PTTES SERVICES

Main topic: API584 Integrity Operating Window

Document no. EE2016001

API RP584 Integrity Operating Window

For any process unit, a set of operating ranges and limits needs to be established for key process variables.
Integrity Operating Windows (IOW) are a subset of these key operating limits that focus on maintaining
the integrity of process equipment. Mechanical Integrity is a key part of a Process Safety Management to
prevent Loss of Primary Containment.
Start-ups, shut-downs, short term excursions and process changes can all lead to unexpected damage to
equipment. Review your IOW’s to API RP584 2014 to ensure future operating levels and inspection schemes
help maintain pressure equipment integrity.

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A structured assessment of the equipment process
conditions and determination of operating limits to
minimize damage:

 Review existing design & operating conditions

 Determine full range of potential operating
regime
 Define credible damage mechanisms
 Identify process variables that affect the
damage
 Agree upper & lower limits
 Risk rank each limit
 Determine criticality of IOW
 Define actions and response times Figure No.1 : Examples of Operating Windows
 Integration with existing systems such as RBI,
PHA, MOC
Benefits
IOW Example
 Identification of key elements within the process
Heater tubes designed to API 530 have a 100,000 which influence damage
hour creep life at 510 °C. Operation above this  Development of informational, standard and
temperature would result in an increasingly critical IOW’s for the equipment
shortened service life and premature  Transfer of knowledge of IOW’s to all affected
rupture/replacement. personnel
 Integration into the MOC program to identify
If this limit (510 °C) is exceeded, operators would any changes to the process/physical hardware
need to adjust fired heater controls to get the tube affecting integrity
temperature back to below 510 °C within a preset  Reduced risk of accelerated damage of
amount of time. The limit of 510 °C would be an equipment and potential unplanned failure
IOW limit for those fired heater tubes.
PTTES’ Process Safety & Asset Integrity Experts can
At an even higher temperature, say 550 °C, the assist operators in identifying, establishing and
operator might be required to take more immediate reviewing IOW’s to ensure your equipment
actions to regain control or even shut down the continues to perform safely and reliability.
heater.

There may be more than one IOW limit for the same
process parameter (in this case fired heater tube
temperature), for tracking/trending or to gain
control prior to reaching a critical IOW limit, See For more information please contact
Figure 1.
Jon Cook at jonathan.c@pttes.com
In addition, there may be more than one predefined
response, depending upon the level of deviation of
the process parameter limit.

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