Acoustic Wave Tube Screening

IRISNDT applies Acoustic Wave tube screening to efficiently pre-screen tubes/pipe to identify:

• Partial or full blockages
• Holes and leaks
• Stuck pigs
• Furnace tube blockages
• Blockages, restrictions, or holes in exchanger tubes
• If valves are closed, partially or fully open

IRISNDT applies this technology for the petrochemical, refinery and power generation industries.

ADVANTAGES

The Acoustic Wave tube screening pulses:

• Detect and locates troublesome blockages or leaks quickly and accurately.
• Travel around bends and are not affected by directional changes.
• Can be used to examine lengths of up to 1000 ft of pipe/tubing.
• Are used to inspect pipe of diameters ranging from ¾ inch to over 48 inch.  The larger the diameter the further sound travels.
• Are more efficient for identifying problem areas than localized ‘hit and miss’ inspections.

LIMITATIONS

The Acoustic Wave tube screening pulses:

• Must have a continuous run; tee’s or branches can disrupt the acoustic flow
• May be disrupted by excessive ambient noise
• Are a prescreening inspection method.  Once located, the problem should be confirmed and assessed by more conventional inspections such as radiography

AR 5000 FUNDAMENTALS

In a similar fashion to ultrasonic equipment, the AR 5000 uses a pulsar and receiver to send and receive acoustic signals. The pulsar (a speaker) sends a series of short low frequency pulses down the inside diameter of a pipe or tube. The sonic wave runs along the inside of the pipe/tube, following it around bends and even complex spirals. The receiver detects any returning signals that have reflected by a blockage, reduction or from sound exiting through a break in the pipe or a leak.