Eskom develop innovative welding technology
Eskom in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth has developed “commercial-ready” technology for the power generation and petro-chemical industry.
The WeldCore® technology directly influenced the life extension programmes within the local and international power generation and petro-chemical sector by unlocking new ways of determining remnant life of high-value engineering components, Eskom said in a statement.
“WeldCore® is a sampling and repair process which allows for the removal of a representative cylindrical metallurgical sample from a pipe or component, and the subsequent repair of the removal site using a unique friction welding technique called friction taper hydro-pillar processing (FTHPP).”
The metallurgical sample could be analysed to ascertain, among other things, the level of “material-creep life deterioration”, fracture toughness, and remnant life. Current techniques for assessing the material integrity of thermally aged components relied on tedious and costly processes which often led to over-conservative results, Eskom said.
“All of the above has now been tested and validated and internationally accredited. The committee for Section IX of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) granted approval for industry application of the WeldCore® technology.
“The ASME code approval places the process on the international front as an accepted procedure for users world-wide. By all indications, this is the first approval by ASME BPVC for a South African institution,” Eskom said.