Engineering Analysis of Pipe Thinning
PII uses an advanced computer code to calculate the expected pipe thinning rate. PII’s analysis then produces a list of pipes that should be closely monitored by in-plant testing during planned outages. This technology was developed based on PII's field assessments of more than 100 unexpected pipe thinning failures (including the two-fatality pipe rupture event at KCP&L in 2007). This technology is not offered by any other company.
The PII computer code covers many effects that have not been considered in other methods or codes in the industry, such as:
- Flow-assisted corrosion (FAC)
- Effects from upstream pipes or valves
- Effects from downstream components
- Cavitation
- Erosion