• Increasing cost of new equipment and diminishing resources

• Extended lead time in plant construction

• Stringent environmental, safety and other regulations

• Increasing awareness for exploring the technological feasibility in extending component life.

A pragmatic approach is adopted in handling the cases of remaining life assessment. Efforts are put in to collect as much data as possible on the component / equipment history. Often brain storming sessions are conducted with the concerned engineers and technicians using the equipment as well as the other experts who are familiar with the operational details.

The Salient Features Involved are:

• Understanding the actual degradation mechanism

• High cycle fatigue • Low cycle fatigue

• Thermal fatigue

• Thermo mechanical fatigue

• Wear

• Thermal aging

• Creep

• Embitterment

• Corrosion