Primary steam reformers are an integral part of ammonia, methanol, hydrogen, and gas process plants around the world. They are one of the most expensive pieces of equipment in the plant to purchase and maintain.
Typically, reformers contain several hundred vertically-oriented catalyst tubes which generally have inner diameters that range from 3.0" (76 mm) to 6.0" (152 mm). The replacement value of these tubes is very expensive, and catalyst tube failure can result in partial or complete plant shutdown.
Because these tubes are susceptible to failure due to "creep," it is essential that damage is identified and located in its early stages. Quest TruTec has developed inspection and modeling technologies which can be applied either “internally” during the catalyst change out or “externally” between scheduled catalyst change outs.
Applicable Condition Assessment Technologies