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- Guided waves (2)
- Plate-like structures (2)
- Ultrasonic testing (2)
- Cracks (1)
- Geführte Wellen (1)
- Gruppenstrahlertechnik (1)
- Luftultraschall (1)
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Progress in acoustical defect sizing NDT methods for the inspection of power-plant components
(2012)
The demand of improved NDT methods with proper visualization and sizing
capabilities is a persistent trend in maintenance and manufacturing quality inspection.
Especially when dealing with high quality standards in conjunction with safety-critical
components in the sector of energy and transportation quantitative NDT techniques are
vital to provide reliable quality control systems and a corresponding deeper insight into
the component structure for a further fracture-mechanical estimation. The paper thus
focuses the progress of the defect sizing capabilities of modern Ultrasonic Testing
(UT). In Ultrasonic Testing the SAFT-algorithm (Synthetic Aperture Focusing
Technique) currently experiences a renaissance. The method is based on combining the
data of different transducer positions with their corresponding varied propagating time
and it is currently applied in several industrial applications. SAFT enhances the SNR
and the spatial resolution and is thus a valuable tool when it comes to improved
defect detection and sizing. A tomographic-like data mapping is illustrated on several
examples, where adapted phased array systems were used for the inspection of turbine
components and also for a cladded mock-up of a nuclear reactor pressure vessel. In a
statistical investigation we also performed a comparison with other defect sizing
methods like TOFD (Time of flight diffraction).
Defect sizing is required for a quantitative assessment of the quality and reliability of safety relevant components and materials using ultrasonic non-destructive testing. The SAFT (Synthetic Aperture Focussing Technique) and the TOFD technique (Time Of Flight Diffraction) are such promising sizing candidates, extracting more information from the raw ultrasound echo data and the corresponding crack tip response. In this work the phased array technique is used to inspect a clad mock-up model of a pressure vessel section. The full scale model contains artificial test reflectors which are located in the weld and in the cladding region as well. The defects—representing typical flaws at a very early stage—are analysed with different frequencies, beam angles and directions of incidence.
For the reconstruction of reflector indications a SAFT algorithm is applied to the phased array measurement results. Additionally the reflectors are analysed by means of the TOFD technique, using different beam angles at the same time. Both analysis methods are performed using different directions of incidence considering the complex cladding structure underneath the inner surface of the mock-up model. A direct comparison of the SAFT and TOFD techniques shows that, besides the clarity of the results, the detection and sizing capabilities of SAFT are far better.
Mit der Gruppenstrahlertechnik der Bundesanstalt für
Materialforschung und -prüfung sind umfangreiche Untersuchungen an einer
plattierten Druckbehälter-Testwand durchgeführt worden. In der vorliegenden
Testwand mit einer Wanddicke von 149 mm befinden sich künstliche
Testreflektoren im Schweißnaht- und Plattierungsbereich, die mit Gruppenstrahler-
Prüfköpfen mit unterschiedlichen Frequenzen, Einschallwinkeln und
Einschallrichtungen nachgewiesen und in ihrem Anzeigenverhalten analysiert
wurden.
Zur Rekonstruktion der Reflektoranzeigen wurde ein SAFT - Algorithmus
verwendet, der die Variation der Einschallwinkel berücksichtigt. Zum Vergleich
sind die Reflektoren auch mit der TOFD - Technik analysiert worden. Ziel der
Untersuchungen war der direkte Vergleich der Eignung der SAFT- und TOFDTechnik
zur quantitativen Reflektorgrößenbestimmung.
Guided waves travel in plates and hollow cylinders over large distances and propagate with multiple mode shapes. Therefore the waves can be used viably for integrity tests of large scale structures. The number of propagating modes increases with frequency. Due to their dispersive character the different modes are manageable only in a limited frequency range. Depending on the wave length and on the angle of impingement of the wave front to the coupling surface between transducer and structure, a trace wavelength is predefined and a selective excitation of single modes becomes feasible. By using phased array technique the excited wave mode can be selected by controlling the input signal of the transducer. Different modes are excitable with a sin-gle mechanical set-up. In a first step of the investigation, a calculation model is developed modelling the wave propagation and the selective excitation of guided wave modes depending on the control parameters. Dedicated experiments show the applicability of the method presented. The flaw detection of different sized cracks and of material thickness reductions is examined depending on the excitation wave mode.