Leakage Investigation on a Fired Heater Tube of a Petroleum Refinery due to Carburization
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Abstract
The fired heater of a petroleum processing refinery leaks in one of the convection tubes. The tube is made of ASTM A-106 Gr.B. Process fluid in the tube is xylene with a design pressure of 15.8 kg/cm²g and design temperature of 299 °C (at the inlet) and 405 °C (at the outlet). This study aims to determine the type and causes and the mechanism of leakage in the tube. A number of tests have been carried out including visual inspection and macroscopic analysis, chemical analysis, metallographic and hardness testing, and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) analysis which is equipped with EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy). The results obtained showed that the leak that occurred in the convection tube was caused by carburization and metal dusting. Carburization occurs in the inner walls of the tube that experience some localized overheating due to the formation of coke deposits.
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