Similar Cases:

Explosion in an Aluminum Annealing Molten Salt Tank

Fire in an Oil Shale Refinery

Generator Failure and Meltdown

Overheating and Failure of Ore Drying Equipment

A fired heater used to generate hot gas for drying ore in a mining operation overheated and was destroyed. APTECH was retained by the insurance company to find the root cause of the failure. We performed an inspection and engineering analysis of the heater. We then obtained metal and refractory samples and analyzed them in our laboratory. Finally, we reviewed the operation log books and interviewed plant personnel. During this incident, the refractory failed completely and the metal shell buckled and melted.

Satish Almaula		Plant failure and root cause analysis; process and design engineering analysis; process technology development and testing; plant engineering, operations, maintenance and safety management; plant and process control system management.

Kimble Clark, Ph.D.		Failure analysis, heat transfer & thermodynamics, process plant equipment failures & explosions, fuel science, combustion, industrial fires and explosions.

Richard Schreiber, P.E.		Machinery and mechanical device failure analysis, mechanical testing, combustion and heat transfer, industrial fires and explosions, gas appliances.

Steve Torbov		Combustion, heat transfer, boiler design, machinery failure analysis