Overview
| Project No. | 191 |
|---|---|
| Contract No. | DTPH56-06-T-000009 |
| Research Award Recipient | EMAT Ultrasonics Inc. 170 Granada Drive San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 |
| AOR | John Pepper |
| Researcher Contact Info | Ron Alers 805-545-0675 ext.300 FAX: 805-545-0374 email: ron@sonicsensors.com |
| Technology Demonstrated | Yes |
|---|---|
| Commercialized (in whole/part) | Yes |
| Commercial Partner | EMAT Ultrasonics http://www.sonicsensors.com Spectrum Sales and Services, LLC. http://www.spectrum-na.com/ Structural Integrity Associates Inc. http://www.structint.com/ |
| Net Improvement | A Non-Destructive Testing technology capable of anomaly inspection through most coatings less than 3mm thick. This NDT technology can inspect above ground piping with eliminating the need to strip the thin corrosion barrier coatings such as Polyken, FBE, Tapecoat, Mastic, etc. This technique continues to expand the miles of pipelines inspected by improving the economy of inspection. The second facet of this project was a completely new technique capable of inspection through very thick coatings or insulation greater than 20 mm. This was demonstrated after the Prudhoe Bay incident in 2006 where axially oriented electromagnetic acoustic transducer technology was trail tested to detect greater than 30% wall loss from 20 inches away from the pipe support collar. |
| Project Status | Closed |
|---|---|
| Start Fiscal Year | 2006 (04/01/2006) |
| End Fiscal Year | 2007 (03/31/2007) |
| PHMSA $$ Budgeted | $222,170.00 |
Main Objective
The objective of the proposed program is to extend EMAT technology to address two areas of direct assessment and inspection of installed pipelines. One area is the full body inspection of tar coated pipelines for corrosion damage with a minimum of excavation. The other is the measurement of residual stress and plastic strain in pipelines that have been bent or otherwise displaced by movement of the surrounding earth or instability in the soil under pipe supports. Particular emphasis will be placed on non-piggable lines and the use of instrumentation that is suitable for field operation by inspection service providers.
Public Abstract
Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs) offer several features that make them particularly suitable for direct assessment and inspection of operating pipelines in the field. They can launch and detect guided ultrasonic waves in the metal of the pipeline wall through the tar coating as would be required for performing an inspection of a pipeline that has only been partially excavated. By making quantitative measurements of the velocity and attenuation of particular guided wave modes, the presence of residual stress or strain in the steel can be inferred and the loss of acoustic energy by scattering from corroded regions can be detected. The proposal is directed at the development of ultrasonic sensors that can address these two problems associated with direct assessment of installed pipelines. Thus, it is a consolidated program in two parts that utilize different aspects of the same sensor technology. The commonality in instrumentation and basic physics of guided wave ultrasonic inspection as well as the ultimate employment of common inspection service providers will provide a natural synergy to the overall program. Specifically, the program will demonstrate an EMAT Ultrasonic inspection of a pipeline covered with a thick tar coating as found on existing pipelines, and will develop procedures for measuring the level of residual stress and plastic deformation on pipelines that have been deformed by large movements of the earth supporting the pipeline.
Relevant Files & Links
Final Report
Final Report-DTPH56-06-T-0009.pdf
Technology Demonstration Reports
Report of field success stories