Pipelines
Often failure of one critical pipeline is enough to shut down an entire plant. Such pipelines can be regularly permanently monitored using Acoustic Emission for propagating cracks/defects and leaks. Lines may be monitored after integrity concerns have been raised, allowing repairs to be undertaken during a scheduled shutdown opposed to an emergency shutdown.
Structural Monitoring
Areas that are difficult to access and inspect can be effectively monitored for crack initiation and growth by using acoustic emission (AE) technology.
For structures loaded randomly such as offshore platforms, continuous monitoring is necessary. In addition to AE, the acquisition of dynamic strain data gives essential information on structural behaviour, helps with life prediction, and aids analysis when cracking is suspected.
Vacuum Box
Portable equipment is to obtain an induced pressure differential enabling a fast and cost-effective method of through weld leakage inspection on shell, floor and annular welds.
IRIS
IRIS Can be used when doing tube inspections.
Field-proven and commonly used in boilers, heat exchangers, and fin-fan tubes.
Often used as a back-up to electromagnetic examination of tubes, to verify calibration and accuracy. Especially useful as a follow-up to remote field testing due to the full sensitivity near tube support structures provided by IRIS.
- The IRIS probe must be moved very slowly (approximately 1 inch per second, or 2.5 cm/s), but it produces very accurate results (wall thickness measurements typically accurate to within 0.005 inch, or 0.13 mm).
- Before the examination, tubes must be cleaned on the inside to bare metal.
- A supply of clean water is needed, typically at a pressure of 60 psi, or 0.4 MPa. Dirt or debris in the water may cause the turbine to jam.
- Works for tube diameters of ½ inch (13 mm) and up.
- Special centralizing devices are needed for larger diameters.
- Works in metal or plastic tubes.
- Through hole is difficult to detect by using this method.
- Operates in temperatures above freezing.
- Can pass bends, but will not detect defects in bends.
- Not sensitive to cracks aligned with tube radius.
PMI
Positive metal identification can be used when:
- working with a part that is part of an assembly or that is too large for shipping,
- a sample cannot be cut for routine testing,
- a mixed lot is suspected,
- material identification/documentation has been misplaced,
- there are questions about samples too costly to destroy.