Pipeline and Pipe Inspection - Methods, Technology and Defects
Posted: 2013-1-24
By:
TesTex
Source:
EzineArticles.com
Pipeline and pipe inspection is a crucial service provided to many industries,
often oil, gas, chemical and power. The main function of pipeline inspection is to
maintain and improve the integrity of the plant or system, to prevent failures,
ensure safety standards, avoid accidents, comply with government laws and save
time and money.
Pipeline and pipe Inspection uses NDT (Non Destructive Testing) methods to
carry out inspections, using highly skilled personal often performing a variety of
techniques to determine number of flaws, size, type and risk of each. Results are
summarised in a report with appropriate graphs and technical drawings to
illustrate the a summary of the results after careful analysis by a trained
technician.
Several different types of piping can be inspected, some of the main types
include;
Above ground non insulated piping
Long pipeline runs
Short underground runs
Service Water systems in nuclear plants
Fire protection systems in nuclear plants
The Low Frequency Electromagnetic Technique (LFET) is often used due to its
highly flexible nature. For rapid identification of total flaws, a piece of kit such as
the PS-2000 can be used, though it can also be put into screening mode to
provide more detailed information, which can then be proved up via another
technique such as A-Scan Ultrasonics.
For longer pipelines equipment such as the LineCat excels. The LineCat is ideally
suited to long pipeline inspection, due to its shape, and its self-propulsion. The
LineCat is a rig that wraps around the OD (Outer Diameter) of the pipeline,
propelling itself at 10 ft/minute. The LineCat uses the LFET technique just as the
PS-2000 above, however because of its rapid independent nature, makes long
pipelines hassle free, compared to a other systems that require manual
movement via an operator.
In nuclear plants the main concerns of piping inspections are service water
system piping and fire protection system piping. These are generally inspected
to quantify MIC (Micro-biologically induced corrosion) and FAC (Flow accelerated
corrosion).
For shorter underground piping runs, equipment such as the Eagle-2000 system
can be utilised. The Eagle-2000 uses Remote Field Electromagnetic Technique
(RFET), and performs inspections from the ID (Inner Diameter), picking up on
small flaws due to its high resolution and small sensor size. It can provide real
time 3d data to analyse flaws in real time, and inspects through scale.
During inspection the same kinds of flaws tend to arise, attack by internal and
external corrosion are common, as well as cracking, though third party damage
is probably the main culprit for most of the major flaws. Flaws caused during the
manufacturing process can be picked up on as well, though they're generally rare
to come across.
often oil, gas, chemical and power. The main function of pipeline inspection is to
maintain and improve the integrity of the plant or system, to prevent failures,
ensure safety standards, avoid accidents, comply with government laws and save
time and money.
Pipeline and pipe Inspection uses NDT (Non Destructive Testing) methods to
carry out inspections, using highly skilled personal often performing a variety of
techniques to determine number of flaws, size, type and risk of each. Results are
summarised in a report with appropriate graphs and technical drawings to
illustrate the a summary of the results after careful analysis by a trained
technician.
Several different types of piping can be inspected, some of the main types
include;
Above ground non insulated piping
Long pipeline runs
Short underground runs
Service Water systems in nuclear plants
Fire protection systems in nuclear plants
The Low Frequency Electromagnetic Technique (LFET) is often used due to its
highly flexible nature. For rapid identification of total flaws, a piece of kit such as
the PS-2000 can be used, though it can also be put into screening mode to
provide more detailed information, which can then be proved up via another
technique such as A-Scan Ultrasonics.
For longer pipelines equipment such as the LineCat excels. The LineCat is ideally
suited to long pipeline inspection, due to its shape, and its self-propulsion. The
LineCat is a rig that wraps around the OD (Outer Diameter) of the pipeline,
propelling itself at 10 ft/minute. The LineCat uses the LFET technique just as the
PS-2000 above, however because of its rapid independent nature, makes long
pipelines hassle free, compared to a other systems that require manual
movement via an operator.
In nuclear plants the main concerns of piping inspections are service water
system piping and fire protection system piping. These are generally inspected
to quantify MIC (Micro-biologically induced corrosion) and FAC (Flow accelerated
corrosion).
For shorter underground piping runs, equipment such as the Eagle-2000 system
can be utilised. The Eagle-2000 uses Remote Field Electromagnetic Technique
(RFET), and performs inspections from the ID (Inner Diameter), picking up on
small flaws due to its high resolution and small sensor size. It can provide real
time 3d data to analyse flaws in real time, and inspects through scale.
During inspection the same kinds of flaws tend to arise, attack by internal and
external corrosion are common, as well as cracking, though third party damage
is probably the main culprit for most of the major flaws. Flaws caused during the
manufacturing process can be picked up on as well, though they're generally rare
to come across.
