Carbon Steel 12B Piping In-Service Build-Up Repair｜Innovative Repair with Kanmeta Cold Spray

Cold spray was considered as a repair solution for external corrosion and wall thinning in carbon steel piping at an oil refinery plant, and a test was conducted by the customer.

Customer’s Challenge

In plant maintenance, direct costs like raw material and equipment expenses, as well as indirect costs such as labor and opportunity losses during inspections, replacements, and downtime, significantly affect the production process's profitability.

However, for severe damage like significant corrosion or wall thinning, repairing during operation is challenging. Reducing the lead time and maintenance costs for such damage is a difficult issue to address.

In this situation, a major oil refinery aimed to substantially reduce maintenance costs through advanced in-service repairs. The test involved using cold spray on the exterior corrosion of industrial water piping, applying build-up and environmental sealing to the corroded areas during operation.

Kanmeta Engineering’s Proposal

Kanmeta Cold Spray was selected for the following advantages:

　No High Heat Input: It does not damage the base material by avoiding excessive heat input.
　Unlimited Coating Thickness: It provides the necessary environmental sealing capability, even in harsh corrosion environments.
　Flexible Application: It allows on-site repairs for existing equipment without the need for part replacement.

 Results

✔ A thick, high-performance cold spray coating with excellent environmental sealing capability was applied quickly to the corroded areas.
✔ The cold spray was successfully applied without issues while industrial water was flowing inside the piping.
✔ This method, when widely applied, allows advanced repairs on existing equipment during operation, eliminating the need for equipment replacement. This brings significant cost benefits, especially for large equipment such as towers and reactors.

Discover our advanced repair solutions with Kanmeta Cold Spray to optimize your plant maintenance, reduce costs, and extend the life of your equipment.