What is this doing? (2)
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The major maintenance has begun. Engineers from the quality supervision station are also working on site; in the pictures, the engineers are inspecting the installed pipelines. What are they doing?
I’ve tested this; it’s similar to doing an ultrasound scan. First, you remove the clothes and the protective metal sheet as well as the insulation layer, then apply a coupling agent. Next, the ultrasonic thickness gauge is calibrated, with the sound speed set according to the material in question. After that, the measurement is taken. Sometimes, it’s also necessary to sand the corroded surface.
Another important point is that before taking measurements, it is necessary to draw a diagram of the equipment’s welding or joining points. For those areas of the equipment that are prone to corrosion, a plan should first be drawn out for the distribution of measurement points. It is crucial to consider both linear distributions and circular distributions; in addition, the locations at the interfaces, as well as the inlet ports and related areas, along with those in high-temperature zones, must also be taken into account. Especially in those areas near the welds.
After the measurement is completed, markings are made, and then the thickness is compared with that specified in the design drawings. The difference, denoted as delta, is calculated, along with the annual corrosion rate. This rate is then compared with the annual corrosion rate of the steel under similar conditions or in a normal environment, followed by predictions; simulations can be conducted for oil-related conditions.
Of course, on the drawings, the measurement points should be distributed evenly; the dimensions of their relative positions must be marked, along with the measurement thickness, the current difference, the total difference, and the annual corrosion rate. These parameters are then archived. Measurements should be taken annually or at intervals as specified, and the results archived. Random measurements should also be conducted, as otherwise special conditions in certain areas might be overlooked, leading to loss of control. In the end, one set of original measurement records, one set of drawings, and one Excel spreadsheet containing the calculations should be kept as a template or for reference in future comparisons.
Industrial ultrasound, used to determine whether the medium flowing in a pipe is male or female:lol:lol:lol