Levan Engineering Ltd

Assessing the aftermath of a large fire is challenging.  Smaller fires are easier and are assessed with API 579-1.

The level 1 assessment is mainly a visual inspection. We are looking for temperature indicators. These establish the temperature the component was exposed to. These temperature indicators could be melting, oxidation, or scale. The owner’s inspector can do this, or I can.

If the temperature was excessive, a level 2 assessment is required, and I must do portable hardness testing and insitu metallography.

Temperature indicators on the pressure equipment are more relevant. But this truck has many temperature indicators, melted plastic, consumed tires, paint turned to dust, a solidified pool of aluminum near the door, and tempered glass that became sticky and now adheres to the steel. The maximum temperature indicator is the glass at 700 Celsius.