Risk-Based Management of Mechanical Integrity in Air Products Hydrogen Steam Methane Reformer Plants

Presenter:

Matthew William Akhurst

Air Products Middle East

Hersham Place Technology Park, Molesey Road

Hersham, KT12 4RZ

AKHURSMW@airproducts.com

Authors:

Chad Texter, Brian Parisi

Air Products

7201 Hamilton Boulevard
Allentown, PA 18195-1501
textercd@airproducts.com, parisibk@airproducts.com

Air Products has operated Hydrogen plants for over 38 years. During this time, Air Products developed a life cycle approach to mechanical integrity for equipment and piping. The program starts with design and fabrication, extends into operation, and continues through life extension until the asset is finally retired. Each step is important to ensure safe and reliable operation. There are a variety of mechanical integrity inspection program strategies, ranging from rigid time based general inspections to more targeted inspections focused on the details of the particular asset. Air Products has selected a Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methodology leveraging our greater than 1000 operating plant years of Hydrogen plant experience to develop a focused mechanical integrity inspection program.

This paper describes the Air Products approach to Risk Based Inspection. The program starts with understanding the process conditions, which are typically referred to as Integrity Operating Windows (IOW). Once the process conditions are understood, the potential failure mechanisms are identified based on the metallurgy and mechanical design details. Air Products leverages it’s significant operating experience along with Industry guidance to develop the detailed inspection program based on the consequence and probability of failure for the damage mechanisms identified.

This paper will discuss several case histories specific to steam methane reformer plants to illustrate how RBI can be applied to ensure safe and reliable operation. The first case study focusses on how Air Products incorporates mechanical design details when developing the inspection program for the Hydrogen Purification portion of the process. The second case study explores Air Products approach to steam methane reformer tube inspection strategy. The third case study discusses how Air Products modified its inspection program on a process column that experienced a process shift outside of its Integrity Operating Window. The final example highlights components of Air Products inspection strategies for a steam methane reformer outlet system.