MICHAEL T SPARAGO
Engineering in Wilbraham, MA

6047241, Apr 4, 2000

Oct 23, 1997

8/956909

Michael T. Sparago - Wilbraham MA

G01N 2700, G21C 1700

702 34

A method of selective corrosion rate analysis is shown for generating an inspection and replacement schedule for a fluid processing plant. The method includes the steps of identifying a system from a division of the plant into one or more systems wherein each system has mechanical components that are expected to experience a common corrosion environment, and wherein each system has at least one thickness measurement location for performing thickness inspections. The next steps are establishing system corrosion data for each thickness measurement location and running the data through a plurality of corrosion engineering models. Running the corrosion engineering models includes coordinating the system corrosion data of the thickness measurement locations into a plurality of physical relationship data groups, and applying a plurality of statistical distribution/goodness-of-fit tests to each physical relationship data group. The final step is selecting a best fitting corrosion engineering model for generating an inspection schedule for the fluid containment components within each system of the plant. In a preferred embodiment of the method of selective corrosion rate analysis, the step of running the corrosion engineering models includes the additional step of identifying sub-populations within the application of the statistical distribution/goodness-of-fit tests so that identification of such sub-populations assists the user in identifying unknown corrosion mechanisms, and establishing specific inspection schedules for the sub-populations.