The Development of Economical Clamp to Repair Expansion Piping in Regeneration Gas System

Abstract

Abstract The objective is to study and develop the economical clamp to use for leakage repair caused by pipe crack at piping supports in gas regeneration system, which is operated under thermal cyclic condition and not possible to call the ad-hoc plant shutdown window. The process of this study is to analyze the thermal expansion of piping and clamp, which is a cause of the gap at contact surface between 8″ piping and clamp. The clamp design is developed with understanding the influence of heat conduction as well as the material expansion. The experiment has been setup to verify the clamp design in the scope of performance and endurance test. The expected end result is the efficiency of clamp to secure the pressure while gas leakage is occurred under thermal expansion effect. The result from design, development and experiment to prove its performance and endurance is indicated that this ecomomical clamp is in good condition and can secure the pressure under gas leakage situation. This project now generates the benefit to preserve production and sale (prevent unplanned plant shutdown), prompt response (perform as an emergency repair) and very low fabrication cost (able to reduce fabrication cost for 40%, approx.). It's not only for one operating asset, but for all and for company as the whole business units. Besides, it's potentially to continue the design development in various sizes of piping operated under thermal cyclic condition. It much more commercial in the following day. In the monetary aspect, earlier (from 2014 until now), company has to bear with the Lost Production and Sale Opportunity for 12 million USD from unplanned shutdown caused by gas leakage at piping crack nearby pipe support in regeneration gas system, which is operated under thermal cyclic condition. From the loss occurred, it compells company to study and develop effective emergency response plan and equipment to prevent the loss and control the risk from the piping leakage issue in the gas regeneration system.