A US chemical manufacturer replaced failing alloy piping with a complete CeraLine system, delivered ahead of its turnaround.
Abrasion and chemical attack at once, through several floors of a plant.
High grade alloy was not enough, and the turnaround date was fixed
A chemical manufacturer in the US conveys a proprietary process material pneumatically through a multi story plant, and the material wore out high grade alloy piping through abrasion and chemical attack at the same time. Blasch engineers, the plant's industrial architect and its maintenance team developed a complete CeraLine piping system for the most failure prone sections, with elbows, pipes, tees and reducers, manufactured on an expedited schedule and delivered ahead of the planned turnaround.
The conveyed material is both abrasive and caustic, a combination that is hard on any metal. The plant's high grade alloy piping failed early, which meant frequent pipe replacement, unplanned downtime and rising maintenance cost.
Safety was a concern too. Operators had to avoid the areas where a pipe might fail, which cut their access to equipment in those parts of the plant.
When every section of a line fails for the same two reasons, replacing the worst elbow only moves the failure to the next fitting, so the plant asked for the whole system at once.
The new piping had to fit within the existing space, route around critical equipment, and keep the flow rates and operating pressures the process needs. Blasch specified, for each component:
The system covers ceramic lined elbows, straight pipes, tees and reducers, each with a one piece cast liner in a steel body.
| What | Result |
|---|---|
| Scope | complete CeraLine system for the most failure prone sections |
| Schedule | manufactured on an expedited schedule, delivered ahead of the planned turnaround |
Fewer pipe changes and less unplanned downtime, and operators who can work near the line again. The system was built to fit around the plant, not the other way around.
Elbows, spools, tees, wyes and reducers with one piece cast liners.
Wear, heat and corrosion parts for chemical plants and refineries.
CeraLine elbows and spools that outlast stainless steel by months.
Yes. Where the liner would reduce the inner diameter, the steel body is made larger and a custom flange or reducer avoids a step in the flow path.
No. Blasch engineers worked out the routing with the plant's architect and maintenance team from the existing layout and the space available.
Elbows, straight pipe, tees, wyes, laterals, reducers and transitions, each with a one piece cast liner.
Tell us what the line carries, the layout and when your next turnaround is. A Blasch engineer scopes the sections and the schedule with your team.
