Inst ToolsInst ToolsInst Tools
  • Courses
  • Automation
    • PLC
    • Control System
    • Safety System
    • Communication
    • Fire & Gas System
  • Instrumentation
    • Design
    • Pressure
    • Temperature
    • Flow
    • Level
    • Vibration
    • Analyzer
    • Control Valve
    • Switch
    • Calibration
    • Erection & Commissioning
  • Interview
    • Instrumentation
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Practical
  • Q&A
    • Instrumentation
    • Control System
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Analog Electronics
    • Digital Electronics
    • Power Electronics
    • Microprocessor
  • Request
Search
  • Books
  • Software
  • Projects
  • Process
  • Tools
  • Basics
  • Formula
  • Power Plant
  • Root Cause Analysis
  • Electrical Basics
  • Animation
  • Standards
  • 4-20 mA Course
  • Siemens PLC Course
Reading: Finned Tube Steam Leaks – Root Cause Analysis
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Inst ToolsInst Tools
Font ResizerAa
  • Courses
  • Design
  • PLC
  • Interview
  • Control System
Search
  • Courses
  • Automation
    • PLC
    • Control System
    • Safety System
    • Communication
    • Fire & Gas System
  • Instrumentation
    • Design
    • Pressure
    • Temperature
    • Flow
    • Level
    • Vibration
    • Analyzer
    • Control Valve
    • Switch
    • Calibration
    • Erection & Commissioning
  • Interview
    • Instrumentation
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Practical
  • Q&A
    • Instrumentation
    • Control System
    • Electrical
    • Electronics
    • Analog Electronics
    • Digital Electronics
    • Power Electronics
    • Microprocessor
  • Request
Follow US
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Inst Tools > Blog > Root Cause Analysis (RCA) > Finned Tube Steam Leaks – Root Cause Analysis

Finned Tube Steam Leaks – Root Cause Analysis

Finned tube steam leaks rendered drying ineffective within 3 months of use. Study the root cause analysis (RCA) and detailed solution.

Last updated: September 28, 2022 3:15 pm
S Raghava Chari
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
No Comments
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Specialist repair shops only can handle, long handing to them time and their quoted very long repair times, very thin walled finned heat leaks stopped innovatively in-house to complete committed orders.

Contents
Finned Tube Steam LeaksRepair ConstraintsAuthor innovative idea saves the dayWhy 50 Kg one Kg sealant PocketsDDUDP solving Benefits
Article Type:Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Category:Mechanical
Equipment Type:Pipelines and Miscellaneous Problems
Author:S. Raghava Chari

Note: This root cause analysis (RCA) is from real-time scenarios that happened in industries during the tenure of two or three decades ago. These articles will help you to improve your troubleshooting skills and knowledge.

Finned Tube Steam Leaks

The 2500x1000x1000 mm huge fertilizers drying air heating finned tube air heater (FH) is akin to ‘50 Nos. car radiators package. 3.5 bar steam passing through tube bores raises the fan blown large volume air over tube fins to 80 to 85o C.

The hot air dries the conveyor belt conveyed phosphate fertilizers. Finned tube steam leaks rendered drying ineffective within 3 months of use.

Delivering the hard won against stiff international competition first NPK order demanded FH rush repair to avoid huge financial and image loss.

Repair Constraints

The below listed constraints made this also difficult, unresolvable, despairing problem (DDUDP)!

  1. Thin walled finned tube repair is a never done job for the heavy equipment maintenance crew
  2. Leaks identifying and weld repairing the thin walled tubing of several layers’ depth is a specialist vendor job
  3. The rented hired crane needed for lowering the heater from 10-m elevation out of the building was not immediately available
  4. The cramped location posed serious crane positioning problems.

Author innovative idea saves the day

He stopped the leaks in-situ thus:

  1. Crew ¾” hose connected a rush purchased 1 KW mono-block centrifugal pump suction to the FH condensate outlet flange (below figure)
  2. They arranged 3.5 bar heating steam and condensate circulation connections (below figure)
  3. They condensate filled the FH
  4. Started condensate circulation by switching the pump on
  5. Held the circulation condensate at 80o C and prevented condensate overflow by manipulating the steam and condensate inlet valves
  6. Carefully fed ‘Radiator Leak Sealant Powder’ 50 Nos. of one-Kg packets into the FH
  7. Maintained hot circulation for 8-hrs to let the sealing powder particles fill the leak paths and cure there
  8. topped heating and circulation; let the condensate cool to room temperature; this cures the sealing compound and firmly seal the leak paths.
  9. Drained the FH
Finned Heater Leaks Sealed

Why 50 Kg one Kg sealant Pockets

According to the sealant powder container printed information, 1-kg sealant powder 8-hour hot water circulation capillary action and surface tension attract the powder into the crevices and seal the pores and other leak paths effectively.

Gradual cooling to room temperature increases he seal strength. The author estimated the FH to be 50 car-radiators. Hence, the 50 pockets dumped into the FH filled condensate. It worked!

DDUDP solving Benefits

DDUDP solving benefits are:

  1. Solving the formidable and nearly impossible problem timely, inexpensively and effectively enabled meeting the first export order and established the company image as a reliable NPK exporter also
  2. All these achieved without tough tasks like wall demolition, crane lowering the finned heater, finding a capable repair shop – all time and huge expenses involving tasks
  3. Hence, the company would have failed the first export order not only loosing financially and image also
  4. Found out a way to handle thin walled finned heater future leaks too

Author: S. Raghava Chari

Do you face any similar issues? Share with us through the below comments section.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Instrumentation, Electrical, PLC, and SCADA video tutorials.

You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter to receive daily updates.

Read Next:

  • Plug Valves Leaks
  • Rupture Discs bursts
  • Repeat Safety Valve Popping
  • Fan Bearing Change Times cut by 90%
  • Boiler Feed Water Shell Flange Leaks
Don't Miss Our Updates
Be the first to get exclusive content straight to your email.
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
You've successfully subscribed !

Continue Reading

Incident Investigation: Motor Operated Valve Lesson
Butterfly Valve Failure Caused Serious vicinity Heavy Fire
Heat Exchanger Tubes Corroded Root Cause Analysis
Automation Panel Electronic Cards Failure investigation
Instrumentation Engineering Problems Solved – Root Cause Analysis
Poor Power Factor Boosted – Industrial Electrical Problems
Share This Article
Facebook Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Copy Link
Share
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Stay Connected

128.3kFollowersLike
69.1kFollowersFollow
210kSubscribersSubscribe
38kFollowersFollow

Categories

Explore More

CO2 Absorber Corroded Wall Thickness & Weld Building
Reformer Fan Bearing Change Times cut by 90%
Poorly Engineered, built & often Failing Plant Air Compressor Drives
Compressor Cracked Shaft Spacers
Root Cause Analysis for FRP Line Damaged due to On-Off Valve
Junction Box Internal Corrosion Problems and Solutions
Supplied Screen Vibrators Perennial Problems
11 kV, 3.3 kV, and 400 V systems insulation resistance (IR) Problems

Keep Learning

Pressure Correction Pneumatic Instrumentation

Pressure Correction Pneumatic Instrumentation

Erratic Stroking Control Valves

Erratic Stroking Control Valves Delaying the Shutdown Plant Restart

Lightning Arrester Bursts Problem

Frequent Feeder-A Lightning Arrester (LA) Bursts – Root Cause Analysis

Antifriction bearings (AFB) Problems

Antifriction bearings (AFB) Problems and Delays Plant Restarts

Bucket Elevator Wrecks

Many Bucket Elevator Wrecks rob crew morale

Arc Fault Breaker (AFB) Electrical Problem Solved

Premature Arc Fault Breaker Failures

Rotary Granulator Drive

Rotary Granulator Drive Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

ISO 5167 Orifice Plate Types

Readers Questions on Flow Transmitter

Learn More

Pinch Valve

What is Pinch Valve ?

Level Gauge Theory

Types of Level Gauges

Electrical-Switches-Working-Animation

Electrical Switches Working Animation

Difference between Availability, Reliability & SIL

Difference between Availability, Reliability & SIL

Batch mixing process automation with Omron PLC

Automate Batch Mixing with Repeated Cycles in Omron PLC

Measurement of Errors Objective Questions

Measurement of Errors Objective Questions

Power Electronics Objective Questions

Thyristor Firing Objective Questions

Control Sytem Open Loop and Closed Loop

Introduction to Control System

Menu

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Quick Links

  • Learn PLC
  • Helping Hand
  • Part Time Job

YouTube Subscribe

Follow US
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?