Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 490 views

    LNG 9% Nickel

    Uploaded by

    Raka Aja
    Automatic ultrasonic testing (AUT) can be used instead of radiography to inspect welds in 9% nickel LNG tanks. UT has advantages over radiography such as no radiation hazards, faster inspection speeds, and the ability to detect defects relevant to LNG tanks like lack of side-wall fusion and solidification cracking. Specialized UT techniques using longitudinal waves are needed to overcome challenges from the coarse-grained, anisotropic weld filler metal. These techniques and optimized probes have demonstrated high sensitivity on welds up to 150mm thick. Validation against representative test welds is required to qualify procedures and demonstrate adequate detectability.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    LNG 9% Nickel

    Uploaded by

    Raka Aja
    490 views30 pages
    Automatic ultrasonic testing (AUT) can be used instead of radiography to inspect welds in 9% nickel LNG tanks. UT has advantages over radiography such as no radiation hazards, faster inspection speeds, and the ability to detect defects relevant to LNG tanks like lack of side-wall fusion and solidification cracking. Specialized UT techniques using longitudinal waves are needed to overcome challenges from the coarse-grained, anisotropic weld filler metal. These techniques and optimized probes have demonstrated high sensitivity on welds up to 150mm thick. Validation against representative test welds is required to qualify procedures and demonstrate adequate detectability.

    Original Description:

    josss

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Automatic ultrasonic testing (AUT) can be used instead of radiography to inspect welds in 9% nickel LNG tanks. UT has advantages over radiography such as no radiation hazards, faster inspection speeds, and the ability to detect defects relevant to LNG tanks like lack of side-wall fusion and solidification cracking. Specialized UT techniques using longitudinal waves are needed to overcome challenges from the coarse-grained, anisotropic weld filler metal. These techniques and optimized probes have demonstrated high sensitivity on welds up to 150mm thick. Validation against representative test welds is required to qualify procedures and demonstrate adequate detectability.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    490 views30 pages

    LNG 9% Nickel

    Uploaded by

    Raka Aja
    Automatic ultrasonic testing (AUT) can be used instead of radiography to inspect welds in 9% nickel LNG tanks. UT has advantages over radiography such as no radiation hazards, faster inspection speeds, and the ability to detect defects relevant to LNG tanks like lack of side-wall fusion and solidification cracking. Specialized UT techniques using longitudinal waves are needed to overcome challenges from the coarse-grained, anisotropic weld filler metal. These techniques and optimized probes have demonstrated high sensitivity on welds up to 150mm thick. Validation against representative test welds is required to qualify procedures and demonstrate adequate detectability.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    You are on page 1of 30

    Automatic Ultrasonic

    Testing (AUT) of welds


    in 9% Nickel LNG tanks

    Frits Dijkstra
    Rntgen Technische Dienst bv
    Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Contents of presentation
    Why UT in lieu of Radiography?
    History
    The challenge of 9% Nickel welds UT
    Solutions
    UT sensitivity for relevant defects
    Is TOFD a solution?
    Codes, acceptance criteria, validation
    Manual or (semi) mechanised?
    Conclusions

    Why UT in lieu of RT? (1/3)


    No radiation
    - no safety hazards
    - no conflict with construction activity
    - saves time

    RT: density & diffraction problems


    UT: sensitive for relevant defects
    Speed (up to 100 metres / day)
    Instant results, direct feedback
    Lower repair rate, provided tailor-made
    acceptance criteria are used

    Why UT in lieu of RT? (2/3)


    Direct feedback means:
    - no time delay because of film
    processing
    - indications are discovered as they
    develop, prior to becoming rejects
    - early warning means: chance to
    adjust welding machine
    - defects are avoided in this way

    Why UT in lieu of RT? (3/3)


    Diffraction phenomena in transition area
    between weld and parent metal
    Severe density differences (different
    absorbtions in filler metal and parent
    metal)
    Consequences are:
    - interpretation of lack of fusion is difficult
    - possible phantom indications due to
    diffraction can mask defects

    Density differences and diffraction


    WT 32 mm
    275 kV / 3 mA
    3 min / D7

    Weld ground flush

    Diffraction in austenitic plate

    Why UT in lieu of RT?


    Relevant defects:
    - lack of side-wall fusion
    - solidification cracking
    No reliable detection with RT

    Lack of side wall fusion

    Solidification cracking

    History
    1970: first application of dual compression angle
    probes on austenitic welds (RTD & BAM/Berlin)
    After 1972: many applications in nuclear & petrochemical plant (clad / aust. / Duplex, up to 150mm)
    1986: IIW Handbook on aust. Weld inspection
    1980: first feasibility study UT on welds in 9%
    nickel structures (RTD for TKKK/Japan)
    1980-1986: development (RTD & Shell
    laboratories, NL)
    1983: first field trials on Shell LNG tank
    After 1986: commercial field applications on
    LNG tanks & probe sales / procedure support
    2003: Bonga project (SCRs, clad pipe)

    Coarse grained materials

    The challenge of 9% Ni welds UT


    Parent metal is UT-friendly (fine
    grained)
    Filler metal structure is coarse
    grained and anisotropic (e.g.
    austenitic, Inconel)
    Strong scatter and attenuation of the
    ultrasonic beam if conventional shear
    waves are used

    Anisotropy
    Grains have
    different sound
    velocity in different
    directions
    Consequence:
    - scatter
    - noise
    - attenuation

    Can be minimised
    by using
    longitudinal waves

    Grain direction

    Snells law

    Material 1
    Material 2

    Ultrasonic probe

    Wedge

    Long and creep waves


    Compression
    angle probe

    Creep waves

    Tandem technique

    Bandscan on tank

    Coverage

    Solutions

    UT probe

    Dual compression
    probes (multiple zones)
    UT probe

    Creeping wave probes


    (primary & sec. creep)
    UT probe

    Round Trip Tandem


    Technique
    Compression

    Shear

    Improved signal to noise ratio


    by use of compression waves

    Conventional shear waves

    Compression waves

    Pitfalls
    Using shear waves, calibrating on 9% Ni sample
    and not knowing that weld is not inspected
    Signal interpretation is complicated because of
    many wave modes (experience & training reqd)
    Acoustic coupling & coupling check critical
    Manual meander movement gives rise to
    misinterpretations

    UT sensitivity for relevant defects


    Per weld geometry, an optimised
    combination of probes is used
    Relevant defects are detected with high
    Probability Of Detection (POD)
    Despite of coarse filler metal structure,
    code-required sensitivity can usually be
    met
    Satisfactory performance on wall
    thicknesses up to 150 mm was
    demonstrated (aust. Welds)

    Practical differences with


    carbon steel approach
    Multiple probes required (zones)
    Probe optimisation for each zone
    Representative test piece(s) with weld
    required for:
    - 1. optimisation
    - 2. validation
    - 3. calibration

    (Semi) mechanised scanning


    required

    Is TOFD a solution?
    T ra n s m itte r

    R e c e iv e r
    A
    B

    Transmitter
    illuminates
    the defect

    TOFD principle

    L o w e r tip

    L a te ra l w a v e
    U p p e r tip

    B a c k w a ll re fle c tio n

    Scanning movement

    TOFD simulation

    Typical TOFD image


    near surface defect

    near
    embedded
    surface
    defect
    defect

    Is TOFD a solution?
    TOFD uses diffraction signals on defect edges
    rather than specular reflections
    Diffraction signals are much weaker than
    reflections
    Suffer more from attenuation and scatter in
    coarse grained / anisotropic material
    From experience: very unlikely that TOFD
    offers adequate sensitivity on welds in 9%
    Nickel steels
    Applicability must be validated on a case-bycase basis, on representative welds with
    artificial test defects

    Codes, acceptance criteria, validation


    Codes require RT, but allow for UT if:
    - agreed between parties
    - demonstrated to be at least as sensitive as RT

    API 620 is currently being updated for UT


    Acceptance criteria are fine-tuned to reflect
    detection capabilities of optimised UT
    techniques
    High POD allows for relaxed defect
    acceptance criteria (low repair rates)
    Procedure, equipment and operators are
    independently qualified / validated

    Manual or (semi) mechanised?


    Manual application is possible, but:
    Advantages of (semi)mechanised
    inspection:
    - all combined techniques can be applied
    simultaneously
    - high speed inspection
    - quick (dynamic) calibration check
    - continuous scanning quality monitoring
    - automated report generation
    - less complex interpretation

    Conclusions
    RT on welds in 9% Nickel tanks is
    connected with severe limitations
    UT has significant advantages over RT
    (operational & detection capabilities)
    Specialised techniques exist to overcome
    coarse grained structure
    Fine-tuned acceptance criteria enable low
    repair rates
    RTD has >30 years of experiences with
    these techniques
    Applicability of TOFD is unlikely
    (validation required)

    You might also like