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Fitness-for-Service (FFS) of Process Plant Equipment, Pressure Vessels, Piping and Storage Facilities (API 579-1/ASME FFS-1)

Introduction

Fitness-for-Service (FFS) of Process Plant Equipment, Pressure Vessels, Piping and Storage Facilities (API 579-1/ASME FFS-1)

Objectives

• • Latest techniques to determine the fitness-for-service of operating tanks, vessels, piping systems, and pipelines; and make cost-effective run-repair replace decisions based on the principles of API recommended practice 579 "Fitness-for-Service"
  • A balanced approach between the fundamental technical principles of structural integrity, stress and fracture analysis, and their practical application to field conditions
  • Provides the participants with the tools necessary to recognize and assess defects in pressure vessels, storage tanks, and piping
  • Presents and applies the fundamentals rules of the ASME code to operating equipment and systems
  • Introduces the participants to the practical application of the ASME and API rules for the structural integrity of static equipment and pipelines, and their use to assess the remaining life
  • Applies API/ASME 579 "Fitness-for-Service" through practical examples to analyze degraded conditions and make a cost-effective repair or use-as-is decisions
  • Applies the step-by-step 3-level approach of API/ASME 579 to evaluate inspection results and recognize potential failure modes
  • The technical basis for reliability-based (risk-based) evaluation of remaining life
  • Latest developments in defect assessment techniques, starting with simple rules (level 1) and progressing to the more comprehensive evaluation techniques (level 3)
  • Participants will be able to evaluate the structural integrity of corroded or damaged equipment and assess their remaining life. Degradation mechanisms include: brittle fracture, general metal loss, local wall thinning, pitting, blisters and laminations, mechanical defects (dents, gouges, misalignment, and distortion), crack-like flaws (stress corrosion cracking, weld
  • flaws, crack-like defects), fatigue, and fire damage

Who Should Attend?

This training program is intended for technical professionals, supervisors, and managers responsible for ensuring the integrity and cost-effective operation of in-service pressure equipment, storage tanks, piping and pipelines throughout their life cycle including design, operation, and maintenance in the petroleum, petrochemical, process and power industries:

• Plant engineers and designers, corrosion and materials engineers, project engineers
• Reliability and integrity supervisors and engineers including safeguarding/MOC engineers
• Inspection engineers and inspectors responsible for monitoring and assessing the condition of pressure equipment and piping systems
• Maintenance and operations supervisors and engineers responsible for shutdown planning and implementation, maintenance and repairs/alterations of pressure vessels, heat exchangers, storage tanks, piping, and pipelines

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Fitness-For-Service Assessment

• Introduction
•  Overview of API codes and standards
•  Overview of ASME codes and standards with historical background
• Overview of Mechanical Integrity of Pressure Vessels & Piping System
• Fitness For Service
• Overview of API 579 contents, objectives and applications
• How to apply API 579 for cost-effective run-or-repair decisions
• Fitness-for-Service Assessment procedure
• An overview of what is new in the latest release
• Structure and Contents of the FFS Standard
• List of Parts and Annexes and examples of major Parts
• PART 1 - Introduction
• PART 2 - Fitness-For-Service Engineering Assessment Procedure

Day 2: Background of Stress Calculations for FSS Assessment

• ANNEX A - Thickness, MAWP & Stress Equations for a FFS Assessment
• Calculation of tmin, MAWP (MFH) & Membrane Stress
• Pressure Vessel & Boiler Components: Shells, Heads, Nozzles
• Piping components & Boiler Tubes
• Storage Tanks
• ANNEX G - Damage Mechanisms
• Deterioration and Failure Modes
• Pre-Service and In-Service Deficiencies
• NDE (NDT) Techniques
• PT, VT, MT, ET, UT, RT
• PART 3 - Assessment of Existing Equipment for Brittle Fracture
• Overview of Brittle Fracture Mechanism
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation

Day 3: Metal Loss, Corrosion, Pitting and Blisters

PART 4 - Assessment of General Metal Loss

• Overview of Corrosion Mechanisms
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example

PART 5 - Assessment of Local Metal Loss

• Overview of Local Metal Loss Mechanisms
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example

PART 6 - Assessment of Pitting Corrosion

• Overview of Pitting Corrosion Mechanisms
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example

PART 7 - Hydrogen Blisters, HIC & SOHIC

• Overview of Hydrogen Damage
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation

Day 4: Local Damage, Cracks, Creep

PART 8 - Weld Misalignment & Shell Distortions

• Overview of Weld Misalignment & Shell Distortions
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example

PART 9 - Assessment of Crack-Like Flaws

• Overview of Fracture Mechanics
• Elements of RSTRENG
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example
• PART 10 - Assessment of Components Operating in the Creep Range
• Overview of Creep Damage Mechanisms
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Worked example

Day 5: Fire and Mechanical Damage

PART 11 - Assessment of Fire Damage

• Overview of Fire Damage
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Case study – Example of fire damage assessment
• PART 12 - Assessment of Dents, Gouges, and Dent-Gouge Combinations
• Overview of Mechanical Damage
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation

PART 13 - Assessment of Laminations

• Overview of Laminations and their Role
• Data Requirements
• Assessment Techniques and Acceptance Criteria (Levels 1-3)
• Remaining Life Assessment and Remediation
• Software review
• Various software packages considered for FFS