Review of Ultrasonic Phased Arrays for Pressure Vessel and Pipeline Weld Inspections

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Moles ◽  
Noël Dubé ◽  
Simon Labbé ◽  
Ed Ginzel
Keyword(s):  
Pressure Vessel ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Beam Steering ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Construction Costs ◽  
Array Technology ◽  
Weld Profile ◽  
Asme Code ◽  
Pulse Echo

Major improvements in weld inspection are obtained using Phased Array technology with capability for beam steering, electronic scanning, focusing, and sweeping the ultrasonic beams. Electronic scanning is much faster than raster scanning, and can optimize angles and focusing to maximize defect detection. Pressure vessel (PV) inspections typically use “top, side, end” or “top, side, TOFD” views, though other imaging is possible. Special inspections can be performed, e.g., for specific defects, or increased coverage. Defects can be sized by pulse-echo as per code, by time-of-flight Diffraction or by back diffraction. New PV inspection codes, particularly ASME Code Case 2235, permit the use of advanced ultrasonic inspection techniques. Pipeline girth weld inspections use a unique inspection approach called “zone discrimination,” and have their own series of codes. While similar equipment is used in pipeline as in PV inspections, the pipeline philosophy is to tailor the inspection to the weld profile and predicted lack of fusion defects. Pipeline displays are specifically designed for near real-time data analysis. Both ASME CC 2235 and the pipeline codes permit the use of Fitness-For-Purpose, which reduces construction costs. Overall, phased array systems meet or exceed all PV and pipeline codes.

Automated Ultrasonic Inspection of Pressure Vessel Welds

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Moles ◽  
Simon Labbe´
Keyword(s):  
Ultrasonic Testing ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Safety Hazard ◽  
Asme Code ◽  
Conventional Systems ◽  
Pulse Echo ◽  
Inspection Techniques ◽  
Production Inspection

ASME Code Case 2235 now permits automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) instead of radiography for vessels 0.5” (12.7 mm) or greater. Ultrasonic testing has significant advantages over radiography: no safety hazard so no disruption of production; inspection as soon as component cools; rapid feedback; defect vertical sizing for Fitness-For-Purpose applications; tailored inspections. ASME CC 2235 permits a variety of inspection techniques based on pulse-echo and Time-Of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD), provided a Performance Demonstration is achieved. This paper describes a number of AUT systems which fulfill the ASME code case. These AUT systems range from a portable phased array system (Omniscan) for low cost and convenience, through conventional systems based on TOFD (μ-Tomoscan), general phased array systems (Tomoscan III) to premium systems with multiple NDE approaches. With such a variety of technologies and costs, AUT systems can be tailored to the client’s needs.

Capabilities of Ultrasonic Phased Arrays for Far-Side Examinations of Austenitic Stainless Steel Piping Welds

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T. Anderson ◽  
Stephen E. Cumblidge ◽  
Steven R. Doctor
Keyword(s):  
Stainless Steel ◽  
Austenitic Stainless Steel ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Fatigue Cracks ◽  
Welding Parameters ◽  
Circumferential Welds ◽  
Array Technology ◽  
Asme Code ◽  
Ultrasonic Techniques ◽  
Performance Demonstration

A study was conducted to assess the ability of advanced ultrasonic techniques to detect and accurately determine the size of flaws from the far-side of wrought austenitic piping welds. Far-side inspections of nuclear system austenitic piping welds are currently performed on a “best effort” basis and do not conform to ASME Code Section XI Appendix VIII performance demonstration requirements for near side inspection. For this study, four circumferential welds in 610mm (24inch) diameter, 36mm (1.42inch) thick ASTM A-358, Grade 304 vintage austenitic stainless steel pipe were examined. The welds were fabricated with varied welding parameters; both horizontal and vertical pipe orientations were used, with air and water backing, to simulate field welding conditions. A series of saw cuts, electro-discharge machined (EDM) notches, and implanted fatigue cracks were placed into the heat affected zones of the welds. The saw cuts and notches ranged in depth from 7.5% to 28.4% through-wall. The implanted cracks ranged in depth from 5% through-wall to 64% through-wall. The welds were examined with phased array technology at 2.0 MHz, and compared to conventional ultrasonic techniques as a baseline. The examinations showed that phased-array methods were able to detect and accurately length-size, but not depth size, the notches and flaws through the welds. The ultrasonic results were insensitive to the different welding techniques used in each weld.

Coke Drum Weld Inspection

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
John McMillan
Keyword(s):  
Shear Wave ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Time Of Flight ◽  
Single Pass ◽  
Weld Region ◽  
Time Of Flight Diffraction ◽  
Grey Scale ◽  
Areas Of Concern ◽  
Pulse Echo

Conventional Ultrasonic Inspection of Coke Drums may require the use of Automated Pulse Echo or Time of Flight Diffraction Techniques (TOFD). The more recent application of Phased Array ultrasonic technology enables a faster and more accurate location and depth discrimination of the cracks detected in the welds. Pulse Echo ultrasonic inspection requires the use of three transducers from each side of the weld. A zero degree compression transducer and two angle transducers, most likely 60° or 70°. The advantage of this techniques is that it provides positional information as to the location of the crack in the weld and accurate length measurement. The problem is that additional techniques have to be used to determine the depth of any cracks detected. An alternative to Pulse Echo inspection is the Time of Flight Diffraction technique. The TOFD technique uses multimode transducers to insonify the weld region with Lateral, Compression and Shear Wave ultrasound. The technique accurately detects and determines the length and depth of reflectors in the weld region. The technique was initially developed for the Nuclear Industry as a sizing technique. More recently it has become used for detection and sizing of flaws. The TOFD technique does not place the flaw in the cross section of the weld in order to achieve this another technique such as Pulse Echo Ultrasound is required. The TOFD technique is not sensitive to small flaws which are open to either surface. In order to detect small flaws such as “Toe Cracks” a supplementary technique such as ACFM or Eddy Current inspection may be required. The illustration shows the format of the sound generated from a TOFD transducer arrangement. The advantage for welds < 1.50" in thickness is that careful selection of the transducers and appropriate spacing may allow the weld to be inspected in a single pass. The illustration below shows two displays, an unrectified “RF” display which corresponds to which ever cursor is active and a grey scale display adjacent. The Grey Scale Display is a stacked “RF” display where each vertical line correspond to a single location along the line of the weld non-conforming perturbations in the display indicate areas of concern which can be identified by length and depth as shown in the boxes at the lower left of the illustration. The first significant amplitude group on the grey scale display corresponds to the Lateral Wave, the second the Compression and the third the Shear Wave. Flaws detected between the Lateral and the Compression Wave are often repeated between the Compression and the Shear Waves. Phased Array technology has been available for some time, however only recently has the software been able to display the data in a format which provides clear data which can be used to locate and size of the flaws in a variety of weld configurations. Coke Drums have several significant areas of concern, Weld Seams which may be Shell to Shell, Shell to Head or Shell to Skirt format. We will consider the Circumferential Shell weld and the Skirt weld at this time. The photographs show a shell seam which reduces in section for this example the weld was inspected from one side only. The signals were corrected for Beam Path Length and the amplitudes of the signals were equalized for angle. The following data were collected: Two Notches were machined in the plate one either side of the weld on the underside. The plate was then scanned from one, the thicker, side using the Phased Array probe. The reflectors which were the same depth are depicted with a similar amplitude at their correct relative positions, one on the near and the other on the far side of the weld root. With the signals equalized all the reflector were detected from a single scan location and with similar amplitudes. The Skirt to Shell weld was simulated in a solid piece of carbon steel. EDM notch reflectors were machined in the samples at critical locations. The critical angles were calculated which would produce reflections from each of the potential crack areas and the Phased Array inspection was performed to verify the calculations. A single plot is shown as an example, containing the reflector on the Shell side near the crotch on the inside of the weld. The illustration shows the sound path of the Phased Array which detects a reflector close to the crotch on the inside between the Skirt and the Shell. Discriminating this flaw with conventional ultrasonic inspection would be extremely difficult. It is the ability of the Phased Array Sector Scan to use multiple angles on a single pass which enables flaws at multiple locations and angles to be detected by a line scan and imaged at their relative location.

Восстановление изображения отражателей на границе основного металла и сварного соединения с использованием ультразвуковых антенных решеток

2021 ◽  
pp. 3-17
Author(s):  
А.Е. Базулин ◽  
Е.Г. Базулин ◽  
А.Х. Вопилкин ◽  
Д.С. Тихонов
Keyword(s):  
Antenna Array ◽  
Welded Joints ◽  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Control Object ◽  
Fusion Boundary ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Array Technology

The article suggests an effective method of replacing zonal focusing with an antenna array, traditionally used for automated ultrasonic inspection of welded joints with a narrow cutting to detect defects at the fusion boundary. This method, based on the use of multi-circuit digital focusing antenna technology (DFA), allows you to obtain and analyze high-quality images of reflectors. The proposed method, in comparison with zonal focusing made using phased array technology, is less sensitive to the accuracy of positioning the antenna array relative to the seam axis and to changes in the thickness of the control object, allows you to estimate the height of defects not by the amplitude attribute, but by the size of the glare reflectors.

scholarly journals On the performance of optical phased array technology for beam steering: effect of pixel limitations

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (21) ◽  
pp. 31637
Author(s):  
Antonio Cala’ Lesina ◽  
Dominic Goodwill ◽  
Eric Bernier ◽  
Lora Ramunno ◽  
Pierre Berini
Keyword(s):  
Phased Array ◽  
Beam Steering ◽  
Array Technology ◽  
Optical Phased Array

Application of Portable Ultrasonic Phased Array Instrument for Rail Welds Ultrasonic Inspection

2013 ◽  
Vol 717 ◽  
pp. 384-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Jie Lao ◽  
Chao Lu
Keyword(s):  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Inspection Cost ◽  
Array Technology ◽  
Ultrasonic Phased Array ◽  
Conventional Ultrasound ◽  
Weld Inspection

In order to promote the phased array technology for the application of weld inspection, the advantage of phased array technology was introduced and the application of rails welding inspection with phased array technology was also introduced. Through detecting nature and machining flaws of aluminum-themic welding of rails, contrast to results of conventional ultrasound test, validate the effectiveness of ultrasonic phased array method, concluding characteristics of ultrasonic phased array method for the aluminum-themic welding of rails. From the result of application, the efficiency of weld inspection could be greatly improved and the inspection cost could be greatly reduced by phased array technology.

Optimized Inspection of Thin-Walled Pipe Welds Using Advanced Ultrasonic Techniques

2005 ◽  
Vol 127 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Lozev ◽  
R. L. Spencer ◽  
D. Hodgkinson
Keyword(s):  
Phased Array ◽  
Ultrasonic Inspection ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Array Technology ◽  
Ultrasonic Phased Array ◽  
Thin Walled Pipe ◽  
Ultrasonic Techniques ◽  
Thin Walled ◽  
Planar Fabrication

In this paper an effective way to optimize the inspection of welds in thin-walled pipe less than 6 mm (0.24 in.) thick using automated ultrasonic testing (AUT) is described. AUT offers a better solution than radiography for detecting and sizing of planar defects. However, cap width, weld shrinkage and defect sizing put constraints on the actual ultrasonic approach for inspection of pipes with wall thickness less than 6 mm (0.24 in.). The applications of high-frequency single/multiprobe techniques and phased-array technology for inspection of thin-walled pipe welds have been investigated in this paper. It has been demonstrated that combining an advanced ultrasonic phased-array technique with a novel approach for modeling and simulation of ultrasonic inspection have potentially significant advantages for enhanced detectability, better sizing and improved flaw characterization of randomly oriented planar fabrication imperfections in thin-walled pipe welds.

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