PM Task Report

Component Type:
Task Name:

6/16/2010

Heat Exchanger - Feedwater Heater

Internal Inspection

Criticality

Critical

Duty Cycle High Low

Service Conditions
Severe
CHS
5Y

CLS
NA

Minor

High Low
Mild

High Low
Severe

High Low
Mild

CHM
10Y

MHS
NA

MHM MLM
NA
NA

CLM
NA

MLS
NA

Task Objective
This inspection detects the extent of internal tube erosion, corrosion, and scaling. There is discretion in
the choice of interval, which is part of a sampling scheme, to be predictive of future deterioration.

Task Content
Internal inspection should include the following:
Inspect for evidence of erosion or corrosion.
Measure selected tubes for evidence of wall thinning.
Inspect the gaskets and channel heads for evidence of leakage.
Inspect for loose, missing or damaged fasteners.
If performance monitoring or other inspections indicate the need, perform a borescope inspection on a
representative sample of tubes, and inspect the shell side, if possible.
Visually inspect for the presence, amount , and type of fouling.
Inspect condition of passive cathodic protection devices, if present.
If appropriate, determine the degree of fouling for the heater, in order to adjust the cleaning interval.
Verify that previously plugged tubes are still plugged (i.e. use the tube plug map).
Inspect welds between the pass partition and channel for evidence of failures.
Perform tube and shell pressure test to detect leaks in tubes or at the tube joints.

Principle Failure Location And Causes:

This inspection is focused on detecting the extent of internal tube erosion, corrosion, and scaling.

Progression Of Degradation In Time:

The above failure causes are random in nature with a wide range of possible development times,
depending on condition. The occurrence of these events might influence the frequency of Internal
Inspection.

Support For The Task Interval And Relation To Other Tasks:

EPRI PM Basis Database - PM Program Report

Page 1 of 2

PM Task Report
Component Type:
Task Name:

Heat Exchanger - Feedwater Heater

Internal Inspection

Criticality
Duty Cycle High
Service Conditions

6/16/2010

Critical
Low High

Severe
CHS CLS
5Y
NA

Low

Mild
CHM CLM
10Y
NA

High

Minor
Low High

Severe
MHS MLS
NA
NA

Low

Mild
MHM MLM
NA
NA

The information this task provides is a material condition assessment but is also predictive of future
deterioration. For this reason, even though the suggested interval is 5 to 10 years, this is best
interpreted as an average interval, with a sampling scheme that provides a more or less continuous
assessment of condition. To achieve this it is beneficial to perform the task each outage on a portion of
the heaters. As an example, consider a set of 18 high pressure heaters, of which 3 are examined each
outage, starting with the first outage in a continuing cycle. Over the first 9 years of plant experience the
average interval is then close to 5 years; over the first 18 years the average moves out to 7 years, and
then to over 8 years in the third decade. Low pressure heaters would be examined every second
outage so that the average intervals would be 10 years, then 14 years, then 16 years. This kind of
sampling scheme is very stable, provides continuous feedback on equipment condition, starts close to
the average intervals shown in the Template, provides early feedback early in the life of the equipment,
and provides a significant degree of interval extension over the life of the heaters provided experience
remains good.

EPRI PM Basis Database - PM Program Report

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