Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2021 - 77

Maintenance
and Reliability
T. ARANA, SIFCO ASC, Houston, Texas

Down with downtime: Repair complex petrochemical
components with selective electroplating
The volatile impact of the coronavirus pandemic hit at the same time
the petrochemical industry was entering a downcycle. Demand has already
started to slow, while a surplus in capacity is eroding margins and value. The
global disruption that the pandemic has
brought will only serve to further exacerbate these issues.
Several factors are at play, but the key
one is the global clampdown in the use
of plastics. The damage plastics cause
to the environment and oceans is well
documented, and more countries and
businesses are cutting back on these
petrochemically produced products. Indeed, 250 organizations-collectively
responsible for 20% of the plastic packaging produced around the world-have
committed to reduce waste and pollution under the New Plastics Economy
Global Commitment.1
Meanwhile, billions of dollars' worth
of refineries and processing plants have
come, or are about to come, online. Between 2014 and 2019, $120 B was spent
on new facilities in Texas, much of it focused on producing high-density polyethylene.2 At least 108 petrochemical
plants are scheduled to start operations
in Asia and the Middle East by 2023.
With the cutback in plastics production,
this is causing a perfect storm of global
overcapacity, and analysts predict the
bust will happen in as little as five years.
However, not all petrochemicals
will be affected. According to Deloitte's
The Future of Petrochemicals report, certain petrochemicals-such as ethylene
and propylene-are still predicted for
growth and have a high utilization rate.
However, shutdowns and maintenance

activities may inhibit current capacity required to sustain the production
needed to keep up with demand, thereby introducing volatility in the price of
base chemicals.
Minimizing downtime is imperative.
Minimizing downtime is vital. Operators cannot afford for plants to be down
longer than their scheduled maintenance
periods-or worse, be plunged into unplanned downtime-as this would result
in huge losses in productivity and profits.
Maintenance planners and turnaround
managers must be able to control and
plan maintenance work, and the ability to
estimate time and resources is essential.
Methods of repair must also be quality assured, reliable and cost effective.
A wide range of methods are available,
each with varying benefits and challenges. When it comes to components with
complex geometries that must be repaired fast and must be able to withstand
the harsh, continuous operating conditions of petrochemical production, few
solutions are as adept and as effective as
selective electroplating.
Selective plating: Serving many
functions, suitable for many applications. Selective electroplating,

such as the author's company's proprietary selective electroplating processa is
a proven, efficient and economical way
of performing surface treatment repairs.
The proprietary process is a portable
plating method used to enhance, repair
and refurbish localized areas on manufactured components.
Plating can serve a variety of purposes, such as a localized defect repair or

bringing an inside diameter (ID) or outside diameter (OD) back to size. Plating
can also enhance wear or corrosion resistance exactly where it is needed, even on
new parts where it would be prohibitive
to tank plate the entire part.
The process uses fundamental electrochemical principles. An electrolyte
solution, which contains ions of the
metal to be deposited, is introduced between the negatively charged part to be
plated and the positively charged plating
tool (i.e., anode). A portable powerpack
provides the required direct current and
allows precise control of amperage, voltage and plating time for high-quality and
accurate plating results.
The circuit is completed when the anode touches the surface of the part to be
plated. A suitable cover material around
the tool provides a reservoir to evenly
distribute the electrolyte. The current
causes the metal ions in the electrolyte
to bond with the surface of the part and
build up the plating layer. The result is a
highly adherent and dense metal deposit.
The metal or alloy to be deposited can be
chosen from more than 50 different solutions, which allows the application to be
tailored to the desired characteristics of
the plating material.
The following are a few examples of
where selective electroplating can commonly be used effectively in the petrochemical industry:
* Corrosion protection
* Defect repairs
* Dimensional restoration
* Wear resistance
* Improved hardness
* Prebraze
* Anti-galling and slip.
Hydrocarbon Processing | MARCH 2021

Hydrocarbon Processing - March 2021

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