STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY IN ETHANOL INDUSTRY EQUIPMENT
ProSIM is a multi-disciplinary leader in the field of structural integrity assessment and has multiple offerings which include Remaining Life Assessment (RLA), Fitness for service (FFS) and study of effect due to damage for corrosion, creep fatigue etc.
ProSIM acts as an engineering services consultant and executed multiple engineering solution works for clients in the field of oil & gas, bio-fuels, petro-chemical, chemical processing, and fertilizers industries.
One of our key clients—a major distiller with a significant presence in the biofuel segment—faced an unexpected challenge where cracks were identified in the welds of a distillation column tray. This significantly affected the plant’s ability to function efficiently. The situation demanded urgent attention, technical expertise, and a reliable engineering solution.
ProSIM team visited the site and observed that these failures were traced to pressure-induced vibrations—resulting from complex interactions between upward-flowing vapors and downward-flowing fluids—leading to fatigue and eventual cracking of the tray welds. After evaluation of these observations, it was understood that identifying the reason cracking could be done by simulating the replication of real-time operational conditions inside the column using CFD and fluid structure interactions (FSI). The CFD analysis simulated the pressure fluctuations and corresponding mechanical loads on the tray structure.
By reviewing the results, ProSIM predicted the localized deformations and identified regions of high stress concentration that correlated with observed crack locations. After discussion o results with the customer, the ProSIM team recommended design reinforcements to the tray structure that would redistribute mechanical loads and reduce stress intensities around the welded joints. These included:
- Strategic addition of structural stiffeners to the tray and shell interface.
- Modification of weld profiles to minimize fatigue-prone geometries.
- Recommendations to dampen pressure oscillations through minor process adjustments.
The customer acted promptly on these recommendations. Reinforcements were fabricated and installed during a brief shutdown window. This ensured the column tray stability and no recurrence of stoppages due to such interruptions.
ProSIM’s computer aided engineering services have provided significant value additions to client, which has solved complex challenges and prevented recurrences of field failures and improved operational efficiency.
