[1B3] In-service TOFD
A Axel
Enbridge Pipelines Inc, Canada
As phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) becomes more prevalent and adopted in the pipeline integrity of in-service pipelines, the advantages of adequately using supplemental crack detection tools such as time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) to increase the probability of detection (POD) are being seen.
With a simple addition to various advanced ultrasonic testing (UT) inspection techniques, the use of TOFD as a supplemental crack detection tool has been proven highly effective. TOFD has increased the POD and lowered false positives being called for repair. This presentation will include field examples where technicians using standard PAUT pulse-echo sizing techniques during in-service inspections missed large injurious cracks when they did not accurately use TOFD. The presentation will also highlight the recommended certification, training and procedural processes required for proper TOFD adoption and field use.
With a simple addition to various advanced ultrasonic testing (UT) inspection techniques, the use of TOFD as a supplemental crack detection tool has been proven highly effective. TOFD has increased the POD and lowered false positives being called for repair. This presentation will include field examples where technicians using standard PAUT pulse-echo sizing techniques during in-service inspections missed large injurious cracks when they did not accurately use TOFD. The presentation will also highlight the recommended certification, training and procedural processes required for proper TOFD adoption and field use.
