Root Cause of Failure (RCA)

Knowing the fundamental causes leading to failure is essential to mitigate the risk of the failure repeating. Tetra Engineering calls on an interdisciplinary team to assess the failure (or degradation) and determine the root cause.

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Tetra Engineering provides an-depth Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCA) service for operators of thermal power and process plants, with focus on failures in pressure parts and associated balance-of-plant equipment.

Our RCA services are tailored at identifying the failure mechanisms, diagnosing the root cause or causes leading to the failure, and offering recommendations to minimize the risk of recurrence.

Our team is comprised of seasoned metallurgists, mechanical engineers, and corrosion specialists, with an accumulated experience of several decades doing RCA work.

Failures can arise from a multiple of factors such as: material selection, manufacturing defects or process conditions outside the design envelope. Leveraging our expertise, we meticulously analyse the available relevant data. Then by applying a logical and critical assessment process, we develop one or more hypotheses on the root causes for the failure. These are then critically reviewed to identify the correct cause.

A Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCA) assessment may include:

Operational Data Review
Metallurgical Examination in a laboratory
Mechanical Testing
Chemical and Fuel Analysis
Scanning Electron Microscopy
Finite Element Analysis
Boiler Process Modelling

Any RCA should have as an objective to provide one or more solutions for preventing or at the least greatly reducing the recurrence of failures. These can range from making changes to component materials, modified component designs, improved manufacturing processes or better installation or repair procedures.

Related and follow-up services for remediation may include fitness-for-service (FFS) or remaining life assessment, as needed. The underlying objective is to “use” the failure as an opportunity to improve operational practices or identify potential design shortcomings, and thereby ensure the reliability and performance of the plant over the plant design life.

Tetra Engineering has worked on several hundred RCA projects around the world, we stand ready to apply that experience to safeguard the reliability and longevity of your critical assets.

For information and quotation please contact us.

Related Engineering & Analysis Services

Life Assessments

Knowing the remaining useful operating life of your boiler, HRSG and associated balance-of-plant is a key parameter for effective management of your thermal power plant.

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Performance & Efficiency Assessments

Services to help you evaluate how your operating performance has changed since the plant / boiler was commissioning, or to help you check the potential performance impact of planned modifications before they are implemented.

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Root Cause of Failure (RCA)

Knowing the fundamental causes leading to failure is essential to mitigate the risk of the failure repeating. Tetra Engineering calls on an interdisciplinary team to assess the failure (or degradation) and determine the root cause.

learn more

Optimized NDE

Risk-based inspection (RBI) is an approach for ranking the priority of inspection and maintenance according to an assessed risk to the component or system integrity. One key aspect of any RBI program is to carefully select the locations for non-destructive examination (NDE) that are most susceptible to damage, according to the component's design and past and project operating mode, while considering the resources and time available during an upcoming inspection. Using multi-disciplinary experience and tools (thermal simulation, life assessment, structural calculations….) Tetra will help you get the most out of your NDE campaigns, by providing pre-outage planning, on-site supervision and post-inspection review.

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Flow Accelerated Corrosion Assessment (FAC)

Identify and prevent tube and pipe thinning caused by flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) to avoid ruptures and leaks.

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Boiler Process Modelling and Simulation

Tetra Engineering provides a full-scope service for the modelling and operation analysis of all types of natural or forced circulation Power Boiler and HRSGs, including supercritical and once-through designs. This can be integrated into a full plant model to incorporate the steam turbine and steam cycle balance of plant.

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Fitness for Service

A fitness for service (FFS) evaluation is a process for assessing the structural integrity and safety of components that may have experienced damage and deterioration during their service life.

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Root Cause of Failure (RCA)

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