TUV INDIA – EXPERTISE FOR YOUR SUCCESS

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 Heater/Furnace Inspection
To ensure safe and reliable operation
1. External inspection
Obtain valid work permit.
Stack inspection-
 Hammer test to check area of reduced thickness
 UT measurements
 Bolt intactness

Shell inspection
 Visual inspection of shell
 UT measurement if required

Inlet/outlet piping
 Check for corrosion
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 UT measurement Working video
Internal inspection :

 Safety note: Obtain valid confined space work permit. Ensure attendees present outside the manhole before

entering into confined space. All PPE shall be worn.

Radiant section

 tube number marking as per sketch.

 Inspect for bulging, sagging, scaling, corrosion and deposits from fuel gases on tubes.

 Any sign of damage, distortion and corrosion on fittings to be checked.

 lower U bends shall be radiographed as per ASME SEC V to check thinning, deposits, pitting, cracks and for

any internal obstruction. Thickness to be checked. Bulging to be checked.

 Thickness to be checked for tubes at every 6 feet level and at top u bends.

 OD gauging for bulging of tubes to be measured @ 6 feet interval.

6 Thermocouple condition to be checked. All thermocouple points shall be inspected visually and by DP test.
 Internal inspection

 In-situ metallography of SS/AS tubes shall be carried out to know metallurgical degradation.

 Hardness to be checked at base metal, weld and HAZ as per ASME B31.3.

 refractory condition to be checked. Visual inspection of refractory damages viz. Loosening / spalling / cracks /

bulging and checking of expansion joints.

 Hangers and support condition to be checked. DP test to be carried out at welds as per ASME SEC V with

acceptance criteria as ASME SEC VIII DIV – 1 APP – 8.

 Burner condition to be checked. Inspection of burner, oxidation of tips and refractory damage etc.

 Inspection of shock tubes visually and thickness measurement.

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 Convection section

 Tube number marking as per sketch.

 Any sign of damage, distortion and corrosion on fittings to be checked.

 Thickness measurement at tubes and U bends.

 OD measurement of tubes.

 Convection box internal –

 Check tube fins

 Check refractory condition

 Stack internal inspection if accessible

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 Heater tube marking

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 Heater coils Refractory damage Refractory damage

Bulging in tubes Creep failure

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 Hoop stress failure of boiler tube

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 Repairs if any:
 Stage-wise inspection shall be carried out for welding jobs.

 Welded repairs shall be performed in accordance with welding procedures qualified to ASME Section IX and the

referencing Code.

 API-560 – Inspection of fired heaters

 API-530 – Recommended practice for calculation of heater tube thickness in petroleum refineries

 If any major refractory repair has been done, proper drying cycle shall be recommended to be strictly followed by

Production during start up after the shutdown

 API 936 Refractory Inspection Code

 ASME B31.3 process piping
 DPT as per ASME SEC V article 6, ASME sec VIII div-1, App-8
 Wet fluorescent magnetic particle inspection (WFMPI)/MPI as per ASME SEC V article 7, ASME sec VIII div-1, App-6
 Radiography as per ASME SEC V, article 2. ASME SEC VIII DIV-1 app-4
 UT as per ASME SEC V article 6, ASME sec VIII div-1, App-12
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 Hydro test of heater tubes:

 The heater coils shall be hydrostatically tested with fresh water

 Demineralized water shall be used for hydrostatic testing of stainless steel heater tubes to avoid chloride

stress corrosion cracking.

 The test pressure shall be held for at least 30 minutes after all joint leaks have been eliminated. During

pressure test, an inspection shall be carried out from inside the combustion chamber / convection box to

locate any possible leak.

 All heater fittings shall be examined thoroughly to see that tube rolls are tight and that the plugs or ‘U’ bends

and their holding members are properly seated and tight.

 Pneumatic test of heater tubes, in some cases, is carried out to avoid process contamination by water.

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 INSPECTION TOOL KIT :
 Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
 Radiography equipment
 Magnetic particle Testing Kit
 Dye Penetrant Inspection Kit
 Infrared Scanner for Thermography
 Portable Metallographic Equipment
 Portable Hardness Tester
 Binoculars
 Magnifying glass
 Magnets
 Pit/Depth Gauge
 Inside Callipers
 Outside callipers
 Direct reading callipers of special shapes
 Steel rule / tape
 Inspector’s hammer
 Broad chisel or scraper
 Wire brush
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 Thin bladed knife
 INSPECTION REPORT :

Based on inspection findings, a report is prepared which should contain

 observations in brief,

 Thickness and gauging record of tubes and fittings including data readings prior to commissioning

 In case of any repair / replacement jobs to be carried out,

 ITP/WPS/PQR
 Radiographic and other NDE results
 procedure for stress relieving,
 electrode / filler wire specifications,
 material specification
 stages of NDT required.
 Pressure test records
 PMI Record if any
 Record of material replacement
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 DOCUMENTATION :
 Heater History and Data sheet
 Tube / header data record sheet
 Ultrasonic Thickness Measurement Sheet
 Checklist
 Drawings, general arrangement, etc.
 Tube layout drawings showing the actual arrangement of tubes and fittings in the heater, flowsheets,
thermocouple locations, etc.
 Records of process conditions
 Record of corrosion rates
 Flowsheets
 Continuous inspection history, tubes removed, recommendations and observations, etc.
 Inspection Plan including examinations, inspections, tests, and sample tube removals etc. and
intervals

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