Alpha Sonix NDT Solutions Private Limited

Phased Array Ultrasonic testing can be used for a multitude of tasks. 

Today in the assessment of structures, flaws, fitness for use of the product or equipment, and assessment of critical parts require flaw data regarding location shape and size of the defect. PAUT can provide an accurate assessment of defect and material fracture analysis based on accepted standards.

PAUT is used to detect defects that can’t be easily detected using conventional volumetric methods such as radiography and manual ultrasonic testing. Alpha Sonix specializes in providing PAUT support in petrochemical industries, oil, and gas, power, chemical industries. This method also finds applications in pressure vessels and structural welded components providing a high standard of quality assurance, when time-restricted inspections are necessary.

A PAUT probe is made up of multiple small ultrasonic probes which can be fired individually. By varying the time of the pulse of each probe ultrasonic rays can be steered into various angles and focal distances. Therefore, waves can be swept across the material and thereby covering the object.

 

Applications for PAUT: 

· Inspection of forging or casting materials

· Weld inspection

· Corrosion mapping 

· Scanning complex geometry

 

 

PAUT can detect: 

· Weld defects such as lack of fusion, slag inclusions, porosity, cracks, lack of penetration.

· Erosion or corrosion.

· Inherent discontinuities due to the manufacturing process used.

· Environmentally damage.

 

PAUT has several advantages in comparison to other NDT. Information received can be displayed in a variety of formats like A, B, C scans for reliable and faster inspections. This data can be stored and reviewed later as the need arises. With the PAUT shutdown requirement is eliminated hence effect on the product is minimal.

ALPHA SONIX’s PAUT inspectors are highly qualified, holding a minimum of ASNT (American Society of Non-destructive Testing) Level II. Our inspectors are highly qualified to inspect tubes such as condensers, AC tubes, heat exchangers that require special equipment and highly skilled inspectors. Alpha Sonix Inspector is more than capable of running such tasks while the highest level of consumer satisfaction.

 

Remote Visual Inspection Borescope, also known as RVI or RDVI, is a type of visual inspection that employs visual aids such as video technology to allow an inspector to examine things and materials from a distance because they are inaccessible or in hazardous conditions. RVI is a sub-discipline of non-destructive testing (NDT). Borescopes, videoscopes, fiberscopes, push cameras, pan/tilt/zoom cameras, and robotic crawlers are just a few of the technologies available. Remotes are widely employed when distance, angle of view, and limited lighting make direct visual investigation difficult, or when access is restricted due to time, money, or weather threats.RVI/RDVI is often used to examine the health and operability of fixed and movable assets as a predictive maintenance or regularly scheduled maintenance tool. Inspection coverage, repeatability, and data comparison are all improved by RVI/RDVI. Due to physical size limits or potential safety considerations associated to the inspection environment, the remote element of RVI/RDVI refers to the operator not accessing the inspection area.Solutions for Visual InspectionOlympus borescopes and visual inspection equipment are portable, intelligent solutions that match the demands of current industrial inspections when you need to inspect difficult-to-access locations. Our remote visual inspection solutions are versatile for a variety of applications thanks to a plethora of innovative, intuitive features and a wide selection of borescope, videoscope, and fiberscope lengths, diameters, and viewing possibilities.Applications Engines for aeroplanes (turbofan, turbojet, turboshaft).The fuselage of an aeroplane.Turbines for generating electricity (steam and gas).pipework for the manufacturing process (oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food preparation).Contaminated locations around nuclear power plants.Any place that is too risky, small, or expensive to observe directly.Advantages Access to subject areas requires less mechanical disassembly.NDT is less expensive than other types of testing.Reduced equipment shutdown times and quicker equipment reinstallation.Compared to manual inspection procedures, there are less safety limits.Equipment condition can be monitored more quickly and accurately throughout its life cycle.Prior to critical maintenance, a better assessment of condition and timing is required.Faults can be identified, located, and isolated more quickly.

Long Range Ultrasonic testing Ultrasonic testing over a long distance is a quick approach to check for corrosion in pipelines. The approach can screen up to 100 metres of pipeline in a single test, 50 metres in each direction. Because of the high production coverage rates compared to manual techniques, LRUT has been used to screen piping systems above ground, but it is still the only reliable technique for screening pipe systems underground or underwater, where access is often limited or very costly for manual contact techniques. The technology is still improving, and the number of apps that use this system has grown significantly.A wave maker device drives low frequency (20-100 kHz) ultrasonic waves longitudinally through the pipeline wall by placing a ring of transducers around the pipeline. The approach succeroblems. At the same time, this allows for thessfully identifies changes in the cross-section of the pipeline, allowing it to detect corrosion and other p use of welds and flanges as distance markers.Long Range Ultrasonic Testing (LRUT) is a technique that involves placing an array of probes in a belt that is circumferentially wrapped around the pipe being inspected. The system then generates ultrasonic guided waves that travel longitudinally down the length of the pipe. The distance covered by the ultrasonic waves is determined by a variety of elements including pipe coating, branch connections, fittings, and whether the pipe is above ground or buried. As a result, the system can inspect both ways from each inspection location, maximising production.

Long-Range Ultrasonic Testing Benefits (LRUT)

• Traditional ultrasonic procedures are more than 100 times faster.
• On pipelines above ground, screening distances of up to 100 metres are possible.
• On subterranean pipelines, a screening distance of up to 10 metres is possible.
• Subsea scanning is a possibility.
• The pipe wall is completely covered in screening.
• For pipe integrity management programmes, a cost-effective option is available.

Eddy Current Array ECA is a type of nondestructive eddy current testing that involves operating eddy current coils in a probe assembly electronically. Each coil in the probe generates a signal whose strength is determined by the phase and amplitude of the item it is placed over. The data from this signal can be captured and measured. This information can then be linked to an encoded position and time, and visualised as a C-scan image.
Eddy current inspections are a type of non-destructive testing that uses the electromagnetic induction concept. When alternating current is delivered to a conductor, such as an eddy current probe, a magnetic field forms around it that varies in strength as the current alternates. A current will be induced in another conductor, in this case the material being tested, if it is brought close to the initial field. If this material has any faults, the eddy current that emanates from it will be warped.

ECA is capable of reproducing the flaw detection techniques of most other eddy current methods. This method though had several distinct advantages such as:

• Being able to scan a larger area at one time while maintaining a high resolution,

• A lesser need for complex robotics to actually move the probe,

• Improved flaw detection due to the C-scan imaging, and

• Complex shapes can be inspected using this method because the probes can be customized to the profile of the part being inspected.

This method is widely used for a number of industry applications. It can be used both measuring the thickness of steels and detecting corrosion. ECA can be used on materials as diverse as vessels, columns, storage tanks & spheres, piping systems, and even structural applications.

Eddy Current Testings Of Tubes

ECT is an NDT method mostly used to examine tubing in heat exchangers tubes, generators, condensers, air coolers.

Eddy current testing (ECT) is an effective way of assessing conditions and fitness for use of pipes and tubes in petrochemical, aerospace, chemical, automobile, oil and gas, and various other industries. It is used for the detection of corrosion, cracks, coating thickness, and wear changes in the tube.

It is a fast inspection technique and a major advantage of the method is that there is minimal surface preparation. But this technique is only suitable for non-ferrous and conductive material such as copper, stainless steel, titanium, etc.

ECT (eddy current testing) uses the principle of electromagnetic induction to identify defects in the tubes. A probe is inserted along the length of the tube and pushed along its entire length. Eddy current is generated by the coil which Is present in the probe. Theses eddy currents and any disturbance in them are noted simultaneously on the screen by measuring electrical impedance. This impedance is noted on the screen and any defect that is present is identified.

A benefit of eddy current testing (ECT) is fast and real-time assessment can be done.

Eddy current testing of tubes is highly specialized, requiring expertise in special types of equipment. Alpha Sonix’s non-destructive testing inspectors are ASNT Level II and III qualified in eddy current testing and have many years of valuable experience in the inspection of tubes. Our inspectors bring expertise which helps in the accurate assessment so you can make an informed decision based on the accurate data being measured.
 
Alpha Sonix IS committed to providing Total Quality Assurance and ensuring inspections meet deadlines, standards, and are carried out safely and efficiently. While the schedule of maintenance is coordinated in such a way that minimizes disruption in business occurs while providing an optimum level of inspection within minimum possible time.

IRIS is a non-destructive testing technology for pipes and tubes that uses ultrasonic waves.
Many plant operators in the oil and gas and power production industries face the issue of increasing asset efficiency and life expectancy while maintaining safety and reliability. As a result, proper inspection of critical components such as pipes and tubes is critical to maintaining the plant's integrity.
Internal Rotary Inspection System (IRIS) is a tube inspection system that can detect corrosion, pitting, and wall loss in boilers, heat exchangers, air coolers, and feed water heaters. IRIS is extremely versatile since it can be used on a wide range of tube diameters and wall thicknesses, and it is suited for both ferrous and non-ferrous materials.

n IRIS probe is inserted into a tube flooded with water. The probe is fitted with a transducer that generates an ultrasonic pulse along a path parallel to the axis of the tube. A rotating mirror directs the ultrasonic pulse into the tube wall. The mirror is driven by a small turbine that is rotated by the pressure of water pumped into the tube. The ultrasound pulses are reflected by the inner-diameter (ID) wall and outer-diameter (OD) wall of the tube and the time-of-flight difference between the two diameters is used to calculate the wall’s thickness. As the IRIS probe is pulled, the spinning motion of the mirror results in a helical scan path ensuring full coverage of the tube.

Merits of IRIS Tube Inspection

• Suitability for ferrous and non-ferrous materials.
• Detection of corrosion, pitting and wall loss.
• Accurate wall thickness measurements.

    Sensitivity to both internal and external defects.

• Defect position can be located in relation to tube length.
• Flexibility as a back-up to remote field, magnetic flux leakage and eddy current inspections.

In the realm of non-destructive testing, remote field testing, or is one of numerous electromagnetic testing procedures routinely used. Magnetic flux leakage, conventional eddy current, and alternating current field measurement testing are some of the other electromagnetic inspection methods. Remote field testing is frequently referred to as "Remote Field Electromagnetic Testing" since it is related with eddy current testing. However, there are a few key distinctions between eddy current and remote field testing that will be discussed in this section.
Due to the substantial skin effect in ferromagnetic materials, standard eddy current techniques have difficulties inspecting the complete thickness of the tube wall. RFET is primarily used to inspect ferromagnetic tubing.
For example, utilising traditional eddy current bobbin probes to inspect a 10 mm thick steel pipe (such as those found in heat exchangers) would necessitate frequencies about 30 Hz to obtain appropriate I.D. to O.D. penetration into the tube wall. Because of the low frequency, the sensitivity of fault detection is quite low. The use of partial saturation eddy current probes, magnetically biassed probes, and pulsed saturation probes can theoretically improve the degree of penetration.These specialised eddy current probes, however, are still limited in their examination capabilities due to the enormous amount of metal present as well as potential permeability fluctuations inside the product.
The employment of the remote field-testing approach can substantially reduce the challenges encountered in the testing of ferromagnetic tubes. The advantage of the RFET approach is that it allows for approximately similar detection sensitivities on both the inner and outer surfaces of a ferromagnetic tube. Variations in wall thickness are very sensitive to the approach, although fill-factor changes between the coil and tube are less sensitive. When checking conducting tubular products, RFET can be employed, but it is typically thought to be less sensitive than traditional eddy current procedures.
This is a quick and accurate screening tool for determining the condition of ferrous tubing (carbon steel, ferritic stainless steel and Duplex). It can inspect up to 12 mm (1/2 in.) of carbon steel tubing at very low frequencies (100 Hz to 1 kHz) and very high signal gains (> 80 dB). For most examinations, two channels are used: absolute for wall thinning and differential for localised abnormalities. RFT is excellent at measuring wall thinning but not so good for pitting (as compared to ECT). Cleaning the internal bore of tubes with any type of water jet lancing equipment is always recommended to improve inspection findings.

• Merits of RFET Tube Inspection
• Suitable for ferromagnetic tubes such as those found in heat exchangers and boilers.
• Localized corrosion, Pittings.
• Equally sensitive to internal and external flaws.
• Can inspect tubes up to 75mm OD with 5mm thickness.
• Relatively insensitive to probe liftoff or wobble.
• Typical pull speed between 6” and 12” per second.

Near Field Testing is a quick and low-cost approach for inspecting fin-fan carbon-steel tube. This method is based on a straightforward driver-pickup eddy current probe design that allows for quick signal analysis. Internal corrosion, erosion, and pitting in carbon steel tubing can all be detected with NFT. The NFT probes translate lift-off, also known as "fill factor," into amplitude-based signals. The fin geometry on the outside of the tube has no effect on NFT probes since eddy-current penetration is limited to the tube's inner surface.
NFT Inspection's Benefits

• Electromagnetic testing procedures are slower than NFT.
• During NFT, there is no need for an external reference coil.
• Support plates and Tube sheets have no effect on NFT findings.