Corrosion Under Insulation can be an expensive headache or even a danger to life and property in a setting like a petroleum refinery, especially one that’s been operating for almost a century. The lessons learned from a thorough inspection and evaluation of such a plant’s insulated systems are therefore valuable for anyone with a responsibility for industrial safety and process efficiency.
Engineering consultant Gordon Hart performed such an evaluation some two years ago and made recommendations to the still-operating refinery for the best methods to prevent the development and severity of CUI. Since there is no “single bullet” answer to address the issue, Hart came up with a problem / solution set that identified some existing practices that needed to be changed, some new practices that needed to be introduced, and others that were simply designed to minimize water intrusion into the thermal insulation in the first place.
Hart compiled all his prevention recommendations in a slide presentation with specific guidance on CUI prevention and included some nifty photos that illustrate the phenomenon.