Overview
Process applications are some of the least exploited infrared opportunities in industry.
These applications can range from determining internal build-up on components, to evaluating the effectiveness of insulation to finding and analysing failures of equipment such as flare tips.
It is important to understand the theory and limitations of infrared thermography for these applications. Process problems are an example of how sharply infrared can deviate from the stereotypical "hot spot" approach. The interpretation of process-related thermograms involves infrared theory and heat transfer. Many process applications also involve better quality infrared equipment or specialized lenses, filters, and accessories.
Safety is also an issue with process inspections. As with outdoor electrical scenarios, the buddy system is a very effective way to avoid missing hazards while looking through an eye-piece or LCD lens. As with all work, a pre-job hazard assessment should be carried out to ensure that the risks are eliminated.
It is also important to remember that the infrared equipment will not be intrinsically safe or explosion proof. Gas monitoring and all of the relevant site safety procedures must be observed where there is the possibility of flammable and explosive materials.
Process applications require knowledge, skills, and imagination, but they can yield some of the greatest benefits. |
|
Sample IR Images:
- Process Piping
- Valve Body
- Exchanger Shell Side Build-up
- Flare Tip
- Sample Lines
- Tower Build-up
- Kiln Refractory
- Fouled Hydraulic Oil Cooler
- Damaged Glycol Coil
- Dislodged Tower Trays
- Heat Exchanger Flow
- Leak Under Cladding
- Glycol Outlet Heat Exchanger
- Plugged Glycol Cooler
- Tower Rinse After Cleaning
- Tower Rinse After Cleaning
- Fouled Tower Trays
- Fouled Tower Trays
|
1. Process Piping
This image shows process material ducting. Internal material build-up is evident on the side walls and two areas show refractory wear. The system is monitored for material build-up to avoid possible blockages. After a few surveys the plant engineer can extrapolate internal material thickness from the external temperature. This survey alone has prevented plant downtime costs of tens of thousands of dollars per hour.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
2. Valve Body
You can not see "through" most objects with infrared. You can, however, often see the different thicknesses of material between you and the source of heat, whether that material is the metal of the equipment, build-up, or fluids.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
3. Exchanger Shell Side Build-up
Material build-up is evident on the shell side of this exchanger. You are not seeing "through" the metal with the infrared camera. Rather you are seeing how the different rates of heat transfer and thermal masses affect the surface temperatures of the equipment.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
4. Flare Tip
Some flaring conditions would cause a visible glow to appear on this new flare tip. A thermal image showed that the true "hot spot" was likely under the shiny muffler, but even with an infrared camera any temperatures were based on estimated values. The stainless steel material of the flare tip was discolored and oxidized to varying degrees. It would be difficult to give a precise temperature for this indication with the infrared camera since the surface parameters cannot be quantified. Also, the hottest area was likely hidden from view, making any estimations based on the visible signature conservative.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
5. Sample Lines
This image shows insulated hot water sample lines. There is likely a leak in one of them, or water has penetrated the insulation and is conducting and storing heat from the sample lines.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
6. Tower Build-up
Build-up is evident in the bottom of this large tower. You are not seeing "through" the tower with the infrared camera. Instead, the camera is detecting the surface thermal differences due to the different rates of conduction and thermal masses of the build-up and fluids.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
7. Kiln Refractory
Infrared thermography can be used to trend the loss of refractory on the insides of kilns and other plant equipment. Maverick Inspection has also developed non-destructive techniques to determine refractory thicknesses through the internal material build-up.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
8. Fouled Hydraulic Oil Cooler
The fins of this oil cooler are completely plugged with dust. The vertical inlet and outlet are the same temperature as each other, and relatively no heat is being radiated from the fouled cooling fins.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
9. Damaged Glycol Coil
There is a coil in the bottom of this tower. It is connected to the glycol inlet line, coming up from the bottom. The white line is the inlet to the coil. The darker, cooler line is the inlet continuing out through the shell from the coil and up the tower. The coil is either plugged or has failed.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
10. Dislodged Tower Trays
The trays in this tower have all come free of the shell and moved together as a unit. Hot glycol is evident flowing down the inside of the tower rather than from tray to tray.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
11. Heat Exchanger Flow
The shellside flow pattern and overall heat transfer in a heat exchanger is often readily apparent from the surface heat signature.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
12. Leak Under Cladding
There was an inlet leak at a flange under the cladding of this insulated vessel. The flow of the hot gases under the cladding made a clear surface thermal indication despite the low emissivity of the cladding material.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
13. Glycol Outlet Heat Exchanger
The shell side of the small exchanger on this tower's glycol outlet is partially fouled, and the flow has channeled its own narrow path.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
14. Plugged Glycol Cooler
The passes in the top right of this glycol cooler are plugged. This cooler is attached to a glycol dehydration tower. The tower was cleaned, and the clooler became fouled during the process by materials washed down from the tower. There was no thermal indication of pluggage before the tower cleaning procedure.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
15. Poor Glycol Flow
This image shows a tower with a weak thermal signature of trays. The trays were fouled in this tower, and the glycol was hanging up at the top and flowing down very poorly prior to cleaning. Maverick often assists in pre- and post-cleaning tower inspections to gather data used in customizing the cleaning process and to ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning method.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
16. Tower Rinse After Cleaning
This tower was chemical cleaned, bottom to top. The rinse cycle is captured in this image. The image shows that the portion below the chimney tray is not included in the circulation of the cool rinse water.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
17. Fouled Tower Trays
This image shows a tower under normal operating conditions. The hang-up of the hot glycol on the middle trays is apparent from the surface thermal pattern.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
18. Fouled Tower Trays
The tower to the left shows hang-up on some tower trays. The tower to the right shows proper flow from tray-to-tray during chemical cleaning. Maverick often assists in pre- and post-cleaning tower inspections to gather data used in customizing the cleaning process and to ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning method.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
Overview
Process applications are some of the least exploited infrared opportunities in industry.
These applications can range from determining internal build-up on components, to evaluating the effectiveness of insulation to finding and analysing failures of equipment such as flare tips.
It is important to understand the theory and limitations of infrared thermography for these applications. Process problems are an example of how sharply infrared can deviate from the stereotypical "hot spot" approach. The interpretation of process-related thermograms involves infrared theory and heat transfer. Many process applications also involve better quality infrared equipment or specialized lenses, filters, and accessories.
Safety is also an issue with process inspections. As with outdoor electrical scenarios, the buddy system is a very effective way to avoid missing hazards while looking through an eye-piece or LCD lens. As with all work, a pre-job hazard assessment should be carried out to ensure that the risks are eliminated.
It is also important to remember that the infrared equipment will not be intrinsically safe or explosion proof. Gas monitoring and all of the relevant site safety procedures must be observed where there is the possibility of flammable and explosive materials.
Process applications require knowledge, skills, and imagination, but they can yield some of the greatest benefits. |
|
Sample IR Images:
- Process Piping
- Valve Body
- Exchanger Shell Side Build-up
- Flare Tip
- Sample Lines
- Tower Build-up
- Kiln Refractory
- Fouled Hydraulic Oil Cooler
- Damaged Glycol Coil
- Dislodged Tower Trays
- Heat Exchanger Flow
- Leak Under Cladding
- Glycol Outlet Heat Exchanger
- Plugged Glycol Cooler
- Tower Rinse After Cleaning
- Tower Rinse After Cleaning
- Fouled Tower Trays
- Fouled Tower Trays
|
1. Process Piping
This image shows process material ducting. Internal material build-up is evident on the side walls and two areas show refractory wear. The system is monitored for material build-up to avoid possible blockages. After a few surveys the plant engineer can extrapolate internal material thickness from the external temperature. This survey alone has prevented plant downtime costs of tens of thousands of dollars per hour.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
2. Valve Body
You can not see "through" most objects with infrared. You can, however, often see the different thicknesses of material between you and the source of heat, whether that material is the metal of the equipment, build-up, or fluids.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
3. Exchanger Shell Side Build-up
Material build-up is evident on the shell side of this exchanger. You are not seeing "through" the metal with the infrared camera. Rather you are seeing how the different rates of heat transfer and thermal masses affect the surface temperatures of the equipment.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
4. Flare Tip
Some flaring conditions would cause a visible glow to appear on this new flare tip. A thermal image showed that the true "hot spot" was likely under the shiny muffler, but even with an infrared camera any temperatures were based on estimated values. The stainless steel material of the flare tip was discolored and oxidized to varying degrees. It would be difficult to give a precise temperature for this indication with the infrared camera since the surface parameters cannot be quantified. Also, the hottest area was likely hidden from view, making any estimations based on the visible signature conservative.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
5. Sample Lines
This image shows insulated hot water sample lines. There is likely a leak in one of them, or water has penetrated the insulation and is conducting and storing heat from the sample lines.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
6. Tower Build-up
Build-up is evident in the bottom of this large tower. You are not seeing "through" the tower with the infrared camera. Instead, the camera is detecting the surface thermal differences due to the different rates of conduction and thermal masses of the build-up and fluids.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
7. Kiln Refractory
Infrared thermography can be used to trend the loss of refractory on the insides of kilns and other plant equipment. Maverick Inspection has also developed non-destructive techniques to determine refractory thicknesses through the internal material build-up.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
8. Fouled Hydraulic Oil Cooler
The fins of this oil cooler are completely plugged with dust. The vertical inlet and outlet are the same temperature as each other, and relatively no heat is being radiated from the fouled cooling fins.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
9. Damaged Glycol Coil
There is a coil in the bottom of this tower. It is connected to the glycol inlet line, coming up from the bottom. The white line is the inlet to the coil. The darker, cooler line is the inlet continuing out through the shell from the coil and up the tower. The coil is either plugged or has failed.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
10. Dislodged Tower Trays
The trays in this tower have all come free of the shell and moved together as a unit. Hot glycol is evident flowing down the inside of the tower rather than from tray to tray.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
11. Heat Exchanger Flow
The shellside flow pattern and overall heat transfer in a heat exchanger is often readily apparent from the surface heat signature.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
12. Leak Under Cladding
There was an inlet leak at a flange under the cladding of this insulated vessel. The flow of the hot gases under the cladding made a clear surface thermal indication despite the low emissivity of the cladding material.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
13. Glycol Outlet Heat Exchanger
The shell side of the small exchanger on this tower's glycol outlet is partially fouled, and the flow has channeled its own narrow path.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
14. Plugged Glycol Cooler
The passes in the top right of this glycol cooler are plugged. This cooler is attached to a glycol dehydration tower. The tower was cleaned, and the clooler became fouled during the process by materials washed down from the tower. There was no thermal indication of pluggage before the tower cleaning procedure.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
15. Poor Glycol Flow
This image shows a tower with a weak thermal signature of trays. The trays were fouled in this tower, and the glycol was hanging up at the top and flowing down very poorly prior to cleaning. Maverick often assists in pre- and post-cleaning tower inspections to gather data used in customizing the cleaning process and to ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning method.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
16. Tower Rinse After Cleaning
This tower was chemical cleaned, bottom to top. The rinse cycle is captured in this image. The image shows that the portion below the chimney tray is not included in the circulation of the cool rinse water.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
17. Fouled Tower Trays
This image shows a tower under normal operating conditions. The hang-up of the hot glycol on the middle trays is apparent from the surface thermal pattern.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents
18. Fouled Tower Trays
The tower to the left shows hang-up on some tower trays. The tower to the right shows proper flow from tray-to-tray during chemical cleaning. Maverick often assists in pre- and post-cleaning tower inspections to gather data used in customizing the cleaning process and to ensure the effectiveness of the cleaning method.
You may left-click on the picture for an expanded view.
Table of Contents