Hydrogen Reformer Catalyst Tube Rupture

Hydrogen production unit  has design capacity  of 1.1 MM Nm³/day, was commissioned in 1984. The plant was operated  at 100% throughput for the first 10 years (1984-94), then at 118% for 5 years (1995-2000) and currently at 108% (without convection air preheater).

 First time in Jan 2009, a radiant catalyst tube rupture was observed after plant service of 24 years  (approx. 210,000 hours), which is almost double the design life of reformer tube. To ascertain the cause of tube failure investigation was undertaken so as to avoid recurrence and extract life of remaining tubes.

This report details out the visual inspection supported by LASAR Profilometry  for creep strain measurement; Eddy current for crack detection, detailed metallography  and trending of process parameter for temperature & pressure excursions.  The reformer tube failure is attributed to  creep rupture  due to localized overheating caused by flame impingement of defective burners.