Fitness-For-Service, Remaining Life Assessment & Repair of Pressure Equipment & Piping

Introduction

This training course clarifies the Fitness-for-Service concepts and technologies and provides training on the application of API 579-1/ASME FFS-1, a standard jointly published by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) that covers a wide range of flaw types and damage mechanisms. It is intended to supplement and augment the requirements in API 510, API 570 and API 653 to ensure safety and reliability of plant equipment.

The general road map and procedures for flaw evaluation, acceptance criteria, calculation of remaining life, and the three levels of evaluation will be explained. Level 1 procedures for evaluation of the various flaws covered in Parts 3 through 13 are explained and demonstrated by worked example problems. Additionally, Level 2 procedures are discussed and some level 2 worked example problems are demonstrated. An introduction to level 3 analyses methods and acceptance criteria is covered. Stresses of various categories and failure modes associated with each are explained.

This GLOMACS training course emphasizes that any FFS assessment must not conflict with Code and regulatory requirements and ensures that basic engineering principles are adhered to and the intent of the reference publication is understood and followed.

Objectives

The participants will learn to apply the rules of the API/ASME 579 standard "Fitness-for-Service" to recognize degradation mechanisms, evaluate the integrity and remaining life of pressure vessels, tanks, piping systems and pipelines, make cost effective run-or-repair decisions, and select the appropriate repair options. In this training course you will learn:

• Fundamental principles of fitness-for-service, their practical application through presentations, worked examples, case studies, and a step-by-step evaluation process for each type of degradation mechanism
• Fundamental principles of component integrity, application of the ASME code rules, material properties of strength and toughness, and the introduction to stress and fracture mechanics
• A review of degradation mechanisms and the application of API 579 to 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, HIC and SOHIC and fire damage

Training Methodology

Participants to this training course will receive a thorough training on the subjects covered by the training course outline with the tutor utilising a variety of proven adult learning teaching and facilitation techniques. Seminar methodology includes This is an intensive and comprehensive training  course in which participants are drawn into active participation in discussions and example solutions to enhance learning.

The emphasis in the training course will be on the explanation of all technical phenomena and providing answers to problems that are encountered in everyday industrial practice related to maintenance, repair and alterations of process equipment. Each learning point will be reinforced with practical examples. There will be ample opportunities for active discussion and sharing professional experiences and exchange that will help solidify the gained knowledge. All training course materials will be provided.

Organisational Impact

Optimization of process plant operation, including equipment efficiency, energy consumption and maintenance management, is vital to the budgetary success of the organisation. On completion of this training course, the delegates will be able to critically analyse the methodologies employed within the organisation and instigate improvements where required.

Personal Impact

Participants will obtain all skills that are essential for assessing pressure vessels, piping and tanks against all known degradation mechanisms from first approach at field Level up to expertise level giving them extreme confidence on their recommendation through professionally written reports.