RU2650358C2 - Method of ultrasonic inspection of welded joints of pipes and system for its implementation - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: measuring equipment.

SUBSTANCE: use: for ultrasonic inspection of welded joints of pipes. Core of the invention is that before the inspection process is started the pipe is rotated by means of RR (rotary rollers) in such a way, that a) the weld joint occupies the working position, for example, 12:00, after which: b) the CCC (control computer complex) using the SCP (scanning control program) and the APU1 additional program unit contained in it practically simultaneously lowers all the UTs (ultrasonic transducers) onto the pipe in a zone usually spaced from either end by a distance L1 > LIM, where LIM is the length of the IM (instrumental module) along the pipe, if necessary, a short pause is made to ensure the acoustic contact of the UTs with the pipe, and the IM starts the working motion and scans at the speed of V1 in the direction of one of the ends (or the pipe is moved relative to the IM); c) after all the UTs participating in the inspection are risen to the working position, the inspection of the first part of the pipe is completed, the IM is brought back to a position slightly closer to the end of the inspected portion of the pipe than the LIM in order to provide some overlap, the CCC using the SCP and the APU1 additional program unit contained in it again practically simultaneously lowers all UTs onto the pipe, herewith distance L2 from the first end to the IM must satisfy the condition of: L2 ≤ LIM, if necessary, a short pause is made to ensure the acoustic contact of the UTs with the pipe, and the IM starts the working motion and scans in the opposite direction at the speed of V2, the CCC controls lifting of the ultrasonic transducers to a safe position when the corresponding UT reaches the end of the pipe, or even a bit later, allowing the UT to "jump off" the pipe, thus minimizing uninspected zones, while the CCC, further comprising the APU2 program unit, allows during scanning to "stitch" the data and to demonstrate the inspection results on the general defectogram.

EFFECT: technical result is increasing the productivity of ultrasonic inspection, reducing uninspected zones in the area of both ends of the pipe and increasing the level of technological safety of the ultrasonic inspection.

4 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of non-destructive testing, specifically to the field of ultrasonic testing of pipe welds.

A known method of ultrasonic inspection of pipes, including filling the immersion bath with water, using, for example, piezoelectric transducers, moving the pipes through the bath, according to which the surface layer of water filling the immersion bath and in contact with the surface of the pipe is moved by supplying an additional jet of water to the immersion bath by means of a nozzle mounted equidistant to the surface of the controlled pipe immersed in water to the level of the surface layer of water through which It is given in an immersion bath of water along the pipe at a speed of movement V _in excess of the speed of movement of the pipe and the velocity V _Tp V _n all other layers of water through the immersion bath on its entire depth H to eliminate the water filling the inner cavity of the tube. A known device for ultrasonic inspection of pipes, containing an immersion bath, a mechanism for filling the immersion bath with water and piezoelectric transducers, contains a nozzle mounted equidistant to the surface of the controlled pipe, immersed in water to the level of the surface water layer, through which water is additionally supplied to the immersion bath along the pipe with a speed and pressure sufficient to move the surface layer of water with a speed V _in exceeding the speed V _tr pipe movement through an ion bath and velocities V _{m of} all other water layers to the entire depth H of the immersion bath to prevent water filling the inner cavity of the pipe.

The disadvantage of this method is the low productivity of ultrasonic testing, due to the low speed of the pipe in the bath moving along the surface of the water [1].

A known installation for ultrasonic testing of welded pipes, comprising a running trolley mounted on rails with a drive, a lift placed on it, a suspension connected to the lift with ultrasonic transducers, light indicators and a paint stripper for defective sections, in which, to reduce the complexity of the control of welds, the suspension made in the form of a four-link articulated parallelogram mounted on the axis of the rocker arm located in the plane of the four-link articulated parallelogram eating installed perpendicular to the rocker arms with the ability to move cheeks along them, each of which is equipped with a bracket with hinged mounting of the ultrasonic transducer and basing rollers mounted symmetrically to the axis of the ultrasonic transducer.

The disadvantage of the known installation should include the high complexity of tuning ultrasonic transducers for ultrasonic testing of the ends of the pipe and the lack of a reliable system for automatic control of the monitoring process [2].

A known ultrasonic system with a set of phased arrays and a method for controlling spiral welds, designed to control spiral welds in HSAW for all standard types of defects in a single scan, located on both the inner and outer surfaces of the pipe and eliminating the need for mechanical adjustment of the transducers in the process of scanning. The method includes the use of at least one linear transducer, at least one pair of transducers for scanning longitudinal defects and at least two pairs of transducers for scanning transverse defects.

The known method consists of the following steps:

a) using at least one transducer (layer 1) located above the weld and overlapping the pipe centerline to control delamination defects that are located in the weld;

b) using at least two pairs of transducers (layer 2) mounted parallel to the axis of the pipe and placed on opposite sides of the weld in such a way that allows them to face each other and orient to the same common area of the weld at the same time to complete control of standard types of longitudinal defects located on the weld;

c) using at least the third and fourth pairs (layer 3), respectively, placed symmetrically on opposite sides of the seam in such a way that allows the corresponding pairs to focus towards each other and focus on the same common area of the weld at the same time, for full control of the standard types of longitudinal defects located on the weld, and where control is carried out in one scan pass above the spiral weld.

In addition, there is a known case in which a set of transducers can only move along the weld and be fixed in any other directions than the parallel to the weld.

A known system of converters with phased arrays, which is designed to perform the following tasks:

a) to calculate the specific path of ultrasound arising from an opening at one end of one of the third pair of transducers, which reaches the farthest side of the weld, on which, possibly, one of the transverse defects, with a returning beam that ends at the inlet of the transducer, the sound path includes the use of at least one mechanical angle and rotation angles;

a) to assess whether the returning beam is within the specified distance tolerance;

b) to calculate the maximum controlled seam width, which should be greater than the specified seam width according to the control conditions;

c) to determine operational parameters, including the corresponding positions of the third or fourth pair of transducers, the mechanical angle, the rotation angles of the transducers to control transverse defects.

The disadvantage of the known method and the known phased array transducer system is the relative complexity of the automatic control of the control process when scanning linear welds parallel to the pipe axis and the need for particularly precise symmetrical installation (focusing) of transducer sets facing each other for continuous scanning simultaneously from two opposite sides weld to its entire depth. This disadvantage complicates the process and prevents the maximum increase in the performance of ultrasonic testing of straight welds on pipes [3].

Accepted notation in the description of the ultrasonic testing process of pipe welds:

- UZK - ultrasonic control;

- PR - rotary rollers;

- UVK - Managing Computing Complex;

- UP - ultrasonic transducer;

- IM - measuring module;

- CCP - scan management program;

- L1M - length of the measuring module along the pipe;

- L1 is the distance from the ends of the pipe to the rear end of the measuring module in the leftmost position relative to the pipe;

- Δ = L1-L1M - the distance from the end of the pipe to the rear end of the measuring module in the leftmost position of the MI.

Δ = L1M-L2 is the distance from the end of the pipe to the rear end of the measuring module in the extreme right position of the MI.

- DPB1 and DPB2 - additional software blocks in the control and control system;

- L3 - the safe position of the IM after the scan of the seam of the first part of the pipe

- Tr - controlled pipe

From the technique of ultrasonic testing, there are known installations for ultrasonic testing of pipes that control the area of the weld in one direction.

The known control process includes the following operations:

1. The pipe is transported to the control zone using a roller table or a transport trolley.

2. The pipe is rotated with the PR so that the seam occupies a certain position, for example 12 hours.

3. UVK with the help of the CCP moves the MI relative to the pipe (or the pipe relative to the MI) at a low speed V0. UVK controls the landing of ultrasonic transducers: UP one by one, they land on the pipe as close to its end as possible (in order to minimize the UP uncontrolled zones).

4. After all UEs have completed landing on the pipe, the UVK increases the scanning speed to the nominal value VN. Scanning the weld zone by each unit is completed when it reaches the second end of the pipe, after which the corresponding unit is retracted to a safe position.

The disadvantages of the above analogues also include:

- Low productivity of ultrasonic testing, due to the fact that the landing of the UE is carried out at a relatively low speed V0 and requires considerable time, especially in the case of a large number of UE and the associated significant length of MI.

- Significant uncontrolled zones in the region of the first end face, due to the fact that during the landing of each unitary enterprise, the latter takes some time (usually at least 1 s) to create reliable acoustic contact with the pipe.

- High risk of equipment damage when landing UP. This risk is due to the requirement to minimize uncontrolled areas. If one of the UE made a landing a little earlier than the pipe appeared under it, then its end will inevitably damage the UE and its suspension elements.

The aim of the present invention is to increase the performance of ultrasonic testing, reducing uncontrolled zones in the area of both ends of the pipe and increasing the level of technological safety of ultrasonic testing.

The above goal is achieved by the fact that in the method of ultrasonic testing of pipe welds, including transporting the pipe to the control zone using a roller table or transport trolley, a measuring module with a set of ultrasonic transducers, a scanning weld and a computer complex that controls the control process, before starting the control process the pipe is rotated with the help of PR so that

a) the weld is in the working position, for example 12 hours, after which:

b) UVK with the help of the control panel and the additional program unit DPB1 contained in it carries out almost simultaneous lowering of all the control units onto the pipe in the zone, which is usually separated from any of the ends by a distance L1> LIM, where LIM is the length of the MI along the pipe, if necessary, a short pause to ensure the acoustic contact of the unitary unit with the pipe, and the MI starts working movement and scans at a speed V1 in the direction of one of the ends or the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI;

c) after all the control units participating in the control have risen to the operating position, the control of the first part of the pipe is completed, the MI returns to a position that is somewhat closer to the end of the controlled part of the pipe than LIM to provide some overlap, the air-blast control system and the additional program unit DPB1 contained in it again again carries out almost simultaneous lowering of all UEs to the pipe, while the distance L2 from the first end to the MI should satisfy the condition: L2≤LIM, if necessary, a short pause is made in order to provide acoustic contact between the UE and the pipe and MI, it starts working and scans in the opposite direction at a speed of V2, the UVK controls the lifting of the ultrasonic transducers to a safe position when they reach the corresponding UE of the pipe end face or even somewhat later, allowing the UE to “jump off” from the pipe, thus minimizing uncontrolled zones, while the UVK, additionally containing the software block DPB2, allows you to "stitch" the data during the scan and demonstrate the results of monitoring on general defectogram, where each detected discontinuity or other feature of the state of the pipe section has a uniquely determined length and coordinate, regardless of the direction in which it was scanned, and then the control of the weld and the heat-affected zone of the pipe is completed.

In addition, in the method of ultrasonic testing of pipe welds, the condition V2 = - | V1 | is fulfilled, in the direction of the second end, or the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI, when MI returns from the second end of the pipe, scanning is performed with acceleration under the condition: V2> V1.

A system for implementing an ultrasonic testing method for pipe welds containing an MI measuring module with ultrasonic UP transducers on it, rotary PR rollers and an automatic control process for the control process, which in turn includes a control program for scanning the control panel and the Control Computer Complex UVK, which allows, in particular, process, demonstrate and archive the results of ultrasonic testing, characterized in that the CCP for scanning the weld additionally contains software the DPB1 block, which allows part of the pipe to be scanned in one direction, and the other part, in the opposite direction, and the UVK additionally contains the DPB2 program block, which allows you to “stitch” the data and show the results of the inspection on a common defectogram, where each detected discontinuity or other feature of the state of the pipe section has an uniquely determined length and coordinate, regardless of the direction in which it was scanned.

Description of the proposed ultrasonic method (technology) for monitoring a pipe weld.

The process algorithm (the diagram in Fig. 1, the photo in Fig. 2 is an experimental installation for implementing the method and process control system - the moment of scanning a straight weld using the measuring module IM).

1. The pipe is transported to the control zone using a roller table or a transport trolley (Fig. 1, position 1).

2. The pipe is turned using PR so that the seam occupies a working position, for example, 12 hours (Fig. 1, position 2).

3. UVK with the help of the control panel and the additional unit contained in it carries out almost simultaneously lowering all the control units onto the pipe in the zone, which is usually separated from any of the ends by a distance L1> LIM, where LIM is the length of the MI along the pipe, if necessary, a short pause is made to ensure acoustic contact of the unitary unit with the pipe and MI, it starts a working movement and scans at a speed V1 in the direction of one of the ends, or the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI (Fig. 1, position 3).

4. UVK controls the lifting of ultrasonic transducers to a safe position when they are reached by the appropriate end face of the pipe or even somewhat later, allowing the UE to “jump off” the pipe, thus minimizing uncontrolled areas (Fig. 1, position 4)

5. After all UEs participating in the control have risen to the working position, the control of the first part of the pipe is completed. The MI returns to a position that is somewhat closer to the end of the monitored portion of the pipe than the LIM to provide some overlap. UVK with the help of the CCP and the additional unit contained in it again again carries out almost simultaneous lowering of all the control units onto the pipe. Now the distance from the first end to the MI L2 should satisfy the condition: L2≤LIM. Again, if necessary, a short pause is made to ensure the acoustic contact between the UE and the pipe, and the MI starts working movement and scans in the opposite direction at a speed of V2 (it makes sense that the equality VN2 = - | VN | holds, but this is not a prerequisite ) in the direction of the second end (or the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI) (Fig. 1, position 5).

6. UVK controls the lifting of ultrasonic transducers to a safe position when they are reached by the corresponding UE of the second end of the pipe, or even somewhat later, allowing the UE to “jump off” the pipe, thus minimizing uncontrolled zones. The control of the weld and the heat-affected zone of the pipe is completed (Fig. 1, position 6).

Information sources

1. RF patent No. 2488814

2. RF patent No. 2008666

3. US Patent No. 9032802

Claims (7)

1. The method of ultrasonic testing of pipe welds, including transporting the pipe to the control zone using a roller table or a transport trolley, a measuring module with a set of ultrasonic transducers, a scanning weld and a computer complex that controls the control process, characterized in that a) before the start of the control process, the pipe is rotated with the help of the PR in such a way that the weld seam occupies a working position, for example, 12 hours, after which b) UVK with the help of the control panel and the additional program unit DPB1 contained in it carries out almost simultaneous lowering of all the control units onto the pipe in the zone, which is usually separated from any of the ends by a distance L1> LIM, where LIM is the length of the MI along the pipe, if necessary, a short pause to ensure the acoustic contact of the unitary unit with the pipe, and the MI starts working movement and scans at a speed V1 in the direction of one of the ends or the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI; c) after all the control units participating in the control have risen to the operating position, the control of the first part of the pipe is completed, the MI returns to a position that is somewhat closer to the end of the controlled part of the pipe than LIM to provide some overlap, the air-blast control system and the additional program block DPB1 contained in it again again carries out almost simultaneous lowering of all the control units onto the pipe, while the distance L2 from the first end to the MI should satisfy the condition: L2 ≤ LIM, if necessary, make a short pause in order to provide acoustic contact between the UE and the pipe and MI, it starts working and scans in the opposite direction at a speed of V2, the UVK controls the lifting of the ultrasonic transducers to a safe position when they reach the corresponding UE of the pipe end face or even somewhat later, allowing the UE to “jump off” from the pipe, thus minimizing uncontrolled zones, while the UVK, additionally containing the software block DPB2, allows you to "stitch" the data during the scan and demonstrate the results of monitoring on general defectogram, where each detected discontinuity or other feature of the state of the pipe section has a uniquely determined length and coordinate, regardless of the direction in which it was scanned, and then the control of the weld and the heat-affected zone of the pipe is completed. 2. The method of ultrasonic inspection of pipe welds according to claim 1, characterized in that the condition V2 = - | V1 | in the direction of the second end, either the pipe is set in motion relative to the MI. 3. The method of ultrasonic inspection of pipe welds according to claim 1, characterized in that when the MI is returned from the second end of the pipe, scanning is performed with acceleration under the condition V2> V1. 4. A system for implementing the ultrasonic testing method for pipe welds, containing the IM measuring module with the ultrasonic UP transducers on it, rotary rollers PR and an automatic control process for the control process, which in turn includes the control program for scanning the control panel and the Control Computing Complex UVK, which allows in particular, to process, demonstrate and archive the results of ultrasonic testing, characterized in that the CCP for scanning the weld additionally contains software the first block of DPB1, which allows part of the pipe to be scanned in one direction and the other part in the opposite direction, and the UVK additionally contains a software block of DPB2, which allows you to “stitch” the data and show the results of the inspection on a common defectogram, where each detected discontinuity or other feature of the condition of the section the pipe has a uniquely determined length and coordinate, regardless of the direction in which it was scanned.

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