Nitrogen Purging

Nitrogen has a number of effective uses in the oil and gas, onshore and offshore pipeline industries due
to its unique properties. In hazardous situations and environments, dry and inert nitrogen creates a safe
working environment for carrying out a number of maintenance works ahead of shutdown and start-up
operations.
Guru Industries are the nitrogen specialists. We have one of the largest and most versatile fleets of
mobile, self-contained nitrogen pumping and vaporization equipment available. We offer a number of
reliable, flexible and cost-effective nitrogen solutions that will ensure safety and success for any
ongoing project.

PURGING SERVICES - INERTING/PURGING OPERATIONS

There are four common methods for adding inert gas: A) Vacuum purging, B) Pressure purging, C)
Siphon purging, and D) Sweep-through purging
A. Vacuum Purging
If the vessel to be inerted is designed to withstand vacuum pressure, an inert atmosphere can be
created by repeatedly drawing a vacuum on the vessel and filling with inert gas. The three states of
interest for the vacuum purging process are:

B. Pressure Purging
If the vessel to be inerted is designed to withstand elevated pressure, an inert atmosphere can be
created by repeatedly pressurizing the vessel by filling with inert gas, allowing the purge and
residual gases to mix, and then relieving the pressure. The three states of interest for the pressure
purging process are:

C. Siphon Purging
There are two steps in the siphon purging process: 1) displacement of gas in the vessel by filling
with a liquid and 2) displacement of the liquid in the vessel with purge gas. The states of interest for
the siphon purging process are shown here:

D. Sweep-Through Purging
The purge gas is allowed to flow continuously through the vessel in sweep-through purging. The
residual gas in the vessel can be displaced by the purge gas and/or mix with the purge gas. If the
inlet and outlet ports for the purge gas are not placed properly, the purge gas may not displace
and/or mix thoroughly with the residual gas in the vessel.
Displacement effects are generally neglected in sweep-through purging. Displacement is most
effective if the flow within the vessel is laminar. Mixing, on the other hand, is most effective when
there is a lot of turbulence in the flow within the vessel. When non-ideal mixing occurs, the purge
gas is said to bypass or short-circuit (simply flow from the inlet to the outlet). Portions of the residual
gas in the vessel (particularly that in corners or indentations in the vessel) will not be displaced from
the vessel nor will the composition be diluted by the purge gas. For sweep-through purging to be
effective, it is important for the purge gas to flow throughout the entire volume of the vessel (no dead
volumes or eddies).

Summary
Sweep-through purging is a simple process that can be accomplished at atmospheric pressure (the
vessel to be purged does not have to be designed for vacuum or pressure conditions). However, mixing

effectiveness is an important consideration in purge gas cost and time. Vessels to be sweep-through
purged should be designed to achieve good mixing.

Pneumatic Testing

TESTING BEYOND THE LIMITS

Strength testing is a technique used in the oil and gas industry to prove the mechanical strength and
integrity of pressure containing components in a system. The purpose of pneumatic strength testing is
to verify that a system may be safely subjected to its maximum operating pressure by testing it beyond
its designed pressure limit. The pneumatic strength test uses air, or an inert gas medium such as
nitrogen, to pressurize the system to 110% of its designed pressure limit. A holding period is then
applied for a fixed amount of time and the results monitored to determine the safety and integrity of the
system.

Benefits of pneumatic testing

Accurate test results means confidence in the integrity of the system

No need to dry or clean the system after testing

Will not lead to contamination of pipelines or systems

Certified test with full records and charts provided

In circumstances when hydrostatic testing is not possible, for instance, the weight of hydro test water is
too high for the pipe support system (e.g. gas service piping) and when the introduction of water to the
piping may be detrimental to the process (e.g. catalyst or reactor contamination, cryogenic service
system), then the components or system can be tested with nitrogen.
Since the test medium is gaseous, it has the ability to compress and contain a large amount of stored
energy (typically 200 times greater than a hydrostatic test at the same free volume and pressure
condition). Extreme caution is required when using this technique. However, the specialized team at
Guru Industries Industrial Services will ensure design specifications are reviewed and a detailed risk
analysis completed before testing with a compressible medium.

Drying

STABILITY, FLEXIBILITY, RELIABILITY

Air, nitrogen and vacuum drying techniques will thoroughly remove moisture and water from your
system prior to start-up. We achieve your optimal dew point level so that you can be sure of the integrity
of your product and the ongoing performance of your system.
Prior to commissioning and start-up, it can be essential to carry out a drying procedure to thoroughly
remove water and moisture from the system. This procedure will help to maintain the purity of the
product to be transported through the system, minimize corrosion (growth) and optimize efficiency and
safety.
Guru Industries Industrial Services offers flexible solutions for completely drying your system ahead of
start-up. This is necessary following a pressure or leak/tightness test during pre-commissioning in order
to achieve the required dew point levels. Our personnel have the knowledge and expertise to assess
your particular situation and advise the safest, most reliable and most cost-effective solution.

Benefits

System stability

Problem-free start-up

Low dew points < 100 ppm

Flexibility

Drying of dead-ends or valves

Reduction of corrosion (growth)

Inert systems

After completion of the engineering phase, a single or a combination of drying techniques can be
implemented.
(I) AIR DRYING
(II) NITROGEN DRYING