Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) is currently the standard method of gas pipeline inspection in spite of the fact that the accuracy of MFL is only about 10%. Ultrasonic inspection has much better accuracy and is not sensitive to permeability changes but normally requires a liquid couplant to get sufficient energy into the pipe wall. Reported here are the laboratory results of Gas Technology Institute’s (GTI) effort to investigate newly developed transducers that use gas as the coupling media. The combination of transducers specifically designed for this application and high gain amplifiers produced signals strong enough to measure wall thickness in steel at pressures from 200 to 1000 PSIG. Investigations showed that both the sensitivity of the transducers and the gas-metal coupling are functions of pressure and, therefore, limit the useful pressure range. Tests were run in pulse-echo mode and pitch-catch mode to determine the advantages and limitations of each. The average ultrasonic wall thickness will be used to calibrate the MFL improving the accuracy of its measurements.
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August 2005
Research Papers
Gas Coupled Ultrasonic Measurement of Pipeline Wall Thickness
Paul Shuttleworth,
Paul Shuttleworth
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804
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Julie Maupin,
Julie Maupin
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804
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Albert Teitsma
Albert Teitsma
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804
Search for other works by this author on:
Paul Shuttleworth
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804
Julie Maupin
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804
Albert Teitsma
Gas Technology Institute
, Des Plaines, IL 60018-1804J. Pressure Vessel Technol. Aug 2005, 127(3): 290-293 (4 pages)
Published Online: March 10, 2005
Article history
Received:
February 24, 2005
Revised:
March 10, 2005
Citation
Shuttleworth, P., Maupin, J., and Teitsma, A. (March 10, 2005). "Gas Coupled Ultrasonic Measurement of Pipeline Wall Thickness." ASME. J. Pressure Vessel Technol. August 2005; 127(3): 290–293. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1991875
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