Inspection Procedure

32-SAIP-11 15 September 2014

Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers
Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents

1 Scope............................................................. 2
2 Purpose.......................................................... 2
3 References..................................................... 2
4 Definitions...................................................... 3
5 Responsibilities of Inspector.......................... 4
6 Corrosion Rates, Remaining Life and
Inspection Interval.................................. 7
7 Recommendation for Repairs....................... 7
8 Alterations and Additions............................... 7
9 Rerating Because of Operating Changes In
Temperature or Maximum Allowable
Working Pressure (MAWP).................... 8
10 Records......................................................... 8
11 Safety............................................................ 8

Previous Issue: 18 April 2009 Next Planned Update: TBD

Revised paragraphs are indicated in the right margin Page 1 of 9
Primary contact: Kakpovbia, Anthony Eyankwiere on +966-13-8801772

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2014. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

1 Scope

1.1 This SAIP describes the responsibilities of inspector and inspection procedures
to be followed by the engineering inspection units and shop inspecting air-
cooled heat exchanger equipment (Fin-Fan Coolers).

1.2 This SAIP is intended to establish a standardized methodology by Saudi Aramco

inspection personnel in the implementation of inspection programs within Saudi
Aramco facilities. The SAIP shall not be included in purchase order or contract
documents issued to outside agencies.

2 Purpose

This SAIP provides a summary of Inspection activities for inspection of air-cooled heat
exchangers. It specifies inspection techniques to be used on heat exchanger
components, and defines inspector responsibility in repairing, altering, testing, and
maintaining records on heat exchangers.

3 References

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-20 Equipment Inspection Schedule

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-A-004 General Requirements for Pressure Testing
SAES-A-005 Safety Instruction Sheet
SAES-A-007 Hydrostatic Testing Fluids and Lay-Up
Procedures

Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification

32-SAMSS-011 Air Cooled Heat Exchangers

Saudi Aramco Forms and Data Sheets

SA 2716-ENG Specification Sheet of Air Cooled Heat Exchanger
SA 6238-ENG Data & Operating Limits - Air Cooled Heat
Exchangers

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

ASME SEC II, V & VIII Boiler and Pressure Vessels

American Petroleum Institute

API STD 661 Air Cooled Heat Exchangers for General Refinery
Services
API Guide for Inspection of Refinery Equipment, Chapter VII

4 Definitions

Alteration: is a physical change to a component described on the original Equipment

Data Sheet that affects the pressure containing capability of the heat exchanger.

Corrosion Allowance: is any metal thickness in excess of the minimum thickness

required by pressure design.

Corrosion Rate: is the amount of metal thickness loss that occurs during a fixed time
period and is usually measured on mils per year (mpy).

Inspector: is a member of the proponent's Operations Engineering Inspection Group or

is an assigned Shops Inspector.

Integrity: means soundness - i.e., freedom from flaws or defects.

Equipment Data Sheet: is a document furnished by the Manufacturer certifying that

materials, construction, and workmanship conform to Company and industrial
requirements.

Minimum Required Thickness, (Tm): as defined in ASME SEC VIII, is the

calculated thickness required based on the design pressure and temperature exclusive of
corrosion allowance. When the Tm limit is reached, action must be taken to repair,
retire, or derate the equipment.

Repair: is the work necessary to restore a heat exchanger to a safe operating condition.

Rerating: refers to any change, i.e., temperature, pressure, thickness, etc., which would
affect the maximum allowable working pressure. This change is to be documented by
revising the Safety Instruction Sheet and the Equipment Data Sheet.

Safety Instruction Sheet (SIS): gives the minimum allowable thickness based on the
temperature and pressure for each component, and specifies test pressures (Refer to
SAES-A-005).

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Representative Specimen Tube: is a tube removed from the top or bottom row for
destructive testing to evaluate corrosion damage.

5 Responsibilities of Inspector

5.1 Review the past history of the exchanger.

5.2 External Inspection

5.2.1 Look for and record any evidence of leakage around the nozzles, flanges,
threaded plugs and rolled joints.

5.2.2 Check for signs of nozzle pipe strain and external corrosion.

5.2.3 Ultrasonically gage the thickness of header boxes and nozzles.

5.2.4 Establish the corrosion rates and check the remaining thickness against
the tm (Refer to Safety Instruction Sheet)

5.2.5 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.3 Exterior of Finned Tubes

5.3.1 Note the condition of the fins and the possible need for cleaning or
straightening.

5.3.2 Check the exterior of the tubes for any mechanical damage, discoloration
that may indicate leakage, or corrosion attack.

5.3.3 Look for any evidence of vibration.

5.3.4 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.4 Housing

5.4.1 Inspect the light gage steel housing enclosing the tubes for general
condition.

5.4.2 Inspect the top and bottom structural retaining members.

5.4.3 Inspect all bolting for tightness and that the shroud is not vibrating
against the tubes causing fretting.

5.4.4 Insure the shipping bolts between the housing and both header boxes are
removed. The unit cells shall be allowed to expand freely when put in
service.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

5.4.5 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.5 Internal Inspection

5.5.1 Header Boxes and Nozzles

5.5.1.1 A minimum of 10% of plugs should be removed from each end

of the tube sheets. The sample should include representative
plugs from each row of tubes.

5.5.1.2 If any fouling or corrosion is evident remove all plugs from the
tube sheets.

5.5.1.3 Check the headers and nozzles, before cleaning, and determine
whether there is any evidence of corrosion, erosion, or scale
deposits.

5.5.1.4 Check the nozzle gasket surfaces, if possible.

5.5.1.5 Examine the plug sheet holes, plugs and gasket surfaces for
stripped threads and/or galvanic corrosion.

5.5.1.6 Inspect plugs and plug sheets for impingement damage by the
process stream.

5.5.1.7 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.5.2 Tubes

5.5.2.1 Check the rolled joints at the tube sheet for leakage.

5.5.2.2 Inspect the tubes inlets at the tube sheet for signs of erosion or
corrosion.

5.5.2.3 Inspect the interior surfaces of the tubes with a boroscope for
cleanliness, general corrosion and pitting. If corrosion is a
problem, request Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) testing, Eddy
Current testing or any other applicable Non Destructive Testing
(NDT) from Operation Inspection Division (OID) to get
accurate measurement of pitting depth, cracks and average wall
thickness.

5.5.2.4 If NDT MFL results indicate the need for additional tube
bundle evaluation, remove specimen tubes) for corrosion
evaluation.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

5.5.2.5 Before plugging any tube, make sure it has been cut. The
difference in thermal expansion between the plugged tube and
the operating tubes may damage the rolling joint of the plugged
tube resulting in a leak.

5.5.2.6 Observe the number of tubes already plugged and record it in

the equipment inspection records.

5.5.2.7 Consider retubing the bundle when 10% of tubes in any one
pass or a total of 10% of the tubes in the bundle have been
plugged.

5.5.2.8 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.5.3 Fan, Driver and Housing

5.5.3.1 Insure the motor start/stop buttons are locked out before
entering the fan housing area.

5.5.3.2 Insure the fan and driver guards are intact.

5.5.3.3 Inspect the fan blades for general condition, cracking, checking
and chipping.
Commentary Note:

Fan blades must be installed as balanced pairs to maintain a

balanced fan.

5.5.3.4 Inspect the fan belts for excessive wear, cuts and general
condition.

5.5.3.5 Inspect the clearance between the fan blade tip and the housing
corrugated filler strips. Clearance should meet the
manufacturer's recommendation for best efficiency.

5.5.3.6 If present, inspect the condition of the corrugated filler strips

and retaining bolts.

5.5.3.7 Inspect the hub assembly for possible cracking. If dismantled,

hubs should be penetrant tested.

5.5.3.8 Recommend repairs as necessary.

5.6 Hydrostatic Test

5.6.1 Witness hydrostatic tests.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

5.6.2 Obtain test pressures from SIS sheets. Hold test pressures for a
minimum of 1 hour.

5.6.3 Hydrotest bundle and inspect for leakage. Test media should either be
sweet water or condensate to prevent corrosion of tubes prior to startup
(Refer to 32-SAMSS-011, paragraph 7.3.4 and SAES-A-007).

5.6.4 Plug all leaking tubes with tapered plugs of the same material as the
tube. Drive a plug into each end of the leaking tube. Do not seal weld
plugs.

6 Corrosion Rates, Remaining Life and Inspection Interval

6.1 Establish the corrosion rates of all the component parts of the heat exchanger.

6.2 Use the established corrosion rate and calculate the remaining life of all the
components and tm for structure.

6.3 If needed, either make repairs to ensure the exchanger is good for the next
scheduled run period or revise the EIS to a shorter inspection interval.

7 Recommendation for Repairs

7.1 Prepare the repair recommendations after inspections have been completed and
corrosion rates established.

7.2 Obtain concurrence of the Operations Engineering Group where material

changes, special welding procedures, etc., are a part of the repair
recommendations. The Inspection Department and Consulting Services
Department should be consulted in instances of unexpectedly high equipment
deterioration or unusual operating conditions.

7.3 When retubing is necessary, the proponent Operations Engineering Unit shall
concur that the tube material is adequate for the process conditions.

8 Alterations and Additions

8.1 Insure that a repair procedure has been established that will maintain the code
integrity of the equipment before any repairs, alterations or additions are made.

8.2 Verify that the proper materials have been purchased and they are stamped per
company and code requirements.

8.3 Verify that welding procedures and welders are qualified.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

8.4 Verify that pre and post weld heat treatment or stress relieving procedures meet
code requirements.

8.5 Insure that radiographic techniques employed meet code requirements. Review
and interpret all radiographic films per code requirements.

8.6 Determine if magnetic particle and/or dye penetrant examinations are required
by the company and code requirements

9 Rerating Because of Operating Changes In Temperature or Maximum

Allowable Working Pressure (MAWP)

9.1 Insure that the rerating is established in accordance with the requirements of the
code revision applicable at the time of rerating.

9.2 Obtain from Operations Engineering the approved revised data sheet
(SA 2716-ENG) and revised Safety Instruction Sheet (SA 6238-ENG).

9.3 Insure that a new nameplate is attached to the exchanger showing the rerated
conditions.

9.4 Witness the hydrotest required to establish the rerating.

10 Records

10.1 Maintain a permanent and progressive set of records for each exchanger. These
records shall contain copies of the Equipment Data Sheet, Safety Inspection
Sheets (SIS), exchanger number, current condition of the equipment, previous
repairs, alterations, rerating, corrosion rates, and remaining life predictions.

10.2 Review records when operating conditions change which could affect the
corrosion rates. New corrosion evaluations and run length should be calculated.

11 Safety

11.1 Insure personal safety and that of any persons involved during inspections of
equipment.

11.2 Insure that equipment is isolated from all sources of liquid, gases or vapors,
prior to making the internal inspection.

11.3 Insure the motor start/stop buttons (both local and remote) are locked out before
entering the fan housing area.

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Document Responsibility: Inspection Engineering Standards Committee 32-SAIP-11
Issue Date: 15 September 2014
Next Planned Update: TBD Inspection of Air-Cooled Heat Exchangers

Revision Summary
18 April 2009 Editorial revision to change the primary contact.
Revised the “Next Planned Update”.
15 September 2014 Revised the Next Planned Update and reaffirmed the content of the document.

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