High-Temperature Tube Life Prediction
Typical Output Screen for LIFECODE, Showing UT Signal and Remaining Life Predictions |
The Problem: As boilers age, SH/RH tube failures can impact operating costs and can lead to replacement of tubes having decades of reliable service remaining.
The Solution: Accurately measure critical tube dimensions and predict the remaining life of individual tubes.
To implement this solution, Structural Integrity (SI) measures tube wall and internal oxide scale thickness to predict remaining tube life using LIFECODE software. This is achieved by use of focused UT transducers and TestPro™, a PC-based digital UT system.
SI's system can be purchased or we can provide the testing service, which includes the following deliverables:
- Prior to inspection, SI performs a unit review and tabulates unit operating hours and cycles, tubing materials, historical tube failure data, and results of previous assessments to identify critical inspection areas.
- After the inspection, SI provides a preliminary report documenting tube dimensional data and remaining life estimates before leaving the site. These results and all output printouts are provided in the final report.
- SI also provides the as-saved RF UT signals (see figure above) on computer diskettes for use as a baseline for future inspections and independent assessment.
LIFECODE contains algorithms that allow the user to make a probabilistic, as well as deterministic, estimate of tube remaining life. It also contains algorithms to project the effectiveness of chemical cleaning in extending tube remaining life.
"By using the ID oxide and wall thickness data acquired by SI's TestPro system, we have been able to quickly ascertain the overall condition of our high temperature tube components, and focus repairs on areas that need it, rather than blindly replacing entire components."
Richard A. Coutant, Carolina Power & Light
For more information on SI's Tube Life Prediction capability, contact SI.
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