Becht staff include over ten senior materials experts with expertise in applications including power, refinining, petrochemical and chemical facilities, and materials including metals, coatings and linings, and nonmetals such as refractories, thermoplastics (e.g., high density polyethylene) and reinforced thermosetting resins (e.g., fiberglass). Our services include material selection, establishing operating envelopes for equipment, failure analysis, remaining life assessment, and establishing deterioration mechanisms and their associated probabilities for risk based inspection and development of equipment reliability plans. We are experts in modifications to existing chemical processes to alleviate and control corrosion that allows continued operation of existing equipment. We are experts in the equipment requirements for processing corrosive crudes (e.g. high TAN crudes such as Doba crude) as well as material applications for high temperature services such as steam cracking furnaces and furnaces to produce synthesis gas.
Refractory linings are common throughout the refinery and found in many different units including the FCCU, fired heaters, and Claus thermal reactors. In the previous posting of Becht Blogs: Refractory series, we gave a cursory overview of several refractory types and where they are typically applied (Introduction to Refractory). These materials come from the family […]
With contributing authors Scott Leakey, Dave Dewees, P.E. It’s approaching three years since we demonstrated a mechanistic model for high-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA). The model is fundamentally based on void growth and captures both mass-diffusion as well as power-law creep mechanisms which are responsible for the growth and eventual linking of internal cavities. A six-part […]
Weld peaking or out-of-roundness affecting PSAs is evaluated, highlighting the value of conducting peaking measurements to determine a PSA’s inherent stress concentration. Below is an excerpt from the article. This article was published in the Revamps Issue of PTQ 2022 Can the life of a pressure swing absorber (PSA) be extended beyond its intended design […]
High temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) is the focus of the November Asset Intelligence Report by Inspectioneering.com. The article serves as an informative primer to provide an understanding of HTHA. This primer contains the following sections: Overview Susceptible Areas Nelson Curve Prevention/Mitigation Effective Inspection Techniques Remediation Codes, Standards, and Best Practices Further Reading HTHA is a time dependent intergranular […]
By: Scott Sayles, Matthew Caserta, Stephen DeLude and Al Keller Comprehensive review of corrosion operating concerns when co-processing renewables and bio-oils through existing hydrotreaters, FCC units, amine units, and other assets. Below is an excerpt from an article recently published in PTQ Q3 2022 Issue (digitalrefining.com) Renewable feedstocks: Processing Steps The processing of renewable feedstocks […]
Published in the Inspectioneering Journal, January/February 2022 Introduction Nearly two years ago, in an Inspectioneering Journal article, Practical HTHA Experience and Time-Based Nelson Curves for Improved Equipment Life Management, we described how to incorporate well-established void growth modeling (see Figure 1) into a high temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) assessment approach [1]. Since then, we have […]
In 2008, Becht Engineering was awarded a project by the Materials Technology Institute (MTI) to develop an inspection guideline document and software tool for the collection and analysis of inspection data for piping, piping components and pressure vessels. Dr. Eileen Chant , as project manager, collaborated with Bob Sims of Becht, Dr. Mark Stone of […]
Overview We presented a comprehensive five part series on our HTHA modeling approach in the fall of 2020. This series extended the initial work presented in [1] in several significant ways, including: Inclusion of vessel pressure and weld residual stresses Treatment of C-0.5Mo material Direct relation of the damage and life fractions the model predicts […]
with Sridhar Srinivasan Becht is pleased to announce the official launch of the Becht Joint Industry Project on High Temperature Hydrogen Attack: Comprehensive Life Management of HTHA Susceptible Equipment. We’re excited to bring our multidisciplinary team of materials, inspection, modeling, fitness-for-service and software experts working with global plant operators and JIP sponsors to take our […]
State-of-the-art Cloud-based Decision Support Model drives enhanced crude processing flexibility and unit mechanical integrity through accurate, simultaneous quantification of naphthenic acid and sulfidic corrosion Refinery Crude Unit operations, characterized by significant process complexities and crude blend / fraction assay properties, have traditionally remained an area where accurate asset integrity and life prediction have been difficult […]
