Vol.14, No1, 2014, pp.35–38
 UDC 620.172.24:66-988

STORAGE TANK INTEGRITY ASSESSMENT AFTER THE REMOVAL OF WELD CRACKS

Radomir Jovičić1, Mahdi Mohamed Ahmad Algool2, Uroš Tatić1, Olivera Popović3, Uroš Lukić3, Meri Burzić1

1)University of Belgrade, Innovation Centre of the Faculty of Mech. Engineering, rjovicic@mas.bg.ac.rs

2)Sirte University (SU), Sirte, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya

3)University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mech. Engineering

Abstract

Cracks located in the welded joint are detected during in-service tests of a liquid CO2 storage tank made of micro-alloyed steel. It is estimated that cracks threaten future safe operation of the storage tank and must be removed. A possibility for removing the cracks by grinding has been considered without applying a weld overlay to areas of grinding, aimed at restoring the wall thickness. Non-destructive test results and results of stress state calculations by the finite element method (FEM) were used. It is concluded that future safe storage tank operation is possible without applying weld overlay deposits to areas where the cracks had been removed by grinding.

Keywords: welded joints. pressure vessel. cracks, integrity

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