Al-Meshari, A.
Abdulaziz Al-Meshari is a principal engineer at SABIC’s Asset Technology Center. He has 18 years of experience in the petrochemical industry, mostly related to failure analysis, metallurgy and materials selection. Dr. Al-Meshari holds a PhD in materials science and metallurgy from the University of Cambridge in the UK; an MSc degree in corrosion science and engineering from the University of Manchester’s Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) in the UK, and a BSc degree.
Failure analysis of olefin furnace radiant tubes
A detailed failure investigation into the cracking of ethylene furnace radiant tubes included visual, fractographic, metallographic, scanning electron microscopy/x-ray spectroscopy, and hardness and chemical examinations. These analyses showed that the tube crack was initiated by thermal shock, accompanied by restrained thermal expansion due to internal coke layer formation. Details of the failure’s contributing factors, and recommendations to avoid similar failures, are shared here.
How caustic stress leads to failures of incinerator caustic spray nozzles
Frequent failures of the waste spray nozzles in incinerators result in accelerated degradation of the refractory lining, requiring unscheduled shutdowns for repairs. A study was carried out to identify the factors that contributed to the nozzle failure and to prevent the reoccurrence of similar failures in the future.
Case study: Service life assessment of boiler superheater tubes
Boilers are used in petrochemical facilities to generate steam that can be used to meet process and utility requirements. Many industrial boiler designs can be shop assembled and are therefore referre..
Case history: Failure analysis of a syngas compressor
A first-stage impeller in a synthetic gas compressor failed after 20 years of service. The compressor is a six-stage centrifugal compressor driven by a steam turbine. This case history discusses the i..
Mitigate reactor failures due to graphitization
Graphitization occurs in carbon steel (CS) reactors in high-temperature service (> 455°C). As discussed in this case history, the shell of a methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) reactor became s..
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