Vipul Gupta - ONGC MRPL - Mangalore
The Delayed Coker Unit (DCU) at MRPL was commissioned in April, 2014. The unit operates with four drums connected to two heaters on a 24-hour coking cycle. As the drums are exposed to severe cyclic thermal fatigue during operation, the main mode of failure of drums is due to bulging of the cylindrical shell predominantly in the vicinity of circumferential seams. Regular monitoring of the coke drums using Laser Mapping revealed initiation of bulging over four years of operation in the lower cylindrical portion of the drums.
Engineering analysis to identify bulged areas having a high propensity for cracking was carried out using Laser Mapping data. Vulnerable areas thus identified were inspected online using advanced Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). Critical areas were taken up for repair using Automated Weld Overlay (AWO). This paper describes the experience during regular monitoring and AWO repair of the coke drums.
Sohan S Alva is General Manager, Inspection, Technical Services at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), A subsidiary of ONGC. He has nearly three decades of extensive experience in the field of fabrication, asset integrity, repair and alteration of Pressure Vessels. He is responsible for overall coordination for ensuring Asset Integrity of Static Equipment and Piping at MRPL complex. He is a competent person under PESO & Karnataka Factories. He enjoys reading and traveling.
Vipul Gupta is Manager, Inspection, Technical Services at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), A subsidiary of ONGC. He started as Graduate Engineer Trainee at MRPL and has 10 years of experience in asset integrity of static equipments and piping. He has experience working in the Delayed Coker Unit, Petro FCC, Hydrogen Generation unit, hydro-processing units and Captive Power Plant. He is API 936 certified inspector for refractory inspection. He enjoys traveling and photography.
Vishal F Yadav is Senior Manager, Inspection, Technical Services at Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), A subsidiary of ONGC. He is working as area in-charge for various MRPL Phase-3 units and OMS facility and has 13 years of experience in ensuring Pressure Equipment Integrity at MRPL. He has worked in various units i.e. Delayed Coker, Petro-FCC, Isomerization & Mixed Xylene, Coker Hydro-treater, Captive Power Plant and Storage tanks. He is a certified welding inspector. He enjoys reading and traveling.