A recent article from BIC Magazine takes a closer look at an Izomax project where the AOGV was used to enable critical heat exchanger maintenance at a major US refinery without shutting down production.
The project demonstrates how positive mechanical isolation can allow necessary maintenance to move forward while production continues, avoiding the production losses and operational impact associated with a shutdown.
Heat exchanger maintenance without shutdown
A blocked heat exchanger was restricting process flow and required a complete overhaul. Having considered the available options for intervention and repair, the refinery operator selected the Izomax AOGV mechanical isolation system as the preferred choice for positive isolation without a shutdown.
Using two AOGVs across three isolation points, Izomax established the positive mechanical isolation required to allow the heat exchanger to be opened, hydro-jetted, checked and returned to full working order, while the plant process continued uninterrupted.
The result was full plant capacity restored, zero HSE incidents, no hot work and an estimated US$1 million in savings by mitigating lost production capacity.
Read the full case study
From the initial site survey and Factory Acceptance Test to the modified AOGV spade and final isolation sequence, the full case study takes a closer look at how the project was planned and executed.
With more than 350 projects completed across six continents, this is just one example of the AOGV in operation. Explore more Izomax case studies to see how the technology is being used across different applications and operating environments.
