Emergency Gasket Replacement

INDUSTRY:

Chemical

SOLUTION:

MAXIPROFILE RTJ-DGG gasket

COST SAVED:

> $500,000

OVERVIEW

At a critical oxygen manifold in a chemical plant, an Inconel RTJ gasket had welded itself into the flange groove, with all removal attempts proving unsuccessful. This posed a serious issue as the damaged gasket prevented the manifold from functioning properly. With the plant offline, a rapid alternative sealing solution was required to avoid extended downtime. The urgency and precision required for the task led to a coordinated effort involving product selection, rapid manufacturing, and delivery, all accomplished within the same day.

APPROACH

The KLINGER site representative went to the site at 11: 30am and proceeded to measure the flange to ensure that its dimensions matched the expected specifications. Once the solution was agreed upon, the availability of materials was confirmed, and an urgent request was made to manufacture three MAXIPROFILE RTJ-DGG gaskets — two for the manifold and one spare.

At 12:40 hours, authorisation for the supply of the gaskets was given, and manufacturing commenced at the Welshpool plant. Due to the emergency nature of the situation, the production team stayed behind to complete the job. The KLINGER representative personally collected them from KLINGER’s Welshpool plant and drove back to the site for direct delivery at 19:00pm.

PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

Initial discussions focused on using a Spiral Wound CRIR-RTJ gasket. However, due to the critical nature of the oxygen manifold, KLINGER recommended the MAXIPROFILE RTJ-DGG gasket as a more robust sealing solution. It was selected over the Spiral Wound CRIR-RTJ due to its enhanced sealing capabilities under demanding conditions. After measuring the flange and confirming it conformed to the required specifications, the MAXIPROFILE RTJ-DGG gasket was confirmed to be an ideal fit.
Emergency Manufacturing: The manufacturing process was expedited at the Welshpool plant, with the production team staying behind to ensure completion. Three gaskets were ready for dispatch within hours of order confirmation.
Technical Support and Revised Bolt Torque Calculations: Given that the new gasket type was different from the original, revised bolt torque specifications were required. KLINGER representative worked on these after delivering the gaskets and provided the necessary torque data the same day.

KEY RESULTS

Minimised Downtime

The quick identification of an alternative sealing solution and the rapid turnaround of gasket manufacturing prevented prolonged plant downtime. The emergency replacement of the gaskets on the same day ensured that production losses were kept to a minimum.

Prevented damage to the flange

By avoiding the need for extensive removal operations or potentially re-machining or replacing the flange, significant costs were saved.

Swift Action on a Critical Day

On what could have been a day filled with delays (a Friday afternoon), the production team stayed behind to complete the urgent job, and the representative drove hundreds of kilometers to ensure timely delivery of the gaskets.

Improved Sealing Performance

The use of the MAXIPROFILE RTJ-DGG gaskets provided a more reliable sealing solution for the oxygen manifold, improving long-term operational stability and reducing the risk of future failures.