Case Study of Surface Corrosion Analysis on Pressure Vessels Using a 3D Laser Technique

摘要

Oil and gas pressure components found on power plants and refineries must be inspected on a regular basis to ensure fitness-for-service. Corrosion is one of the most critical and recurrent degradation that must be inspected under API-579 code. 3D laser scanning combined with a dynamic referencing system is emerging as the most efficient alternative for accurate surface degradation and offers the versatility needed to inspect various geometries with a same system. The analysis is performed using post-treatment software to generate all required measurements for assessment. This paper describes how metal loss can be measured from a 3D laser mesh file compared to a reference surface. Case study of corroded spherical and a cylindrical pressure vessels will be discussed.