ADVANCED NDT

INSPECTIONS

TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd

1 Science Park Drive
Singapore
CONVENTIONAL NDT TECHNIQUES

VISUAL INSPECTION

LIQUID PENETRANT TESTING

MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING

MANUAL ULTRASONIC TESTING

RADIOGRAPHY TESTING
ADVANCED NDT METHODS

1) PAUT (Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing)

2) TOFD (Time of Flight Diffraction Technique)
3) LRUT (Long Range Ultrasonic Testing)
4) SRUT (Short Range Ultrasonic Testing)
5) ECT (Eddy Current Testing – Tube Inspection & Surface Cracks)
6) IRIS (Internal Rotary Inspection System)
7) RFT (Remote Field Eddy Current Testing)
8) MFL (Magnetic Flux Leakage – Tube Testing & Floor Mapping)
9) PMI (Positive Material Identification – XRF & ARC)
10) PEC (Pulsed Eddy Current)
11) ACFM (Alternating Current Field Measurement)
12) IR-THERMOGRAPHY (Infrared)
13) NEUTRON BACK SCATTERING
14) CR (Computed Radiography)
15) DR (Digital Radiography)
PAUT
CONVENTIONAL UT

Pros:
• Very inexpensive compared to phased arrays.
• Codes written and the standards available since the
sixties.

Cons:
• Requires raster scanning and scanning each time at
different angles.
• Analysis of the indication relatively difficult and
interpretation erros
• Chance of human error is high, particularly over
prolonged working hours.
Slide 5
CONVENTIONAL UT & PAUT

The beam is divergent and unidirectional in conventional UT while

it is focussed and multiangled in phased array probe

Cracks in many orientations can be easily detected by PAUT.

Slide 6
PHASED ARRAY EQUIPMENT
PHASED ARRAY ACCESSORIES
CHARACTERISTICS

PROBE ENCODER

WEDGES

Slide 8
PHASED ARRAY PROBE CHARACTERISTICS

Basically, a phased-array is a long conventional probe

cut into many elements.

The number of elements range from 16 to 128 and in some cases

256.

Piezocomposite – uniformly oriented piezoelectric rods in epoxy

matrix.
Slide 9
BEAM FOCUSSING

• Elements pulsed with

different time delays.
(Elements in the
array are yellow;
applied delay to each
element is in green.)

• Time delays
generate a focused
normal beam in this
instance.

Slide 10
BEAM STEERING

Slide 11
Electronic (Linear) Scanning
TYPES OF DISPLAY

Slide 13
HYDROFORM – CORROSION MAPPING

Slide 14
WELD INSPECTION – SCAN PLAN

Scan Plan is prepared well before inspection to have an idea on the

coverage of inspection.
Multiple groups are required if the coverage is insufficient

Slide 15
LACK OF FUSION

Slide 16
WELD INSPECTION – COBRA SCANNER

The COBRA holds up to two PA probes for inspections on pipes

with outside diameters ranging from 0.84 in. to 4.5 in

Slide 17
PIPELINE AUT
Unique Features
•Higher inspection Speeds,
• Near Real Time Analysis
• Zone Discrimination

Slide 19
CALIBRATION BLOCK - SCAN

Slide 20
TOFD
TIME OF FLIGHT DIFFRACTION TECHNIQUE
TIME OF FLIGHT DIFFRACTION TECHNIQUE

Advantages of TOFD Technique

– Wide coverage area using a pair of transducers

– Accurate flaw sizing; amplitude-independent
– Sizing technique using time-of-flight information
– On-line volume inspection - very fast scanning
– Setup independent of weld configuration
– Sensitive to a variety of defects
– No sensitivity to defect orientation
– Amplitude-insensitive - acoustical coupling less critical

Slide 23
 A-Scan Signals

Transmitter Receiver
Lateral wave

Back-wall reflection

LW BW

Upper tip Lower tip

9/7/2015 24
TIME OF FLIGHT DIFFRACTION TECHNIQUE

Advantages of TOFD Technique

– Wide coverage area using a pair of transducers

– Accurate flaw sizing; amplitude-independent
– Sizing technique using time-of-flight information
– On-line volume inspection - very fast scanning
– Setup independent of weld configuration
– Sensitive to a variety of defects
– No sensitivity to defect orientation
– Amplitude-insensitive - acoustical coupling less critical

Slide 25
Test Weld

Weld 1

Toe crack Porosity

12.5 mm Lack of side wall fusion

Lack of root fusion

9/7/2015 26
 Test Weld

TOFD and PE
clearly show the
defects embedded
in this weld:
•Lack of Fusion
(root)
•Lack of Sidewall
Fusion
•Porosity
•Toe Crack

27 9/7/2
TOFD Limitations

• Dead zone of ~3mm at outer surface

• Potential dead zone at inner surface
• Prone to “noise”
• Over emphasizes some benign defects, e.g.
porosity, laminations, interlamellar LoF
• Not easy to interpret

9/7/2015 28
TUBE TESTING
TECHNIQUES
TUBE TESTING - SELECTION OF TECHNIQUE

?
GENERAL RULE

No single technique is good for all the

materials & all types of discontinuities.
MATERIALS – APPLICABLE TEST METHODS

Eddy Current Testing

– for non-ferromagnetic materials.
Remote Field Eddy Current Testing
– for Ferromagnetic Materials.
Magnetic Flux Leakage –
- for Ferromagnetic Materials.
Internal Rotary Inspection System (IRIS)
- Suitable for all materials.
TYPES OF MATERIALS

Ferromagnetic ???

Non-ferromagnetic ???

Ferromagnetic Materials – Carbon Steels,

Non-ferromagnetic Materials – Brass, Aluminum Brass,

Cupronickels, Titanium, Austenetic Stainless Steels
EQUIPMENT – APPLICABLE TEST METHODS

Condensors - Eddy Current Testing (ECT)

Air Conditioners - Eddy Current Testing (ECT)

Boilers - Remote Field Testing (RFT)

Air Coolers - Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL)

Heat Exchangers - Non-ferromagnetic Materials

( Stainless Steel, Cu/Ni)
ECT – IRIS to confirm

- Ferromagnetic Materials
MFL, RFT, IRIS
EQUIPMENT – APPLICABLE TEST METHODS

IRIS
GOOD FOR SIZING THE DEFECTS.
NOT GOOD FOR OD DEFECTS.
GOOD FOR WEAR & PITS.
NOT SENSITIVE TO BENDS
COATED TUBES - DIFFICULT

MFL – NOT A GOOD TECHNIQUE FOR SIZING DEFECTS

RFT – GOOD FOR WEAR DETECTION AND CAN EASILY

PASS THE BEND.
TUBE TESTING - SELECTION OF TECHNIQUE
ECT
EDDY CURRENT TESTING (ECT)
CONCEPT
In tube testing, two coils are excited with an AC current, producing
magnetic field around them. The defects are detected by the change in
impedance of the coils.
EDDY CURRENT TESTING (ECT)

Suitable for nonferrous tubing such as SS304/316, brass,

titanium, Inconel, copper, copper-nickel etc.

Can detect pits, corrosion, erosion and axial cracking.

Uses multiple frequencies for better analysis and flaw

sizing.

The probe needs a good fill factor to remain sensitive (about

0.85 to 0.9). So different probes for different pipe diameters

Probe centering is important for uniform sensitivity and a

reduced lift-off signal.
EDDY CURRENT TESTING (ECT)
EDDY CURRENT TESTING (ECT)

Limitations

Bobbin probes that are used in ECT are not sensitive to

circumferential cracks.

To detect circumferential cracking, special probes may be used – Air

conditioner probes, Rotating probes, Eddy Current Array Probes.

However, use of these special probes have cost and time

implications.
IRIS
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System

IRIS is suitable for ferrous and nonferrous materials.

Detects general thinning such as corrosion and erosion and localized

defects such as pitting (SIZE??) and wear scars.

Measures absolute wall thickness value as well as the internal and

external diameters of the tube.

Accommodates a wide range of tube diameters and wall thicknesses.

Tube cleaning is VERY IMPORTANT to avoid attenuation losses

Typical pull speeds are 50 mm/s

IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
OVERVIEW OF THE SYSTEM
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System

CONCEPT

A transducer located inside a turbine generates an ultrasonic pulse

along the axis of tube.

The ultrasound is reflected on a 45 deg mirror and is oriented toward

the tube wall.

The ultrasound is partially reflected by the tube ID then transmitted

through wall and finally reflected by the tube OD.

The ultrasonic velocity of the tube material allows the wall thickness
to be calculated by using the time of flight difference between the OD
and ID echoes.
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
CONCEPT
Water is pumped through the probe cable and the turbine.

The mirror, which is attached to the rotating part of the turbine rotates at a
speed of about 50 rev/s. This rotation enables full inspection of tube wall.

A small pin attached to the turbine body produces an ultrasonic reflection

each time the mirror passes the pin. The reflection from pin is used to
synchronized the screen display.
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System

HEAT EXCHANGER INSPECTION

IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES - RDTECH
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES – Severe External Corrosion
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES –External Pitting
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES – Baffle Erosion
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES Boiler Tube Erosion
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES – Internal Pitting
IRIS-Internal Rotary Inspection System
DATA EXAMPLES – Internal Pitting
RFT
RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

CONCEPT – Through Wall Transmission

RFT is a through wall transmission technique - magnetic field travels

through the tube wall twice - once at the exciter and once at the receiver.

Defect located at exciter/receiver will have an effect on the magnetic

field sensed by receiver coils.

The receiver-coil measurements corresponds to the total material

thickness that the magnetic field has gone through.

Therefore cannot differentiate ID or OD defects.

RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

CONCEPT
RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

CONCEPT
The basic probe is made with one exciter and two receiver coils.

Two main fels are present, coupling the energy between the exciter and
the receivers
- The direct field is centered around the exciter coil and is rapidly
attenuated relative to the distance down the tube.

- The indirect field is diffused outward through the tube wall

propagates along the tube axis and is then rediffused back throught the
tube wall.

The zone in which the indirect field is dominant is called remote field
zone. This zone is present at a distance greater than two tube diameters
RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

Suitable for ferromagnetic pipes and boiler and heat exchanger tubes

Same sensitivity is achieved for internal and external flaws.

Technique is relatively insensitive to probe lift-off or wobble.

Can be used to examine very thick tube wall (up to 12 mm)

A lower fill factor enables the inspection of partially scaled tubes and
boiler tubes with swages and bends.

Centralization of probe is not as critical as it is for ECT inspections.

Typical pull speeds are 0.10 m/s to 0.3 m/s

RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

CONCEPT – Through Wall Transmission

RFT – Remote Field Eddy Current Testing
Typical Defect Responses
Tube Testing
Inspection Results - Carto Diagram
LRUT
CONVENTIONAL Vs LRUT TESTING

Slide 65
PHILOSOPHY OF SCREENING – LRUT

Anything with a cross-sectional wall loss greater

than 9 % can be reliably detected.

Slide 66
ASPECT RATIO OF DEFECT - LRUT

Slide 67
VARIOUS APPLICATIONS OF LRUT

Slide 68
APPLICATIONS OF LRUT

Slide 69
APPLICATIONS OF LRUT

Slide 70
PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

Slide 71
EQUIPMENT
TELETEST TEST SET UP

Slide 73
FORWARD TRAVELLING WAVE - LRUT

Slide 74
TELETEST – EQUIPMENT FEATURES

Slide 75
TELETEST – COLLAR DESIGN

Slide 76
COLLAR DESIGN (Thickness > NPS 24)

Slide 77
MINITEST(Thickness < NPS 6)

Slide 78
PIPE ACCESS REQUIREMENTS

Wrapping on the pipe

needs to be removed.
Surface should be smooth
and not excessively
corroded.

Slide 79
What is given in the report ?

TIS-
FOCUSSING - DATA

Slide 81
A-MAP (or C-Scan) - SOFTWARE

Slide 82
FOCUSSING

Slide 83
DIRECTIONALITY

Dir 3 Dir 2

Dir 1 Dir 0

Slide 84
FOLLOW UP PRIORITY OF INDICATIONS

Slide 85
 ONLY A
SCREENING
TOOL
Not a thickness or wall loss measurement tool

TIS-
SRUT
NDT TECHNIQUES

• Visual
• CHIME
• Guided Wave Testing
• MULTISKIP
• EMAT
• Radiography
• Shear Wave Pitch Catch “Verkade.”

88
SRUT – ISONIC APPLICATIONS

The specially designed probe emits the ultrasonic beam having the width, duration of
the wave package and basic wavelength comparable with the thickness of the plate.

The probe’s dead zone is located under the fillet weld, so the probable echoes from the
welding area are significantly suppressed. After passing through the fillet weld area the
ultrasonic wave package saturates the volume of the plate while propagating.

Pitting and corrosion damage if any returns an echo picked up by the probe.
SRUT – ISONIC APPLICATIONS

The plate/pipe thickness should be in the range of 6 to 16 mm

and the diameter of the pipe above 8 inch.
SRUT – ISONIC APPLICATIONS
SRUT – ISONIC APPLICATIONS

LIMITATIONS:

Cannot be carried out with welded support plates.

Cannot size the defects or corrosion. Only a screening tool and

follow up required
EDDY CURRENT
TESTING
PRINCIPLE – ACTUAL TEST
APPLICATIONS

ALLOY/METAL SORTING

CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENTS

COATING THICKNESS MEASUREMENT

PLATING THICKNESS MEASUREMENT

SURFACE CRACK DETECTION (WELDS & WROUGHT

PRODUCTS) – NO PAINT REMOVAL REQUIRED

CRACKS IN BOLT HOLES

HANDY EQUIPMENT
TYPICAL DEFECT SIGNAL – EDDY CURRENT
EQUIPMENT

LIMITATIONS:

1. GOOD FOR SURFACE DEFECTS DETECTION.

2. THE TEST OBJECT NEEDS TO BE A CONDUCTOR.

THANK YOU