COLD BOX INSPECTION

[SaberA]

Dear All,

we are facing a failure in a Cold Box in Gas treating Process. It is made by Aluminium and a crack has appeared on it. we are preparing a failure analysis. Can anybody help? any idea?

a pic is attached.

Best regards
Saber

 

[davefitz]

I am not sure, but it appears to be at a location which is geometrically "stiff" and adjacent to a large change in mass. These 2 factors suggest the crack is due to thermal stress. The thin walled casing cools down or heats up must faster than the adjacent thick mass, and the lack of flexibility implies the stresses will be high in that region due to significant temperature differences during cool down or heat up events.

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!"

 

[EdStainless]

In order to handle thermal expansion (or contraction) you must allow distortion or flex. You can't make things stronger or stiffer, that just increases the stress and assures a failure.

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P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube