Post-Installation Inspection and Repair
Inspection of Existing Refractory
The Inspectioneering Journal article, “Testing and Inspection Methods to Improve the Life Cycle of Refractory,” contains a helpful section on inspection of existing refractory, which is included below:
"The inspection process has several steps. During discovery inspections, usually conducted during outages, turnarounds, or maintenance, the refractory is first visually inspected. Typically, inspectors use scaffolding to reach the inspection site. During the visual inspection, technicians are looking for looseness and friable (powdery section indicating thermal wear) areas of the refractory. If these areas are identified, a hammer is then used to test the material to ensure it is still a solid piece of refractory on the wall. The size and weight of the hammer must conform to API standards.
If the inspector finds cracks in the refractory, he must determine if the cracks are normal due to thermal expansion and shrinkage, or if the cracks could result in refractory failure and therefore must be removed and replaced. Determining the correct type of crack can be difficult, which is why many facility operators prefer to use API 936 inspectors who have the training and 10 to 15 years of experience. Specifically, if an underqualified inspector determines refractory must be replaced due to visible cracks, when in fact the refractory can easily retain its integrity until the next turnaround, the facility operator will be forced to spend capital on unneeded refractory replacement. Of course, the opposite is true too (i.e., if the inspector feels the refractory is fine and then it later spalls or falls off)."
This project is a collaborative effort between Inspectioneering and The American Petroleum Institute. Click below to learn more about API's Individual Certification Programs.
