Opportunities from Digital Transition for Integrity Inspection and Control of Major Accident Hazard

Abstract

In the process industry, equipment integrity control has always been an essential activity to prevent accidents, avoid unwanted interruptions and product losses, and extend the useful life of the plants over time. In this context, non-destructive test NDT methods have been widely used for decades to detect different forms of deterioration of materials, before they can lead to failure or ruptures. The measurement technologies used are different, depending on the types of expected damage. In many cases, by maintaining the same measurement technology, it is possible to considerably increase the effectiveness and frequency of measurements, using innovative digital techniques, including wireless communication (e.g. Wi-Fi, BLE, RFID, etc.), shared storage (cloud), machine learning ML techniques and autonomous motion systems (e.g. robots, drones). This paper reviews the main innovative solutions that allow to significantly enhance integrity measurements, including robotic inspections inside and outside equipment, pervasive systems for monitoring critical equipment, and augmented vision. Digital technologies for integrity inspections have already reached a good degree of maturity and are rapidly spreading. In this paper Strength Weakness Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis is used to investigate the potential of these technologies, and a possible standardization in the future. Concerning the major accident hazard, the paper includes a discussion on how to quantify the contribution that these systems make to reduce the likelihood of accidental scenarios related to equipment failures at industrial establishments.