ultrasonic Inspection Method of the Heat Exchangers Based on Circumferential Waves and Deep Neural Networks.” Science Progress 106, no. 1 (2023): 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/00368504221146081.
  21. Liu, T., Li, J., Cai, X., et al. “A Time-Frequency Analysis Algorithm for Ultrasonic Waves Generating from a Debonding Defect Using Empirical Wavelet Transform.” Applied Acoustics 131 (2018): 16–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2017.10.002.
  22. Siqueira, M.H.S., Gatts, C.E.N., Da Silva, R.R., et al. “The Use of Ultrasonic Guided Waves and Wavelet Analysis in Pipe Inspection.” Ultrasonics 41, no. 10 (2004): 785–797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2004.02.013.