A 100mm sulphuric acid line in a petrochemical refinery undergoes reinforcement on a weakened elbow joint thanks to Sylmasta

Saudi Arabia Petrochemical Refinery 100mm Sulphuric Acid Line Pipe Elbow Reinforcement

A petrochemical refinery in Saudi Arabia make an urgent reinforcement to a pipe elbow on a 22 bar 100mm line carrying sulphuric acid after it was discovered to have degraded from 22mm thickness to just 1mm.

Site Petrochemical refinery
Location Saudi Arabia
Pipe Type 100mm sulphuric acid line
Pressure 22 bar
Repair Type Pipe reinforcement
Products Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste, SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage


Pipe Defect

A routine inspection of pipework at the petrochemical refinery found the 21mm degrade in thickness, which required urgent attention before the line failed.

Over 140 million barrels of petroleum products and 5 million tons of petrochemical products were produced by the refinery every year, including naphtha, kerosene, gasoline, diesel and fuel oil.

This scale of production meant that the petrochemical company were keen not to shut down the line to fit a replacement, as such an undertaking would have severely impacted on output.


SylWrap Solution

The petrochemical refinery consulted an engineering company whom Sylmasta work with in the region about the possibility of carrying out a pipe reinforcement.

It was decided to apply Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste to the elbow for initial strengthening. Industrial Metal is reinforced with corrosion-resistant metal platelets. These platelets provide excellent protection against corrosion and chemical attack.

The line was reduced from its 22 bar operating pressure to 8 bar whilst the repair took place. Industrial Metal was applied with a putty knife around the elbow, curing to form a tough outer shell.

If the original line was now breached, its contents would be contained by a casing with high corrosion and chemical resistance.

The 60 minute work time of Industrial Metal allowed a large quantity of paste to be mixed and applied without the threat of premature curing, an especially important consideration given the hot climate.

A SylWrap HD Pipe Repair Bandage was then applied over the Industrial Metal. SylWrap HD is a composite repair wrap with a water activated resin which sets rock hard in 30 minutes.

It provided further reinforcement to the elbow by creating an impact resistant layer of protection and increasing the hoop strength of the line.

A 100mm sulphuric acid line at a petrochemical refinery in Saudi Arabia undergoing reinforcement using Industrial Metal Epoxy Paste
Industrial Metal used to reinforce a 100mm sulphuric acid elbow pipe at a petrochemical refinery in Saudi Arabia
Industrial Metal applied to the elbow via a putty knife
Completed reinforcement of a 100mm sulphuric acid pipe elbow joint in a Saudi Arabia petrochemical refinery
SylWrap HD provided further reinforcement and increased the hoop strength of the elbow

Outcome

24 hours after the application had been completed, the sulphuric acid line was restored to full operations under its normal 22 bar pressure.

The petrochemical refinery were delighted with the ease and speed of the repair, and the fact that operations could continue uninterrupted (bar the reduction in pressure) whilst the application took place.


Follow Up

Initially, the petrochemical refinery had sought reinforcement for the elbow as a temporary repair measure to keep the line in operation until a more convenient time for replacement.

Regular inspections of the line over the next two years showed that there had been little to no decrease in the strength of the repair, allowing the refinery to continue to delay replacing the elbow.


Products Used

Industrial Metal
Epoxy paste for strenghtening pipelines and protection from corrosion and chemical attack

SylWrap HD Bandage
Water-activated wrap sets rock hard to reinforce repairs and increase hoop strength


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