Technology to Improve Your Fired Heater Inspection

Fired heaters are a vital component in plants in the oil industry. That’s why it’s so important to actively inspect and maintain them to ensure proper function and safety in the workplace.

Inspecting fired heaters can be difficult, but there are technologies that can make the task easier. However, modern intelligent ultrasonic devices, or smart pigs, will provide the most help in improving your fired heater inspections.

Smart Pig Technologies

Smart pigs are autonomous devices used to inspect fired heaters in many oil refineries and plants. They’re placed within the system, and as they flow through the pipes, the smart pigs assess the condition, shape, temperature, and curvature of the tubing. If any damage, deterioration, or corrosion is detected, the devices can activate an alert to workers or will store its findings in a report that you can access once the smart pigs are out of the pipes.

Smart pigs work with a variety of technologies based on your specific fired heater inspection needs. Most use ultrasonic sensors to detect general damage in the pipelines, while some use electromagnetic acoustic transducers to spot pipe defects. Other types of smart pigs use magnetic flux leakage methods to find corrosion, cracks, and even weld defects within the pipelines.

How Smart Pigs Improved Fired Heater Inspections

In the past, companies used traditional handheld technologies to inspect the condition of fired heaters in the oil industry. However, using these traditional technologies proved to be both difficult and time consuming. On top of that, they could only inspect a limited number of areas in the fired heater and, at times, did not provide accurate findings. That’s why smart pigs have become the standard in fired heating inspections.

Smart pigs are specially designed to provide optimum inspection coverage because they can be fitted with a variety of inspection technologies. With these technologies, smart pigs can catch an issue in the pipelines before they can cause performance problems and system failure.

These advanced devices can also provide more accurate and detailed information. This can help to prevent serious system damage as well as unnecessary repairs so your company can save time and money in repair costs.

Plus, new technological innovations have made smart pigs into multifunctional devices that not only inspect but help to maintain the system as well. In fact, some smart pigs are so advanced that they can collect information and clean the inner walls of the pipes simultaneously.

Most importantly, smart pigs can run through the machinery while the system is fully operating. This helps to minimize downtime and improve workplace efficiency.

Advanced technologies are becoming more and more popular for various industries. However, having the right valves and fittings is still key to efficiency, safety, and reduced overall costs in the oil and gas industry. So if you need a high-quality valve or fitting for your plant, contact CPV Manufacturing.