Patching up problems
Published by Callum O'Reilly,
Senior Editor
Hydrocarbon Engineering,
Storage tanks and terminals and their contents are extremely valuable assets that need to be repaired when damage occurs.
The most common cause of damage, whether it results in a leakage or not, is corrosion. Tank corrosion leads to an increased likelihood of tank leaks, safety hazards, environmental damage, and productivity loss due to shutdowns.
The traditional repair method is to weld a patch plate on the defected area, but welding means hot work and this is difficult and time-consuming. Hot work also increases risk in potentially flammable or explosive environments. As a result, weld repairs often require a costly shutdown, emptying, and clean-out of the tank, carrying with it lost productivity costs. Moreover, operating conditions, complex geometries, and the severity of the damage can prohibit welded repairs.
Therefore, the question remains how can the repair be completed differently, in a quick and efficient manner?
Repairing using composite solutions
3X ENGINEERING (3X) has developed two products based on composite technology, designed to repair and reinforce tanks and pressured vessels suffering from corrosion defects and mechanical damages.
TANKiT® and REINFORCEKiT® PATCH are two composite patch repair systems. Both products are cold welding systems which allow damages to be repaired without altering the operation. The first is designed for emergencies, whilst the latter is a sustainable solution with a repair lifetime of up to 20 years.
The main advantage in using these composite repair solutions is that no cutting or welding is required during installation so the repair can be applied while the tank is still online (i.e. low environmental risks and low safety risks for workers). Beyond a decrease in safety and environmental risks, in-service installation results in cost savings because there is no downtime for production.
So, how do they work and how were these products developed?
Written by Laurette Sapin Cuiret and Olivier Marin, 3X ENGINEERING, Monaco.
This article was originally published in the Summer issue of Tanks & Terminals magazine. To read the full article, sign in or register for a free trial subscription.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/special-reports/24052019/patching-up-problems/
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