MAINTENANCE/MATERIALS Material selection for low- temperature ap plications Analysis shows conventional metallurgy is usually adequate for process upsets 5. KUMAR, Worley Limited (Oil/Gas), void selecting expensive materials of construction for short ‘etm, low-temperature exposures of vessels and piping. Short-term low temperature generally occurs during blow- down of a section of the process, Scraight low-temperature data, from a depressurization study might appear to exaggerate the threat of brite fracture. However, detailed study reveals that low-em- perarure exposure is generally not as adverse as suspected, and that conventional metallurgy is usually adequate for the application. ‘Scenarios leading to low-temperature exposures are not unusual in oil and gas plants—ie might be a long-term normal processor a short-term abnormal contingency (see Appendix 1). The immedi- ate concern of any low-temperature exposure is selecting compat- ible metallurgy. Cryogenic exposure adversely affects the metal properties such that the material stength (brittle fracture resis- ‘ance-toughness) becomes questionable, particularly under high pressure (ee Appendix 2). A perfect material selection requires, process knowledge and material science. Ac times, over-conservative ‘material selection results, due to lack of coordination between the process engineer and material specials. ‘As per general convention in an engineering design company, ‘a material specialist is responsible for selecting appropriate mate- rial and examining is worthiness for low-temperature conditions, based on che minimum design temperature (MDT) as specified by the process engineer. The source of over-conservatism stars, when the process engineer nominates the vessel MDT to be equal 0 minimum temperature of the process fluid. However, often in realty, MDT isnot equal to process temperature. As will be discussed later, particularly during shorc-term Blowdown, reason- able credits are available ro avoid the potential low-temperature scenario that can raise the vessel MDT much above che actual process fluid temperature. “This article explores useful information from ASME and other relevane codes, and integrates it with a low-temperature study. Joint knowledge of process and material engineering helps a pro- cess engincer maintain an integral and economical design. Generally, as 2 quick rule of thumb, any process event chat would expose the metal to colder than ~20°F will necessitate a low-temperature seudy to justify use of the proposed material of construction. Severity of low-temperature exposure depends on the following factors: *# State ofthe proces fluid within the vessel liquid/gas. Heat ‘transfer (cold fluid to metal for liquid is faster than that for gas, Fluid pressure—the higher the coincident pressure, the higher che potential of bite fracure in metal erth, Australi ‘Fluid vemperature—the colder the temperature, the more severe the risk of brite fracture ‘ Material metallurgy and thickness. The impact of thickness and mecallurgy on low-temperature failures discussed later (See ‘Appendix 2). Cold liquid service. Given the higher heat transfer coef ficient in liquid, itis reasonable to equate the material tem- perature to the liquid temperature. However, concessions in the minimum design mecal temperature (MDMT, duc to low pressure) can be taken, as will be discussed later. Cold gas services. In gas service, however, unlike liquid, the film heat transfer coefficient is relatively very pot. So itis highly unreasonable to equate che MDMT to the temperature of the cold gas, unless the vessel is insulated and the cold service is long. «erm. Indeed, the gaseous low-cemperature scenario needs deailed study to determine realistic MDMT and to select an appropriate construction material. “The following example helps one understand the implication. A low-temperature study indicates that cold blowdown gas can expose the discharge pipe to ~200°F at the end of 15 minutes blowdown, the coincident pressure being only 20 psig (ess than 30% of the pipe design pressure). On the face of this example, without any seudy, one can nominate the MDMT ofthe pipe to be -200 °F, and can propose use of sanles steel. The question: How relistcis this MDMT and the esultane material selection? A detailed study, however eeveas even normal carbon steel ASTM106 (Ge. B) with ‘MDMT of -20°F would be suitable For the service. The decailed low-temperature study essentially comprises the following two different approaches. They may be used in conjunc- tion or in isolation. ‘* Heat transfer model: The heat transfer (HT) model helps us derermine he realistic wall emperatue that a vesel/pipe section ‘ean attain wiehin the specified shore term. As will be shown later inderail, che HT model incorporates. dynamic heat balance over a unit section of pipe. * Coincidencal concession: This approach allows some con- cession in MDMT (reduced MDM7), should the coincidental ‘operating pressure be lower than the design pressure. However, this approach needs special attention, as wil be discussed later. Heat transfer model. The model is based on the basic prem- ise that the wall cemperacure progressively dips due to net heat HyoROCAaHON PHOCESSING NY 2008 | 85MAINTENANCE/MATERIALS at loss rate (metal to gas) leat gain rate (amb, to metal) (C:Metal temperature c Rate of Heat transfer —= smperature of metal —> {oss from the wall metal. The net heat los isa balance of che heat Joss to cold gas and the heat in-leak ftom ambient. The heat loss rate ftom meral to gas fundamentally depends on the temperature and film heat transfer coefficient of the cold fluid. The heat in- leak rate from ambient air depends on the temperature difference between ambient and metal, with the ambient (outside) heat transfer coefficient and air temperature being nearly constant. Fig, 1 shows the simultancous relationship and behavior of the heat transfer system, ‘Asis evident from curves A and B, the rate of both the heat transfers varies with time, and so does the heat los gain from the metal. Therefore, a dynamic heat balance is needed to estimate the variation in metal temperature along time. ‘A dynamic HT model is presented for cold ges flowing though a discharge pipe downstream of a BDV assembly. Here wwe will model the heat eransfer around a unie section of tail pipe. The model assumes that che vessel/pipe is not lagged with any insulacion or fre blanket. The tail pipes are more prone to low-temperacuce exposure than che upstream inlet pipe/vessel during the blowdown. Blowdown gas conditions and properties can be extracted from any depressuring software. eat in-leaks occur simultaneously fom ambient to pipe, and pipe to cold gas. Initially, cher is an imbalance of heat transfer in favor of heat los othe pipe. As result, the pipe starts geting cold. ‘Much later, however, both che hea transfers balance, andthe pipe temperature stops declining. After che pipe gets cold enough, the heat imbalance slightly shifts in fsvor of ambient heat gain to pip. Bventually, depending on the time, the pipe temperature increases ‘marginally, The reasoa for hea imbalance in favor of heat loss to pipe is due toa significantly higher gus-side heat transfer coefficient than that ofthe ambient side (ig. 2). “The models based on a unit length of pipe (immediately down- scream of BDV) ands represented by the following equation: Hat los from pipe» inside hea transfer — outside heat transfer We will break the total time span of blowdown into equal increments of one minute Incremental heat guivloss during che minute ftom a unit 26 | suuy 200 ivoROCARBON PROCESSING section of pipe is given by: Qgn-Qan #, nn =e o Incremental temperature change in the pipe section asa result of Eq. | is given by: @ Pipe temperature at an n'¥ instance of time can be represented by the following: Tn 2 Foy? tan @ nt mm Eq, 3, simultaneously with Eqs. 4 and 8, can be integraced numerically by witing a suitable VB code in a macro module of Excel, The VB codes, as developed by the author, provide the pipe temperacue profile over a specified time (Fig. 3).” “The two RLHLS. expressions of Eq, | are separately claborared and discussed in detail: Inside heat transfer. The heat ransfer rate from a unit pipe section to cold gas varies with time and depends on the following time-dependent (dynamic) variables: ** Gas-side heat transfer coefficient continuously decreas=> with flowrate. * Gas temperanure decreases with time, # Pipe temperacure varies with time. ‘The instantaneous heae transfer rate at» cme is given by: sept cbr et on trp ele ote