FRP Inspection Guide - Reichhold

1 FRP Inspection Guide An Inspection Guide for Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Equipment Reichhold , Inc P. O. Box 13582 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3582 Customer Service: (800) 448-3482 Corrosion Hotline: (800) 752-0060 on Email: Copyright Reichhold , Inc, 2009 FRP InspectionGuide An Inspection Guide for Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Equipment The FRP Inspection Guide is to assist end users, engineers, and others interested in conducting quality assurance (QA) Inspection and preventive maintenance (PM) Inspection of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) equipment for corrosive industrial . Reichhold , Inc P. O. Box 13582 Research Triangle Park, NC27709-3582 Tel :(800)448-3482 2 Table of Contents for FRP Inspection Guide Statement of Purpose 5 Objectives 5 Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection 5 Preventive Maintenance (PM)

2 Inspection 5 Terminology 6 Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Technology 6 Resins 6 Additives 6 Peroxides Initiators 6 Promoters, Inhibitors, and Other Additives 7 Reinforcements 8 Fiberglass Roving 8 Fiberglass Cloth and Woven Roving 9 Chopped Strand Glass Mat 9 Surface Veil

3 9 Laminate Construction 9 Construction Methods 10 Corrosion Barrier 11 Structural Wall 11 Codes and Standards 11 Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection Technology 13 Inspection Tools 13 Common Hand Tools 13 Dimensional Verification 13 Thickness Verification 13 Cure Verification 13 Sounding Wand 13 Inspection Methods

4 14 Dimensional Inspection 14 Flange Flatness 14 Bottom Flatness 14 Laminate and Ply Thicknesses 14 Helix Wind Angle 14 Cure Verification 15 Barcol Hardness Measurements 15 Acetone Sensitivity 15 Visual Inspection 15 Global Appearance 15 Local Defects 16 Thickness Verification 16 Magnetic Thickness Testing 16 Digital Ultrasonic (UT) Instruments 16 Pi (Diameter)

5 Tapes 16 Material Verification 17 Gel Time and Peak Exotherm 17 Viscosity 17 3 Glass Yield 17 Testing 18 Acoustic Emission (AE) Testing 18 Infrared (IR) Scan 18 Documentation 19 Inspection Checklist 19 Use of Photography 19 Preventive Maintenance Baseline Data 19 Special Considerations for Field QA Inspection 19 Shipping and Installation

6 19 Environmental Monitoring 20 Control of Materials 20 Surface Preparation and Bond Testing 21 Surface Preparation 21 Primers 21 Part Fixturing 21 Bond or Adhesion Testing 21 Preventive Maintenance (PM) Inspection Technology 23 Inspection Tools 23 Inspection Methods 23 Control Area 23 Infrared (IR)

7 Thermography 23 X-ray Radiography 23 Types of Damage 24 Aging Damage 24 Mechanical Damage 26 Heat-related Damage 26 Preventive Maintenance Inspection Methodology 27 Step One Understand What You Have 27 Step Two Perform an Initial Evaluation of the Equipment 27 Step Three Inspect the Equipment and Gather Data 27 Vessel Inspection Procedures 28 Piping Inspection Procedures 30 Step Four Perform Immediate Repairs.

8 If Necessary 30 Step Five Develop a Plan for Future Preventive Maintenance Inspections 30 Maintaining Control of Repairs 31 General 31 Surface Preparation in the Field 31 Abrasive Grinding 31 Shearing 31 Slagblasting 32 Priming 32 To Repair, Reline or Replace? 32 Bond Verification 32 Documentation 33 References 33 4 Statement of Purpose The purpose of this document is to assist end users, engineers, and others interested in conducting quality assurance (QA) Inspection and preventive maintenance (PM) Inspection of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) equipment for corrosive industrial services.

9 It is not intended to be an exhaustive instruction manual. We hope that it will encourage informed and effective use of FRP in corrosion-resistant applications. Objectives Quality Assurance (QA) Inspection The objective of quality assurance Inspection is to maximize the safety and reliability of new FRP equipment by confirming that equipment has been manufactured in accordance with the requirements of purchase documents and related specifications. This process requires a review of the manufacturer s internal quality control program and direct Inspection of equipment by the owner or a designated representative. Quality assurance demands familiarity with the unique characteristics of FRP and knowledge of the specialized tools and instruments used to inspect it. The inspector must be able to recognize manufacturing and material deficiencies and be prepared to negotiate effective, appropriate repairs that will ultimately enhance the long-term service life of the equipment.

10 Preventive Maintenance (PM) Inspection The objective of preventive maintenance Inspection is to reduce maintenance costs and the threat to safety and reliability caused by unexpected equipment failure. Properly conducted and applied, PM inspections will result in cost-effective and reliable repair decisions based on an accurate assessment of the equipment s condition and the rate at which that condition may be deteriorating. Preventive maintenance of FRP requires on going data collection through interior and exterior equipment inspections using specific tools and methods. Inspection should be combined with an engineering evaluation