Advanced NDE Techniques for the Power Industry

Traditionally, nondestructive evaluation (NDE) of power plant components has largely involved basic NDE methods such as magnetic particle inspection (MT), liquid penetrant inspection (PT), radiography (RT), and manual ultrasonic (MUT) inspection. This has particularly been the case in fossil plants. Advanced inspection approaches, including application of advanced technologies and automated implementation, have only been considered for critical applications where detection requirements and/or implementation conditions dictated such an approach. Over recent years, however, there has been a significant move toward the use of advanced NDE techniques owing largely to the demand for higher and higher reliability and corresponding reduction in forced outage rates, and by the simultaneous reduction in the cost of computer-based digital data acquisition systems. High tech NDE is becoming more readily available, more recognized for the attendant improvements realized through its use, and more economic.

This course includes presentations on the integration of critical fossil plant component damage mechanisms with quantitative ultrasonic techniques but will also provide extensive training on the fundamentals and applications (including hands on demonstrations) of the emerging linear phased array technology. Specifically, linear phased array UT is rapidly becoming a more important technique for the critical inspection of turbine disks, header ligaments, girth welds, tube welds, and other access or geometry constrained applications. Structural Integrity Associates has played a major role in providing innovative solutions and moving the industry in this new direction.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course will cover in detail two relatively new technologies, both ultrasonic techniques, which are now routinely used for a variety of inspection applications. These are the ultrasonic time-of-flight diffraction technique and SI's Focused Array Transducer System (FATS). Initial material provided during the course will concentrate on the fundamentals of these technologies with the intent of providing a fundamental understanding from which to launch detailed discussions on particular applications. SI has implemented either or both of these technologies in a number of applications with good results. Applications that will be discussed will include:

• Ultrasonic Inspection in Lieu of Radiography for Construction Welds
• High Energy Piping Seam Weld Inspection for High Temperature Creep Damage
• Dissimilar Metal Weld Inspection - Boiler Tubes
• Dissimilar Metal Weld Inspection - Piping
• Boiler Tube Oxide Thickness Measurement and Life Assessment
• Stub Tube Socket Weld Inspection
• Header Ligament Crack Sizing
• Boiler Tube Welds for Caustic Corrosion
• Hydrogen Crack Detection in Boiler Tubes
• Stainless Steel Piping Inspection
• Incipient Creep Damage Detection and Characterization in High Energy Piping Girth Welds
• Crack Sizing in Thin Wall Components

Lectures will be supplemented with hands-on demonstrations where possible. Participants are encouraged to bring descriptive information on particular problems. These problems and possible alternative solutions will be used for discussion purposes.

INSTRUCTORS

Laney H. Bisbee - President at SI, received his BS in Materials Science and Engineering, University of North Carolina. He has over 20 years experience in failure analysis and condition assessment of process and power generation systems and equipment. He is experienced in field inspection and engineering evaluation of fossil and nuclear power plant components along with application of advanced nondestructive examination techniques. His expertise includes application of codes related to power plant operation and maintenance, with particular emphasis on inspection, defect assessment and repair, including weld procedures and welder qualification.

Larry Nottingham - a Senior Associate at Structural Integrity Associates, received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and completed extensive graduate coursework in Metallurgical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. He has over 34 years of experience in power plant engineering and NDE. Mr. Nottingham's expertise is in the time-of-flight diffraction technique and phased array ultrasonic technologies, including annular and linear arrays. He has been instrumental in expanding these technologies to a number of new applications.