Cyclic Fatigue Analysis with Kiefner’s Pipelife Tool
Cyclic fatigue is a common concern in the management and maintenance of pipelines, especially for older infrastructure or those under constant dynamic pressure changes. As the industry has evolved, there’s been a pressing need for reliable tools to predict the life expectancy of pipelines under these conditions.
Introducing Kiefner’s Pipelife Tool:
Having over three decades of research and development, Kiefner presents the Pipelife tool – an advanced solution specifically tailored for cyclic fatigue analysis of pipelines with crack-like defects.
Key Features:
- Critical Defect Size Calculation: The tool incorporates the Modified Log Secant or API 579 Level 2 methodologies to determine the critical defect sizes which can inform maintenance and repair strategies.
- Rainflow Counting: A sophisticated method, rainflow counting processes pressure data to simulate and understand the potential for cyclic fatigue.
- Paris’ Law Implementation: With the adoption of Paris’ law, Pipelife can simulate crack growth using the pressure data it processes, offering valuable insights into the pipeline’s structural health.
- Initial Flaw Size Determination: Pipelife can integrate data from various sources. Whether it’s historical hydrostatic test data or recent in-line inspection (ILI) crack tool data, it offers flexibility in determining the initial flaw sizes.
- Estimation of Remaining Life: One of the standout features of the tool is its ability to provide an estimated remaining life in years for pipeline segments, which is crucial for planning maintenance, repairs, or replacements.
Compliance and Regulatory Adherence:
Ensuring that pipelines are in compliance with regulatory standards is a paramount concern. Pipelife’s analysis is compliant with both 49 CFR 192 and 195 regulatory requirements, ensuring that pipelines analyzed with this tool meet or exceed industry standards.
Conclusion:
The Pipelife tool by Kiefner is a cutting-edge solution for those in the pipeline industry. By offering a comprehensive cyclic fatigue analysis, it aids operators in making informed decisions, ensuring the safety and longevity of their assets. For a detailed analysis tailored to your specific pipeline segments, reach out to Kiefner at [email protected].