Our client is a fabricator of pollution control solutions for the Oil & Gas industry. In the oil refining process, a pollutant is commonly used as a process catalyst. Increased regulations have put pressure on refineries to cut back on the amount of pollution they emit into the air. One common method to reduce these emissions is to install a cyclone to collect the pollutants. In many cases the refining catalysts can be very abrasive. As these abrasive catalysts enter the cyclone, they cause damage to the stainless steel swirl vanes. The customer was looking for a solution that could at least triple the lifetime of the swirl vane, from 1 or 2 years to approximately 5 years.
After understanding the types of abrasives being used, and using our knowledge of the metallurgical compositions available, Deloro Stellite suggested that a .15 inch layer of Stellite® 6 be applied approximately 15 inches deep to the inside of the stainless steel swirl vane using the PTA welding process.
But a significant challenge still remained. In order to keep refinery production shut down to a minimum, the client needed 110 swirl vanes, or approximately 350 Sq Ft, to be overlaid during the scheduled 60-day refinery shutdown. Deloro Stellite was able to offer a solution, service the tubing internally with excess capacity in their Goshen location, and then deliver the parts in time for refinery production to resume.
Since applying the overlay, the customer has been completely satisfied, indicating that the problems is now solved and has not needed any repairs.