Offshore Europe 2011: Applus RTD launches new non-destructive testing systems

Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK – Applus RTD has unveiled two new pieces of technology designed to locate flaws in pipelines, oil and gas platforms and other pieces of infrastructure at Offshore Europe.

The RTD RAYSCAN device is an advanced digital radiography system designed for pipeline inspection work, and suitable for the inspection of girth welds on- and offshore, particularly in new construction projects.

The company says the X-ray source and detector rotate around the exterior of the weld, producing a real-time digital radiographic Double Wall Single Image (DWSI) picture. Direct image processing, allied to dedicated software, makes it possible for direct interpretation of the weld, including changes to the appearance of the image allowing easier identification and recording of defects and their size.

The RTD RAYSCAN system is currently ready for use on pipes with a 2 to 12-in. diameter.

Applus RTD's research and development specialists have also developed the IWEX 3D (Inverse Wave field Extrapolation) technique.

Dennis Zaal, manager of Applus RTD’s Application Centre Europe and Middle East, said: “IWEX provides a reconstructed image of the inspected object, providing vital clearer data compared to traditional techniques, resulting in increased accuracy in both sizing and positioning of the defect.”

The company says the design features 32 parallel processors (for 32 ultrasonic signals) on one printed circuit board. These boards can be stacked to support up to 1,024 parallel processors in a single system, without influencing performance.

The result of IWEX 3D is a reconstructed 2D cross-section of the object shown in real time. The cross sections can be combined to create a 3D image of the object and all detected potential defects.

09/08/2011