A demonstration of the Ionix high-temperature TOFD transducers, with integrated wedges, for their suitability for weld inspection at elevated temperatures up to 240 °C is shown here. The wedges are mounted on to a modified EddyFi Lyncs scanner for high-temperature
encoding, with high-temperature couplant, connected to commercially available UT sets from EddyFi and
Olympus.
Ionix high-temperature TOFD transducers, with integrated wedges, are suitable for weld inspection at elevated temperatures up to 350 °C. Here, the transducers with integrated wedges are mounted on to a modified EddyFi Lyncs scanner for high-temperature encoding, with high-temperature couplant, connected to commercially
available Mantis UT set, and a carbon steel plate inspected at 240 °C for lack of side wall fusion and notches in the weld.
Ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) is a popular method widely used in petrochemical, energy and other industries for the in-service detection and characterisation of welds defects such as root corrosion, porosity, inclusions, and cracks. However, with increasing demand for on-stream measurements, conventional TOFD is limited due to the temperature at which these probes can operate, often causing failure of the transducer, or causing noise in the wedges to mask the ultrasound signal.
Selecting the right couplant for your UT inspection is critical to get the best measurement data and prevent unnecessary risks.
The Ionix HS582i dual element transducer is suitable for testing on
several different materials, surfaces and applications, however the
surface condition of the test piece or asset being measured, needs
to be able to transmit sound energy through the contact surface. As
with conventional transducers, preparing the contact surface and
using appropriate couplant will increase the signal amplitude and
accuracy of your measurements.
When measuring at high temperatures, the increased attenuation of the test piece, accelerated degradation of couplant and rough surfaces can mean that every decibel of signal is important to get the most accurate measurement. But with any transducer at any temperature measurements on small diameter pipes haveadditional considerations, with the curvature reducing the contact area of your transducer, and making it harder to align your probe perpendicular to the test piece surface, which can be detrimental to getting the best measurement.
The Ionix HS582i dual element transducer is suitable for testing on several different materials, surfaces and applications. The front face has an 2X increased wear resistance compared to standard probes to maximise lifetime. During extended use the front face may wear. The face of the transducer is vital to the accuracy of measurement and when worn will reduce its coupling efficiency. Up to 1.5 mm of wear can be re-surfaced to renew the device and extend its life.
HotSense TOFD enables on-stream high temperature measurements of critical assets. Learn how temperature affects your wedge angles to better plan you next inspections.
At Ionix, we have developed permanently installed thickness monitoring sensors and deployment systems to cover the widest possible range of installation requirements and asset types.