Fitness-For-Service (FFS)/Remaining Life assessment of Catalytic Reformer reactors is a complicated task that requires taking into account a large number of damage mechanisms that, if interactive, may proceed at much faster rates than anticipated. Typical damage mechanisms for Catalytic Reformer reactors include creep, thermal fatigue, creep-fatigue interactions, brittle failure, hydrogen embrittlement, temper embrittlement, and High-Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA) leading to de- carburization, hydrogen voiding, methane blistering, and micro-fissuring and cracking. Given the large number of active damage mechanisms, a wide variety of inspection techniques such as Acoustic Emission, Ultrasonic Testing, Advanced Ultrasonic Backscatter Techniques, Wet Florescent Magnetic Particle Testing, Field Metallography and Replication, and material sample removal for chemical analysis and toughness testing are required to fully characterize the current condition of Catalytic Reforming reactors. The methodology for Remaining Life Assessment and Fitness-for-Service (FFS) evaluation of Platformer reactors is reviewed and the information required to conduct these analyses is outlined. The benefits and limitations of several NDE techniques useful for this application are summarized. Guidance is offered on specific issues that bear on remaining life calculations for Catalytic Reforming Platformer reactors.
Keywords: Fitness for-Service, Remaining Life Assessment, Catalytic Reforming reactors, damage mechanisms, creep, high temperature, HTHA, hydrogen embrittlement, temper embrittlement, thermal
fatigue, low-alloy steel, 1Cr0.5Mo, 1.25Cr0.5M0, de-carburization, brittle failure, Acoustic Emission, Ultrasonic Testing, Advanced Ultrasonic Backscatter Techniques, Field Metallography and Replication.