Overcoming Challenges in High Temperature Thickness Measurement

Introduction

Crude oil is an important source of energy, but using it in its natural form is inefficient and possibly dangerous. Because of this, refineries must turn crude oil into finished petroleum products. The refining process starts with heating the crude oil and putting it into a distillation column (also known as a still). In the crude distillation unit, diesel, gas, and other products boil off and are recovered at different temperatures. The distillation temperature for petroleum products ranges from as low as 30 °C (85 °F) to greater than 565 °C (1,050 °F). These high surface temperatures make inspecting refinery equipment challenging. This article discusses two common challenges for inspectors taking thickness readings in high temperature environments and ways to overcome those challenges.

Challenge: Too Hot to Handle

Periodic thickness measurements using ultrasonic testing (UT) are needed to monitor for corrosion and other defects, which can cause...