Surveying high-energy piping hangers

Using a proprietary camera system to undertake accurate hot and cold hanger surveys

Challenges

• gaining access to hard-to-reach hangers
• identifying topped- or bottomed-out hangers
• reading data from a distance such as hanger name plates
• the need to install and then remove expensive scaffolding to enable hanger inspection
• the difficulties in identifying poorly functioning hangers.

Solution

hrl: has developed an imaging device able to capture still and moving pictures of difficult-to-reach objects. The device can be used on a telescopic arm to help overcome inspection challenges by:

• enabling surveys to be undertaken using a standard method
• providing an inspection system that is safe to use
• eliminating the need for scaffolding
• providing video imaging to give visual records of hanger position in hot and/or cold conditions.

Benefits

Using its imaging device, hrl: undertakes hanger surveys, under hot and cold conditions that benefit clients by:

• identifying hangers that are operating outside their travel limits
• increasing their confidence that their plant's high-energy piping-support system is operating within specification or that out-of-specification hangers are being identified for follow-up action
• reducing the risks of unplanned outages due to pipe cracking
• providing greater inspection access to equipment without the need for scaffolding that can be costly and time-consuming to erect, and can restrict plant access while in place
• increasing inspection operator safety by enabling indicator readings to be from walkways
• enabling readings to be taken at close range and so improving the accuracy of those readings.