Problem Summary

Anomaly Description:
A leak was detected on an old clamp but a shutdown for replacing the line and removing the clamp was not possible.

Root causes:
There was a need to cover the entire clamp in order to stop the leak as the existing clamp was too old to re-inject. The leak was caused by the current aging of clamp and/or sealing compound. The existing enclosure also posed a safety risk as the enclosure has been kept on the line for longer than the original design lifetime.

Integrity concerns:
The old clamp will not be able to keep the piping in position in the case that complete failure of the original defect occurs. In the case of complete failure, the pipe will slip off the clamp easily due to degradation of the existing clamp and result in a plant upset.

  • Line Size: N/A
  • Design Pressure: 4
  • Operating Pressure: 1.45
  • Design Temperature: 440
  • Operating Temperature: 150
  • Material: A 350 Gr LF2 / A182 Gr F12

  • Line Class: N/A

The Beruseal Solution

Due to the above structural concerns (and clamp leak), a clamp has been designed according to ASME VIII Div 1 to cover the existing (old) clamp. An interlink strongback system was also incorporated into the design to prevent piping-separation in case of complete failure of the original defect. Therefore, the interlink strongback system helps to maintain the structural integrity of the piping. Due to space constraint it was decided to manufacture and design a three-part enclosure CNC machined from 120mm plate. The three-part enclosure would allow the bottom half to slide into position on top of the existing structural beam that could not be removed.

Conclusion:
A successful seal was obtained by injecting a polymer compound into the clamp cavity. After injecting compound, no leaks were observed therefore a successful seal was achieved.

  • On-site repairs for maximum up-time productivity
  • Improved Safety by reducing noise & emissions
  • Equipment Integrity with international support & custom engineering

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