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Advanced phased array inspection

The rising popularity of the phased array inspection technique appears to recognise few boundaries. It has recently been used in the oil and gas, power generation, aerospace, automotive and even the medical industry for finding very small anomalies.

At TWI, the NDT Group has successfully used this technique for a wide range of applications. Special procedures have been developed, validated and deployed in a large number of industries.

Applications of phased array inspection include:

  • Internally clad steel risers
  • Double wall tank thickness
  • VIT welds
  • Wall to floor plate inner fillet weld
  • Boiler spine weld of gas cooled reactors
  • Zircaloy welds of pipelines
  • Bridge structure

TWI's non-destructive testing personnel are qualified to practice Levels II and III phased array technique, both manual and automated, and will conduct bespoke training and workshops for their member companies. TWI possesses the following equipment:

  • Harfang Microtechniques
  • Olympus Tomoscan Focus
  • Olympus Omniscan MX PA
  • Peak NDT Micropulse 5PA
  • Zetec Tomoscan III

Two recently performed case studies:

  • Inspection of internally clad steel risers using phased array

The objectives of this project were to:

  • Optimise inspection of internally clad risers
  • Estimate the overall detection and sizing performance of phased array
  • Validate a model for zonal AUT responses which will be transferable to other pipe weld geometries and materials
Phased array inspection of bridge structure
Phased array inspection of bridge structure

The project has been successfully conducted on site. Embedded flaws were detected using a phased array beam skipped through the cladding. Best results were obtained with the phased array 40°-70° shear wave sector scan.Numerical modelling was carried out using CIVA software to model the ultrasonic propagation through different layers of materials.

  • Phased array inspection of storage tank wall-to-floor plate inner fillet weld

The objective of this project was to inspect the throat thickness of the inner fillet weld between the vertical wall and the base plate of the storage tank. To perform the inspection, TWI has developed a bespoke procedure to meet the requirements of the application. A special manipulator and transducers were designed and tested. Results from the inspection showed that delamination on the annular plate inside of the tank existed and could easily be detected.

For more information, please email contactus@twi.co.uk.

Example of phased array detection of flaws in clad steel risers
Example of phased array detection of flaws in clad steel risers
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