Economic and Ecological Benefits of SHM Techniques in Chemical Process Industry

High-performance machine components are involved in a wide range of industrial production processes. They play an important role in the provision of chemical products, pharmaceuticals, and energy resources. They require monitoring because they can fail during production due to corrosion and/or wear, which often means an increased risk to people and the environment. Periodic inspections with on-site test personnel often require a shutdown of the chemical plant. Ideally, an ultrasonic structural health monitoring (SHM) system could be used to provide continuous data on the structural integrity of these components while reducing or eliminating plant downtime. A plant shutdown is not only a high economic or supply risk but can also be energy intensive. In our presentation, we would like to give an overview of the technical requirements for an SHM system to be used in the chemical industry. Finally, the presentation will highlight the economic benefits of SHM as well as its contribution to energy savings and reduction of CO2 emissions per ton of chemical product produced.