Corrosion monitoring system for remote or hostile locations

Citation

(1998), "Corrosion monitoring system for remote or hostile locations", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 45 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.1998.12845dad.007

Corrosion monitoring system for remote or hostile locations

Corrosion monitoring system for remote or hostile locations

Keywords Corrosion, Inspection, Monitoring, Rightrax

A new corrosion monitoring system, which claims to reduce the cost of inspection in hostile or remote locations and offers improved repeatability accuracy over conventional techniques is now available from Rightrax Systems Ltd, of Warrington.

The new system is based on the company's M1 intelligent, flexible ultrasonic transducer array, using customised electronic modules to control the collection and processing of the ultrasonic data (Plate 2).

The Rightrax M1 system, which can operate continuously at temperatures in excess of 110°C, comprises a thin, flexible strip of piezoelectric film, which contains 14 separate ultrasonic sensors. The strip can be simply attached to structures by means of an integral double-sided adhesive tape, which also provides the acoustic bond, and its extreme flexibility means that it can be bonded to complex geometry plant and small radius pipe bends without crumpling.

Plate 2 The Rightrax corrosion monitoring system, showing the intelligent data logger and the flexible transducer array

The individual sensors are interrogated selectively by means of conductive tracks connecting to a small enclosure fitted to the end of the strip. This contains a temperature sensor, a calibration block and an electronics module, which has built-in memory to store local site identification.

Signal output from the module is by a weather-proof coaxial cable and this can be connected to one of two processing modules, depending on the level of operator expertise.

The Rightrax-S1 module is an intelligent multiplexer interface, which allows skilled ultrasonic operators to connect conventional, single channel flaw detection equipment to the multi-element M1 via the coaxial cable. It is essentially an intelligent switch and contains all the circuitry necessary to handle transmission of digital data, DC power, ultrasonic and HV pulser signals along a coaxial cable. It does not directly display wall thickness as this is determined by the skilled evaluation of the A-scan display on the flaw detector.

The Rightrax-DL1 data logger eliminates the need for a skilled NDT operator, as it features built-in intelligence to collect, process and store measured wall thickness. It drives the M1 transducer array, optimises and processes signals, displays all associated parameters and stores all information for subsequent downloading via an integral RS232 interface. It is portable and battery-powered and contained in a compact IP-rated housing.

The new Rightrax corrosion monitoring system will, it is believed, find application throughout the process industries, wherever there is a need for reliable, accurate and, often, continuous measurement of wall thickness to monitor corrosion, cost effectively.

Details are available from Rightrax Systems Ltd. Tel/Fax: + 44(0) 1942 742082.