Hot work in volatile environments now possible with pressurized welding enclosures

Pressurized welding enclosures (PWEs) are used in chemical plants and refineries to decrease turnaround times and maximize production.

The PWE process enables the safe execution of hot work in locations where the potential for hydrocarbon release exists. The PWE is installed to encapsulate and isolate locations within operating (live) production areas to create a positive pressure environment (enclosure) in which hot work (cutting/grinding/welding) can be safely executed without the need to shut down the facility.

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One fertilizer plant representative commented on how useful are PWEs. "These pressurized welding enclosures allow for safe, monitored, and controlled welding inside a running plant, at locations that would otherwise not have hot work permitted (around any lines containing hydrogen, synloop, process gas, etc.). These are very beneficial because they enable us to execute as much pre-turnaround work as possible, utilizing day shift only, straight-time rates, instead of waiting until turnaround to pay contractors to work around the clock. In the past, using these enclosures, we’ve been able to execute roughly 70-90% of a project scope before the turnaround even began, as long as we designed the new pipe runs to not interfere with an existing, in-service pipe."

How Safe Zone’s process utilizes a PLC system that controls all atmospheric monitoring and welding equipment based on set parameters.
The system is designed to shutdown all hot work components any time a hazardous atmosphere is detected, the pressure is lost, or the emergency shutdown is activated.
The construction process, as well as other applications and benefits for various types of facilities.

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