Stanweld
Thanks for the cost information – this will be really helpful to me.
Based on my experience and hardware and field costs numbers I seen to date, I’m reasonably confident that my encapsulation repair method could be implemented for less than what your costs have been.
Again, I’m talking here about not a single spool replacement but restoration of a complete system including main steam lines and turbine bypass lines. My restoration method for this type system restoration, where I’d have to cut out a spool to get access to install 1-piece component, works best through an economy of scale. Also, for a large number of repairs on a single system, I believe my method could be implemented in significantly less time.
Regarding your question “After you make your localized encapsulation repairs, what guarantee do you have that the remaining creep life of the "nondamaged" locations will be realized?” Very good question with no direct answer or guarantee. Remaining creep life for the non-damaged pipe outside the HAZ areas would depend on the length and type of service the system has seen at the time the damages was uncovered in the HAZs requiring repair. What we know is that creep life in HAZs for P22 material is significantly less than for the non-HAZ areas. I would employ a team of experienced and qualified engineers and metallurgical “experts” familiar with the creep behavior of P22 material to assess what the remaining creep life of the system would be following restoration. The economics would have to be there to support a restoration of the damages areas vs. wholesale pipe replacement. For many systems, I believe that significant life of the non-damaged portions in the pipe would remain and thus warrant restoration of the weld/HAZ areas.