Case Study: Creating a Program for CUI Prevention at a Refinery

By Gordon H. Hart P.E.

Introduction

This case study looks at a particular oil refinery located in the Midwest that has had a long-standing problem
with corrosion under insulation (CUI). In the late summer of 2012, the refinery owner hired me as a
consulting engineer to make practical recommendations to reduce the number of occurrences and severity of
CUI. Unfortunately, no single insulation, jacketing, or coating will completely and permanently prevent CUI.
While there are better and worse product choices for particular applications, the prevention of CUI requires
that the facility owner follow a program that includes application of protective coatings prior to insulating,
maintenance of the insulation systems, and timely repairs and/or replacement of materials when damage
occurs to an insulation system.
In this particular facility, some of the operating units were more than 50 years old and had been using
certain types of insulation since they were built. It was neither practical nor financially feasible for the owner
to replace all the pipe and equipment insulation with a new type of material for the purposes of reducing
CUI. Thus, in this particular case, I did not recommend using different insulation materialas I would have
in other instancesthat have water-inhibiting properties, such as perlite pipe and board; flexible aerogel
blankets; and layered, rigid, glass fiber felt pipe and board. In this instance, the recommendations involved
better use and care of insulation materials already in use at the refinery. Readers are encouraged to look at
the specific design considerations for their system, industry standards and specifications, and manufacturer
product recommendations before making a decision about insulation products for their unique systems.

Project Objectives and Methods

The objectives of the refinery owner were as follows:

Receive recommendations on methods for minimizing occurrences and severity of CUI;

Maintain as many existing materials, procedures, and practices as possible while reducing CUI;

Minimize initial insulation costs and life-cycle costs;

Maximize life of pipe, equipment, and insulation systems; and

Enhance safety.

My objectives were to:

Identify practices that should be continued;

Identify practices that should be discontinued;

Identify practices that should be changed; and

Recommend new practices to minimize water intrusion into thermal insulation.

Background
While the refinery has been on this site over a century, the operating units were constructed more recently.
Two units were constructed in late 1960s and early 1970s using asbestos-reinforced calcium silicate
insulation with a 0.016"-thick aluminum jacket. Much of this older insulation system was still in place, and
the utility owner had been inventorying and identifying both the asbestos-containing calcium silicate
insulation and the asbestos-free calcium silicate insulation. The units constructed after the early 1970s were
insulated with asbestos-free insulation consisting of calcium silicate in most places with the exception of pipe
elbows, which were insulated with mineral wool. More recently, when new pipes were added or entire
stretches of insulation had to be replaced, the utility had switched to using cellular glass for pipes with
operating temperatures in a range from 250F to 450F, since cellular glass does not absorb water. In fact,

the insulation contractor who had the maintenance contract was free to use calcium silicate down to 250F,
so there was a range from 250F to 450F where he could select either material.
Custom-fabricated removable/reusable blankets had been installed on many heat exchanger heads and
valve bodies; however, the flange pairs were always left bare, a practice common at many oil refineries.
Protective coatings had been installed in the last 10 years or so. Prior to that time, they were not
consistently used on insulated pipe and equipment. The use of steam tracing on the pipe and equipment was
extensive. However, in the last several years, the refinery owner had switched to adding electric heat trace
on new pipe and equipment.

FIGURE 1: Pipes insulated with asbestos-free calcium silicate insulation, protected with aluminum jacketing.
The blue banding indicates that the insulation is asbestos-free. Note the custom-made, wire-mesh covered
removable/reusable insulation blankets in the top of the photo.

FIGURE 2: This photo shows a removable/reusable blanket, wrapped in wire mesh, on a flanged
component. Note that the 2 flange pairs are bare, a common practice at this refinery and many others. This
is done to prevent the accumulation of hydrocarbon liquids in the blankets, should a flange leak, since this
could result in spontaneous combustion of those liquids when the blanket is removed.

FIGURE 3: An insulated, horizontal vessel insulated with calcium silicate and aluminum jacketing. Note that
the banding is not blue, indicating that either the calcium silicate contains asbestos, or the insulation has not
yet been tested to determine asbestos content.

FIGURE 4: This photo shows pipes and vessels insulated with asbestos-free calcium silicate insulation and
aluminum jacketing (marked with the blue bands). One valve insulated with a removable/reusable blanket
can be seen in the left side of the photo. The insulation in this photo is generally in very good condition.

FIGURE 5: The CUI shown in this photo is particularly acute and destructive. This pipe was likely replaced
and re-insulated after this photograph was taken.

FIGURE 6: This photo shows partially disassembled mineral wool elbow insulation and aluminum jacketing.
The disassembly was probably due to the proximity of the flange bolts, which required removal of some of
the elbow insulation for their removal. Left in this condition, rainwater can enter the insulation, leading to
wetting of the insulation and CUI over time.

FIGURE 7: This deteriorated and missing elbow insulation looks as if it has been in this condition for a long
time. Not only does this condition lead to CUI, but the heat loss from the elbow is very high. Furthermore,
the exposed pipe insulation may be asbestos containing; if so, for health and safety reasons, it should not
be left in this deteriorated condition.

FIGURE 8: This photo shows a direct contact type of pipe support that allows rainwater intrusion, which
wets the pipe insulation. Additionally, this design leads to high heat loss due to the direct contact between
the pipe and the support. Given plain banding, this may even be asbestos-containing insulation, suggesting
that this pipe support has been in this condition for a long time.

FIGURE 9: This photo shows pipes probably suffering from CUI. The pipe in the top is insulated with a
woven textile material that is water absorbent. The pipe in the bottom is insulated with metal jacketed
insulation; however, the jacketing has corroded, probably from the inside due to galvanic corrosion. This
insulation and jacketing should have been replaced long ago.

What Are the Problems?

There were a number of insulation system problems and challenges at this refinery.

Pipe thinning due to CUI at certain locations (a pipe is only as strong as its weakest point).

Limited budget for X-ray examination of pipes, and only smaller pipes could be done.

Limited budget for insulation maintenance and replacement.

Most older pipes and equipment were never coated for protection against CUI.

Some pipes were insulated that may not have needed it (thus allowing for CUI).

Figures 5 through 11 illustrate the types of problems at this refinery. While much of the refinery insulation is
in good condition, as shown in the previous photos, there are too many locations where rainwater obviously
gets into the insulation and leads to CUI. If an inspector can visually see where rainwater gets into the
insulation, then maintenance consisting of either repairs or replacement is the best solution to stop this
situation from persisting. Furthermore, only insulation materials designed for outdoor use at the operating
temperatures specified should be used, even as temporary wrap insulation.

FIGURE 10: This photo shows the use of poorly applied temporary wrap insulation. The material appears to
be fiberglass duct wrap with a vinyl facing. If so, the material is ill suited for use on outdoor applications at a
refinery because it is designed for indoor use on surfaces with a maximum temperature of only 200F. This
temporary wrap should be replaced with either specified permanent insulation and jacketing, or specified
removable/reusable insulation blanket(s).

FIGURE 11: This photo shows an elbow with damaged insulation and jacketingapparently damaged by
foot traffic. There were a large number of these damaged elbows on horizontal, low-elevation pipes. The
straight pipes were insulated with calcium-silicate insulationa high compressive-resistance insulationbut
the elbows were mostly insulated with a mineral-wool wrap, a low compressive-resistance insulation.

FIGURE 12: This photo shows straight pipes and elbows. The straight pipes are insulated with calcium
silicate, and the elbows are insulated with mineral-wool wrap. Note that the straight pipe insulation has been
able to withstand foot traffic abuse, whereas the elbow insulation has not.

FIGURE 13: This photo shows an instance where the elbow was insulated with calcium silicate, which has
been able to withstand the effects of foot-traffic abuse due to its high compressive resistance.

FIGURE 14: This insulation, on the top of the valve, has been installed to leave sufficient space for flange
bolt removal, but he elbow insulation beneath this valve appears to be too close to the lower flange pair to
allow for bolt removal. This elbow insulation might be damaged by mechanics when they remove this valve
for servicing, allowing rain into the insulation, which, over time, may lead to CUI.

FIGURE 15: This photo shows where the aluminum jacketing has been gouged; this tear will allow
rainwater to get into the pipe insulation and this, in turn, can lead to CUI.

Recommended Solutions for this Refinery's Problems

Problem 1: Damaged or missing insulation such as shown in Figures 6 and 7 on page 12.
Solution: Repair or replace with specified insulation materials so it looks like the insulation in Figure 1 on
page 11.
Problem 2: Damaged elbow insulation.
Solution: Use calcium silicate insulation on the elbows low enough to the ground to be stepped on,
replacing the damaged mineral wool and metal jacket where that material has been damaged. See Figures
12 and 13 above.
Problem 3: Placement of insulation too close to flanges (as shown in Figure 6 on page 12).
Solution: Leave sufficient space to allow for flange bolt removal (as shown in Figure 14 on page 16).
Problem 4: Gaps and tears in the metal jacketing.
Solution: Either repair and replace the insulation or use metalized, pressure-sensitive tape to patch the
metal jacketing, at least temporarily.
Problem 5: Missing metal jacketing (as shown in Figure 17 above).
Solution: Replace missing metal jacketing.
Problem 6: Missing or damaged insulation on frequently-maintained mechanical components.

Solution: Use removable/reusable insulation blankets on those components.

Problem 7: Pipe support designs that allow water intrusion.
Solution: Replace those, over time, with factory-insulated pipe supports.
Problem 8: Lack of protective coatings applied to pipe and equipment prior to insulating.
Solution: When the opportunity arises, remove corrosion from the affected pipe and equipment, and then
apply protective coatings prior to insulating.
Problem 9: Broken seals that allow rainwater to enter insulation.
Solution: Repair broken seals or replace affected insulation, then apply a new seal.

FIGURE 16: This photo shows how metalized tape has been used as a simple field repair to prevent
rainwater intrusion. Such a repair, while not permanent, can be made quickly and inexpensively. Most
importantly, it will be effective in preventing future rainwater intrusion.

FIGURE 17: This photo shows a piece of missing metal jacketing. This should be replaced as soon as
possible to prevent rainwater intrusion. If there are no resources to do this, the insulation can be wrapped
by using some of the same metalized tape shown in Figure 16.

FIGURE 18: This photo shows how the pipe insulation system should look with all the metal jacketing in
place. It is correctly installed to prevent rainwater intrusion.

FIGURE 19: This photo shows the use of removable/reusable insulation blankets to cover a component that
is frequently accessed for maintenance. These blankets have been designed, fabricated, and installed in such
a way as to shed rainwater and allow easy removal; and then, after maintenance, reinstallation.

FIGURE 20: Plate 1-620 from the National Commercial and Industrial Insulation Standards (7th
Edition) shows a design for a factory-insulated pipe support that can be installed in such a way as to prevent
rainwater intrusion that can lead to CUI.

FIGURE 21: This image shows a graphic artist's concept of a splash guard over a direct-contact pipe
support. The splash guard, which can be fabricated by the insulation contractor or a fabricator from
aluminum jacketing, can prevent most rainwater from getting into the exposed insulation.

General Recommendations

In addition to the solutions noted in the previous section, I made the following general recommendations to
the refinery owner for the minimization of CUI in the conditions present at this facility. (Editor's note: Unless
specifically noted at the beginning of the article, the opinions and information shared by the author of any
article in Insulation Outlook are those of the author and have not been confirmed by the NIA. The
publication of an article does not constitute an endorsement of the author's opinions.)
Recommendation 1: When installing new insulation, use cellular glass insulation for operating
temperatures up to 350F, and calcium silicate insulation for temperatures above 350F.
Justification: Calcium silicate is highly water absorbent and very strong, thus it is abuse resistant. It
performs adequately at high temperatures, and it contains a chemical inhibitor that helps prevent CUI when
it does get wet. When used at operating temperatures above 350F, its water-absorbing qualities will have
little or no impact on CUI, since the water will completely boil away as vapor. Cellular glass, on the other
hand, absorbs very little water, so when used at operating temperatures below 350F, it should not promote
CUI. Since calcium silicate is a more durable insulation material, its use is preferred where the operating
temperature prevents water absorption and retention.

Recommendation 2: Continue using aluminum jacketing, but only with a polysurlin moisture retarder
instead of aluminum jacketing with a polykraft moisture retarder, as that type of retarder may not last as
long.
Justification: The polysurlin moisture retarder is much more durable and prevents galvanic corrosion when
the insulation becomes wet.
Recommendation 3: Use removable/reusable insulation blankets on components requiring frequent
inspection or maintenance. These should be fabricated with silicone or polytetrafluoroethylene- (PTFE-)
coated glass fiber fabric to prevent liquids from being absorbed. The existing refinery specification for
removable/reusable blankets is adequate. These blankets always should be reinstalled as soon as the
mechanical maintenance activity that necessitated the insulation removal is completed.
Justification: These blankets allow inspectors and maintenance personnel to access components without
destroying thermal insulation. The coated fabrics keep most rainwater and oil from getting into the insulation
materials from which the blankets have been fabricated.
Recommendation 4: When installing heat tracing on pipe, use only electric-resistance type.
Justification: The steam type can leak at fittings, introducing water to the insulation interior. Electric heat
tracing is water and water vapor free, and makes it is easier to control temperature.
Recommendation 5: Seal damaged aluminum jacket with caulk or metalized, pressure-sensitive tape to
prevent water intrusion.
Justification: Gaps need to be sealed to prevent rainwater intrusion.
Recommendation 6: Seal lap joints at 12 o'clock and metal jacket gaps with metalized, pressure-sensitive
tape, or replace to prevent water intrusion.
Justification: Exposed joints and gaps need to be sealed to prevent rainwater intrusion.
Recommendation 7: Where the operating temperature allows, use protective coatings to protect steel
surfaces from corrosion.
Justification: Protective coatings can effectively protect against CUI even if water does get into the
insulation and onto the pipe or vessel surface.
Recommendation 8: Use only "temporary" insulation that is suitable for the operating conditions (i.e., does
not hold water against steel surfaces and meets temperature requirements).
Justification: Many applications of "temporary" insulation wrap get left in place, becoming permanent. If
they do not exclude rainwater and/or become deteriorated by weather and heat from the pipe, then they
can absorb rainwater, which can lead to CUI.

FIGURE 22: New pipes that have had a protective coating applied prior to insulating. This protective coating
will reduce the probability of the occurrence of CUI after these pipes are insulated.

FIGURE 23: A broken seal where the metal jacket meets the metal jacket at a 90 junction can allow
rainwater to enter the insulation, possibly leading to CUI. This seal was apparently broken by a worker
stepping on the metal jacketing, deforming the metal in the process. This jacket either should be repaired or
replaced with new metal jacketing and then sealed. A temporary repair might be to use metalized pressuresensitive tape to seal gaps such as these.

FIGURE 24: Here is a good quality continuous seal that prevents rainwater from penetrating the insulation
covered by the jacketing.

Conclusions
CUI is a problem at many refineries. At the particular refinery in this case study, several recommendations
could reduce the frequency and severity of CUI. Where applicable, those recommendations were to continue
using the same insulation materials, but with more specific operating temperature recommendations and
with a more specific aluminum jacketing recommendation. This includes continuing to use calcium silicate
insulation at operating temperatures equal to and above 350F, and cellular glass at operating temperatures
below 350F. Additionally, the aluminum jacketing should have a polysurlin moisture retarder.
Recommendations also include performing regular maintenance such that damaged insulation is either
repaired or replaced, following best practices. Where gaps or tears occur, repairs should either be made with
sealant or using metalized, pressure-sensitive tape. Missing jacketing should be replaced as soon as
possible. Rigid pipe insulation should be used on low-elevation pipe elbows to protect against foot traffic
damage. When the opportunity arises, direct contact pipe supports and hangers should be replaced by those
that are factory insulated. Removable/reusable blanketsat appropriate specification for the operating
temperatureshould be installed at components that are frequently inspected and/or repaired. Before new
pipe or equipment insulation is installed, metal surfaces should first be covered with a protective coating on
pipes with operating temperatures below the maximum use temperature of the protective coating.
While following these recommendations does incur some initial financial costs, choosing preventative
measures will save money in the long run because they will reduce the frequency and severity of CUI and, in
this case, reduce energy use for hydrocarbon fluid heating at the refinery.