Careers IGS TUFFss ONLINE TSA
Thermal Spray Aluminum (TSA) Application During Plant Operation
IGS TUFFss ONLINE TSA solution to prevent corrosion under insulation (CUI) and atmospheric corrosion is the safest way while the plant is in operation.
TSA (Thermal Sprayed Aluminium) provides lasting (>20 years) corrosion protection by acting as a barrier coating, passivating the surface.
Plant operators no longer need to make tradeoffs between turnaround duration and asset integrity as IGS TUFFss ONLINE TSA can be safely applied all year round, between shutdowns and turnarounds. Developed in a 2-year R&D program with Royal Dutch Shell, IGS has validated live-plant applications at Shell Pearl and Nigeria LNG/Royal Dutch Shell, among others.
Performing TSA Safely while Your Plant is Operating Means:
- Zero impact on turnaround work
- Asset integrity scopes of work are no longer limited by turnaround duration
- Climate controlled habitats allow for year-round TSA application
- Consistent, controllable quality of application environment
- Mitigates accelerated corrosion of unprotected sections of a process line enabled by complete line protection in a single project
Safe Application during Plant Operation
For TSA to be safely applied online, several issues have been resolved, including process-specific safety procedures, temperature, and humidity. The IGS TUFFss Online TSA solution includes enhanced application processes and procedures, sealed safety enclosures, humidity and temperature control, (negative) environmental pressure control, and a fully automated safety shutdown system for the coating and abrasive blasting processes.
Everything is custom-made and combined in ways unheard of, meeting the highest standards in the industry.
Automatic Shutdown System
The emergency shutdown system continuously monitors the entire work area and surroundings. The system provides digital, audible, and visual warnings in case of leak of gasses, pressure loss, or any other parameter deviation.
This in turn enables an almost instantaneous automatic termination of any work and equipment inside or outside the habitat, including, but not limited to, welding, grinding, power, grit blasting, TSA, HVAC, and dust collection.
Aging Plants Require Work between Turnarounds
Equipment within many refineries, petrochemical plants, and other facilities is now a lot older. Pipes, vessels, and other process equipment face rapid deterioration of their original non-optimal corrosion protection. Atmospheric corrosion is an especially important issue for coastal plants.
CUI Problem: Evaluating Alternatives
Repainting the piping with paints and coatings may also be a viable option. However, these paints would still need to be inspected and usually reapplied every 5-10 years. Thermal Spray Aluminium (TSA) lasts over 20 years in service.
How to Increase the Speed of Maintenance and Maintain Production Capacity?
Maintenance and Operations Managers are under pressure to increase the maintenance speed not to lose many of the production facilities or at least the production capacity. Thus, they look at doing the critical maintenance while the plant is online – in other words, without shutting it down. That way, they will be able to reach their maintenance goal and maintain uptime at the same time.
As equipment within refineries, petrochemical plants, and other facilities continues to age, the demand for maintenance solutions that can be applied safely all year round is growing. Plant operators are looking to IGS to utilize their global footprint and experience to deliver innovative solutions safely and efficiently.
Conclusion
Preventing shutdowns and providing the work outside of turnarounds eases the pressure off the maintenance and operations teams, who can continue production while crucial maintenance work is being simultaneously carried out.
Several IGS TUFFss ONLINE TSA projects are being commissioned with refineries and petrochemical sites, paving the way for more uptime in aging facilities.
Contact us today to learn more about IGS TUFFss Online TSA and how it can help your facility extend asset integrity outside of your turnaround schedules.
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