Despite their simple-looking exterior, pressure vessels are complex pieces of equipment that house gases and liquids that can be hazardous to both people and the environment. As part of our commitment to safety and providing our customers with high-quality and high-functioning pressure vessels, MaXfield is proud to perform technical inspections of all our Alberta-manufactured pressure assets.
Many pressure vessels act as accumulation centres, fed by several other sources. This function requires them to have several nozzles that penetrate the shell or the heads of the pressure vessel. In order to keep pressure vessels in top condition, part of the inspection process includes reviewing the nozzles to ensure they’re properly secured.
Proper securing of nozzles includes fillet welds on the ID and OD surfaces of the equipment. We investigate the circumferential, longitudinal and any other welds on each vessel to ensure they remain in excellent working condition.
At MaXfield, we employ several different techniques during our pressure vessel inspections to analyze the unit for surface and subsurface indications of cracking or fracturing. From there, our inspectors are able to analyze the overall health of the asset and recommend whether repairs are possible, or if the vessel should be destroyed and replaced.
Often, problems that may arise from pressure vessels may only be detected once a crack becomes noticeable to the eye or begins to leak while in service. Unfortunately, if a crack is detected once it is too far advanced, costs and efforts to perform repairs to return the vessel to service may be not be feasible. However, if the crack is minor, it’s likely that it can be repaired. In this case, it is vital to investigate the root cause of the cracking, reason being that repairing the crack could be nothing but a band-aid fix for a more serious problem in the pressure asset, which could turn out to be hazardous on the farm or job site.
On the other hand, calling MaXfield to arrange for pressure asset inspections on a regular basis can help avoid allowing the equipment to get to the point where it needs to be destroyed.
Fortunately, nozzle cracks in pressure vessels are extremely rare in pressure assets manufactured by MaXfield in Western Canada, whether they be from our standard product line or a custom-manufactured unit, thanks to our attention to detail and superior engineering practices. To order MaXfield quality manufactured pressure vessels or to book an inspection of your units, contact us today at our Calgary sales office, at 403-258-3680.
