Chemicals, Specialty Chemicals & Process Industries

Design-by-analysis re-rating of high-pressure reactors

Re-rated four hydrogenation reactors to a higher operating pressure using ASME VIII Div 2 design-by-analysis and fatigue assessment.

4
Reactors re-rated
+15%
Operating pressure increase
0
Vessels replaced

The challenge

A process improvement required operating existing reactors at higher pressure. Replacing the vessels would have cost months of production; the client needed an engineering basis acceptable to the statutory inspector.

Our approach

We performed thickness and NDT surveys, built detailed FE models including nozzles, supports and the agitator mounting, ran elastic-plastic and fatigue analyses to ASME VIII Div 2 Part 5, and prepared the re-rating dossier for approval by the competent authority.

The outcome

All four reactors were re-rated and approved, allowing the process change without capital replacement.

Representative engagement. Client identity and certain project details are withheld or generalised under confidentiality agreements.

Standards applied

  • ASME VIII Div 2
  • IBR
  • API 579
  • ASME V

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