In 1996 the 72-inch (1829 mm), 304H stainless steel duct that carries flue gas from the regeneration system of a Fluidized Catalytic Cracking Unit (FCU) to a power recovery turbine (PRT) fractured and the unit had to be shut down for duct repairs. Many of the welds in the duct that were upstream of control valves in this piping system were repaired during that shut down, and during the next scheduled shutdown in 1999, inspections were conducted on the remaining welds in this duct. It was discovered that all of the longitudinal welds and many of the circumferential welds that had not been previously repaired contained significant cracks. Most of the welds were then repaired and returned to like new condition, but some of the welds were only partially repaired from the inside of the duct. This paper explains the following: the operating conditions for the flue gas system, why the welds were cracking, what inspections were used to detect the cracks, and Omega analyses used to determine fitness
for service of partially repaired welds. Corrosion aspects of FCU flue gas systems are also reviewed.