Marine Industry
Robert Sollie works as a Project Manager for Wilton Heat Transfer Services , Dutch industrial maintenance company providing specialised services in heat transfer process equipment . The company ’ s focus is delivering highly customised solutions across the process industries . But working with custom solutions means that no project is ever the same , and neither is the exact nature of Robert ’ s role in each project .
Every project promises something new for Robert Sollie but , when working with the marine sector , multiple classification societies give cause for excellent communication and collaboration . In this particular case , the customer had requested repair work to a shell and tube heat exchanger from an LNG carrier . An initial assessment was made of the equipment , under the clear understanding that the first visual inspection can give only an estimation of the damage and the work required .
“ We know the importance of maintaining good communication with our customers as it is always likely we will find more work is needed ,” explained Robert . “ We keep them very well informed and involved so there are no surprises for them at the end .”
Repairs In marine applications , equipment is often protected from the corrosive environment by a thick layer of coating . Once the heat exchanger was received by the Wilton Heat Transfer team , the paint was ground down and a full assessment could be made . The customer requested for the heat exchanger to be repaired to last for another 5 years but , as Robert Sollie was keenly aware , this was not the attitude of the strict ship classification society , DNV ( see box text Ship Classification Societies ). “ We knew that we would need to work very closely with DNV to make a satisfactory repair of any issues we found in the shell and tube unit ,” said Robert . The bundle had many leaking tubes which had therefore been plugged , a common issue which Robert ’ s team were used to , and they therefore suggested a complete new bundle . But hidden beneath the marine coatings was another story . “ We found a lot of damage to the process connections and the flanges were just like gouda cheese , so many holes . Those needed replacing , of course ,” Robert explained . “ But we also found that the material thickness of the shell of the condenser had deteriorated . We performed a material thickness analysis which we then compared with the code requirements of the DNV ; we needed to know if the remaining material was thick enough to work with , or if we would need to do a weld surface over the top . In the end , a couple of places did need additional weld surface in order to adhere to the DNV ’ s thickness requirements .” Condensers on ships are in a harsh and salty environment , so Robert and his team have come to expect anything when working with equipment from such
Ship Classification Societies
Classification societies , or class bureaus , are organisations which develop and apply technical standards for the design , construction and survey of ships and which carry out surveys and inspections on board ships . Worldwide there are more than 50 classification societies but only 11 classification societies are presently recognised by the European Union . ( Source : European Maritime Safety Agency ) DNV , the classification society involved in this project , is the world leader and a recognised advisor for the maritime industry . Its aim is to advance safety and performance , establish industry benchmarks and propose solutions to global changes , through its position of knowledge and experience of the maritime sector . www . heat-exchanger-world . com Heat Exchanger World September 2022
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