General description
An automated ultrasonic testing system for pipes with diameters of 426–1420 mm has been shipped to the customer. The system is designed for full-coverage (100 %) ultrasonic quality testing of the welded joint, the base metal of the weld-adjacent zone and the pipe ends.
Testing tasks
- detection of longitudinally and transversely oriented defects: lack of penetration, cracks, pores, slag inclusions;
- detection of laminations in the base metal of the weld-adjacent zone;
- detection of laminations in the base metal of the pipe ends;
- wall thickness measurement.
Areas tested
- weld seam;
- weld-adjacent zone;
- pipe end sections.
The equipment can test both single-seam and double-seam pipes.
The configuration, systems, number and parameters of the ultrasonic transducers used, the scanning parameters, sensitivity and testing criteria have been selected to fully meet the requirements of the PAO Transneft standards (OTT-23.040.00-KTN-135), API 5L, GOST 31447, GOST 14782, ISO 3183, GOST R 54382 and STO Gazprom 2-4.1-713-2013.
Main technical characteristics of the test object
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Test object | weld seam, base metal of the heat-affected zone (HAZ), base metal of the weld-adjacent zones up to 50 mm wide and base metal of the pipe ends up to 250 mm wide of electric-welded longitudinal single-seam and double-seam steel pipes |
| Pipe outside diameter | 426–1420 mm |
| Wall thickness | 7–25 mm |
| Pipe length | 6–13 m |
| Steel grade (strength category) | low-alloy and carbon steel, austenitic steels |
| Weight of one pipe | 2–25 t |
| Weld seam type | longitudinal, made by automatic submerged arc welding; one or two seams |