SCANNING OF REFORMER TUBES

INCORPORATING

LASER EDDYCURRENT OUTSIDE

(LEO SCAN)

AND

OTHER SERVICES
Company Profile:
Magnetische Pruefanlagen, GmbH, is a subsidiary company of the Föerster Group which is head
quartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Magnetische Pruefanlagen is based in Stuttgart, Reutlingen,
Germany.

It is important to note that the Föerster Group develops, manufactures, and distributes testing and
measuring equipment for non-destructive materials testing by means of eddy current technology as
well as eddy current special probes for crack and micro-structural testing.

Sensors that are adapted to complex geometries of components to be tested and meet customer-
specific requirements can improve the test results markedly. For calibration of a testing system, MP
fabricates test flaws differing in depth, width, and length.

An important focus of the business activities of the company is non-destructive materials testing in the
chemical industry, especially reformer tube testing. MP has been in the reformer business of testing for
over 35 years.

In addition, the company primarily focuses on providing clients with complete services on reformer tube
testing which extend beyond testing of the tubes. This testing is done in Ammonia, Methanol,
Refineries, and steel plants all around the world.

Highly trained Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) employees in possession of the qualification according to
DIN EN 9712 including several level 2 and level 3 test engineers are available for mechanized reformer
tube tests. In coordination with our partner in combination with in house development and manufacture
of eddy current sensors, we can reliably perform the testing of the tubes even in conditions which
involve technological sophistication.

MP recommends the complete package to all its clients in an attempt to provided economical and
reliable services from start to finish in terms of the service life of the tubes. These services focus on
ensuring that the tubes are monitored on a regular basis and corrective action is taken as and when
required to maximize production and eliminate downtime.

These services include the following:

Base line scanning of the tubes (New - prior to placing in service)
▪ Regular scanning of the tubes through its service life (every three years)
▪ Remaining life assessment (Tube Life) - Non-Destructive
▪ Destructive testing of sample tubes

The company also focused on offering services in turnaround inspections, technical consultancy, and
other inspection services.
External Tube Inspection:
The eddy current system used by MP is a proprietary system developed and built by Magnetische
Prüfanlagen (MP) specifically for tubes in steam methane reformers. This is the ONLY EC system in
use today that penetrates the complete tube wall (up to 23.5 mm). Two large probes are used to
perform the inspection. Both probes are read as the crawler ascends the tubes. Each probe measures
approximately 200 mm x 150 mm in size. This large size is necessary to enable the full wall
penetration of the centrifugally cast tubes. Other systems may claim to offer EC testing of the tubes
but, in fact, their testing is primarily a surface detection system designed to only read the variability in
the magnetic permeability. The MP system sees the variation in magnetic permeability of course but,
more importantly, searches for cracks and defects in the inner tube wall as well as the outer surfaces of
the OD and ID. This system requires no couplant (water). Since the system is electronic without
coupling, the complete examination is completely repeatable.

Repeatability is a key component of this type of testing so the results can be compared to previous
results. Any deviation in the signals is due to damage of the tube wall. This is contrary to the lack of
repeatability of ultrasonic testing of these materials. The variation of the coupling strength along with
the difficulty in penetrating these materials with ultrasound make ultrasound a poor choice for
centrifugally cast tubes.

The diameter measurement is accomplished simultaneously using up to four lasers depending on tube-
to-tube clearances. The lasers allow for maximum accuracy and repeatability. Diameter measurement
of tubes is used as a secondary procedure revealing normal creep and also clarifying the probable
conditions that caused damage. Cracks can form without diametric growth. There can also be
significant diametric growth without cracking. These conditions are generally caused by operational
upsets.

The complete system is mounted on a unique tube crawler designed and built by MP. The special
design of the crawler allows for passage from the furnace roof to the floor, passing below any flue gas
collection tunnels. The probes and lasers are mounted near the bottom of the crawler allowing readings
to be taken in the most critical lower areas of down flow steam methane reformers. The device is also
designed to test reformers with small tube to tube clearances down to 20 mm. This allows the
inspection of furnace designs with very tight clearances from the OD. Other configurations are available
to test up flow reformers. Tubes are inspected in less than two minutes each. No cleaning of the tubes
is required. See the images below for further understanding of the system.

The eddy current system is calibrated on an actual reformer tube of 0.5 meter length in one half with an
EDM notch on the ID. The calibration proves both defect identification and penetration of full thickness.

The final outcome of the inspection involves providing the client with an API-579 Fitness For Service
Level I Assessment and guarantees no tube failure between shutdown to shutdown based on normal
operation of the reformer.
Eddy Current Testing Crawler - No Scaffolding Required

Typical Laser OD & Eddy Current Signal

Laser OD System:
MP uses a dual axis laser system to measure the OD of the tubes over the complete tube length inside
the firebox. OD measurement, while not the primary inspection tool, is an important secondary test to
search for creep. The use of lasers ensures the complete repeatability of the inspection. It also allows
the tube wall to be observed digitally over the complete length. This can spot trends in the firing profile
of the furnace or help isolate areas with catalyst loading or catalyst condition. These OD results are
taken and displayed simultaneously with the EC readings. This facilitates easy interpretation.

Outside Diameter Comparisons between Inspections

The above image shows typical overlapping of tube inspections with respect to outside diameter.
Overlapping is possible between base line and the last inspections or between preceding and current
inspections to evaluate the change observed. The significant change in outside diameter is clearly
visible at the start of the tube inspection from the bottom portion of the tube.

Internal Laser Measurement with Multi Laser Devices + Camera

A new sophisticated inspection device has been developed by MP and is available for use. It has
proven to be rugged and reliable in actual critical field service. A powerful laser unit allows
measurement of the tube ID with a high level of accuracy.

While not all clients request ID laser measurements, MP note that this testing is available along with
the other services. The tubes would of course need to be empty of the catalyst. The ID measurement
can be taken from above the roof down to the catalyst support grid. Since the tubes are ID machined,
these readings are more, easily interpreted for creep growth when previous data is not available. The
system uses eight lasers arrayed on four axes to gain a full picture of the tube ID.

This tool was developed for those furnaces that may require creep values registered below the floor,
have tubes that are touching and cannot be fully inspected from the OD, or simply to use the access to
the inside for testing when it is available as a secondary confirmation of tube creep condition.
The results show the tube diameter through 360° and in a 3-dimensional view. This information can be
shown for single tubes, single rows or for the entire reformer. ID laser testing takes less than two
minutes per tube.

Typical Inside Diameter (ID) Laser Inspection

Typical Laser Display of the Tube Depicting Changes in ID

The ID laser testing with camera also takes less than 2 minutes per tube. Results are provided on an
external hard drive to the client and also maintained by MP. The ID laser results from this device can
be graphically presented identically to the laser device described previously.

ID Laser with Camera

Outlet Pigtail Outer Diameter Measurement

Outlet pigtails are critical areas, which need closer inspection due to their location and designed
function. For the detection and the evaluation of tube expansions MP has developed a unique device to
measure pigtails diametrically from the tube outlet to the manifold. These measurements are performed
on two axes. This configuration enables the evaluation of the diametrical growth of both the straight
pigtail sections and the bends with their diametrical differences due to the bending process.

As compared to manual gauge testing this new system is very fast, reliable, repeatable and provides
an accurate diameter profile over the complete length of the pigtail.

Outer Diameter Testing of Pigtails Typical Arrangement of Pigtails

Outlet Pigtail Permeability Measurement
Outlet pigtail permeability measurement is carried out to verify the extent of carburization which directly
relates to ductility. This is especially important when it comes to nipping of the pigtails in the event of a
tube failure. The procedure for nipping can be employed on-line and no plant shutdown is required to
isolate leaking tubes in service.

The Magnetoscop® 1.069 instrument which was used for the testing uses the comparison method
when performing an operation or procedure that compares the indicated permeability value for the test
sample to the reading for a reference standard. If the reference standard is a calibration standard
traceable to national standard (PTB), then the permeability reading is the actual value. When
developing a new procedure, the calibration standards noted in the measuring methods section should
be used if possible. The calibration standard provided with the instrument has a Relative Permeability
(µr) of 1.215. The range selected for the instrument was 1.00001 - 2.000 which was since Austenitic
Stainless steels which are not cold worked have a relative permeability of 1.003.

The permeability measuring method employs the following principle: A cylindrical permanent magnet
possesses a definite distribution of lines of force. All lines of force of this permanent magnet run in a
plane through the center of the cylinder between the two poles that are parallel to the cylinder axis. A
gradient probe is placed on either side of the cylindrical magnet in this plane perpendicular to the
cylinder axis at the center of the permanent magnet. The lines of force of the magnet are
perpendicular to the axis of the two Foerster probes. Therefore, they do not measure the magnetic
field of the cylindrical magnet. If the cylindrical magnet is placed on a material whose permeability is
greater than 1, there is a minute displacement of the magnetic zero of the cylindrical magnet towards
the material on which the magnet has been placed. In the lower permeability ranges this displacement
is a measure of the permeability of the material.

Permeability testing is now employed for effective reliability and integrity of outlet pigtails during all
turnarounds of reformer tube furnaces.
Remaining Life:
The proprietary remaining life estimate software developed by USTT/MP in collaboration with Stress
Engineering Services (SES) was created due to the fact that no current publicly available codes or
practices that formerly addressed reformer tube remaining life, particularly a remaining life method that
integrated inspection data.

We do use principles and elements of post construction standards such as API 571, API 579, R5,
and/or BS7910. However, the connection is more indirect as these standards don't formally have parts
or modules that reflect the complexity of reformer tube remaining life.
The USTT/MP/SES remaining life model (API-579 Level II Assessment) considers the strain
accumulated in a given time, or age of the tube as a means of estimating the remaining life. This
concept relies upon the precept due to historical operation strain accumulation is a valid means of
projecting materials degradation and remaining tube life forward. Measured eddy current indications for
wall damage are included with high priority in the analysis, since cracks indicate the actual initiation of
the tube failure mode. Of course, the laser diametrical data is used for the strain measurement input in
the software.
The model integrates multiple degradation mechanisms that occur in reformer tubes. These include
thermal ageing/softening, strain softening, coarsening of the grain structure (especially secondary
carbides), and increase of mobile dislocation density, creep void formation/cavitation and growth. The
integration of multiple degradation types allows for realistic estimates of remaining life based upon
strain accumulation over the age of the tube.