Remnant Life Assessment in power plants.

Exova has successfully completed more than 200 Plant Life Assessment of power generation plants, petrochemical and chemical plants. The results of remnant life assessment allow operators to extend plant life, secure in the knowledge that safety and reliability will be maintained.

Need for Remnant Life Assessment:
Industrial plant components working under operating conditions are naturally subjected to structural and microstructural changes of the materials that gradually degrade their mechanical characteristics.

When components are designed, a minimum period of safe operation is specified, corresponding to the theoretical design life of the component itself. If a component is already in service, it is reasonable to expect that it will gradually degrade and eventually fail.

Benefits of Remnant Life Assessment:
The residual life is an estimation of the future safe and reliable operating time of the plant. The actual life of a component is closely related operating conditions. For example, reducing the operating temperature of a component by 10 – 20 °C could increase its life by a factor of up to 2 or 3.

Remnant life assessment of the present mechanical and microstructural characteristics of plant components allows owners and operators to:
-    Evaluate residual life in connection with future operating conditions
-    Plan future maintenance or replacements to avoid unexpected failures
-    Reduce the risk of accidents and costly outages.


Remnant Life Assessment at Exova:
Exova has specialists with extensive knowledge of the factors involved in remnant life assessment including structural engineering, non destructive testing, microstructural analysis and material science.

Please request a quote or contact us to find out how Exova's Remnant Life Assessment services can assist you.

Exova offers cost effective industrial remnant life assessment service including:
•    Analysis of plant conditions
•    Design data (geometry, materials, design parameters)
•    Operating data (loads, temperatures, time, chemical environment, etc.)
•    Results of previous inspections or acceptance tests
•    Information regarding repairs or replacement of components
•    Component visual inspection
•    Non destructive testing
•    Specific tests (microstructural and/or mechanical)
•    Computer modelling of operating conditions at critical locations of theoretical life evaluation related to active damage mechanisms
•    Overall results analysis
•    Component condition evaluation and necessary action plan to maximise plant life

Remnant life assessment service has been successfully applied to:
-    Pressure Vessels, Steam Drums, Headers
-    Steam Pipelines
-    Turbine and Generator Rotors
-    Boiler Tubes
-    Turbogas Blades and Vanes