Update on PERF Advanced NDE Projects

This is an update on NDE research and development activities previously reported on in the Inspectioneering Journal. Companies wishing to join/contribute to these groups’ activities, provide input and direction, and reap in the benefits should contact the author or the Inspectioneering Journal. You will be directed to the respective joint industry project coordinator.

Project 95-01, Advanced NDE for Piping Inspection

Global Piping Inspection

• Electrical pulsing field-testing completed. Conventional NDE follow-up in progress and most is completed. Trenched piping inspection scheduled 4th quarter 1997.
• Guided wave technology vendor from UK was scheduled to be tested at two Exxon sites. One site’s testing is complete. Analysis to be complete 4th quarter 1997.
• Penn State is completing a feasibility study for use of guided wave technologies for underground roadway crossings following contractor’s technology demonstrations. A decision is imminent on the commercialization path based on test results under evaluation.
• Penn State has identified an equipment manufacturer with capabilities to produce a field instrument for high-temperature thickness mapping. Resolution of technical and business details should enable experimental work to progress in December of 1997.

Piping Support Inspection

• 30 samples for under pipe support corrosion evaluation have been constructed. After evaluation testing of a vendor at Chevron’s Cedar Bayou plant samples were shipped to the UK for evaluating 2 European contractors. One contractor in the US and one in the UK have completed testing and one agency remains to test in the UK. Available data is under review. The second European vendor was scheduled for testing in mid-October.

Project 95-10, Advanced NDE for Heat Exchanger Tubular Inspection

• Modeling of a 1" flux leakage probe is complete. Will re-confirm 3/4" probe. Working on the final design of the RFET (remote field eddy current) probe.
• Testing field samples of corroded tubes is underway with assessment of transmission loss. Expected to be complete by end of 1997. 
• Evaluation of cleaning tests so far are in progress. An extensive round-robin is planned.

Other current projects:

95-11, Advanced Acoustic Emission for On-stream Inspection

96-03, NDE Hardware and Operator Evaluations

• Starting with a test facility for tank floor electromagnetic scanner hardware and operator variability. Similar testing for other NDE technologies will be considered based on cost and interest level.
• 20 tank floor scanner hardware systems were tested. 10 vendors participated. A report summarizing results should be available to sponsors soon. Work on candidate follow-up items to commence in 4th quarter of 1997