Can Inspecting Pipelines Be Risky?

Pipelines are fairly common in industries. The industries could be either Petrochemical or Power Generation and Nuclear or Pharmaceutical besides Pulp and Paper Industries. These pipelines run in miles sometimes in hundreds of miles in large installations. These pipelines have to be inspected on a periodic basis to ensure that these are free from cracks; fissures and bulges and also that they are not choked. In all industries pipeline inspection is given the highest importance next only to running machinery. At times these pipelines run in remote and difficult-to-access places. Sometimes, it may even be risky to carry out inspection of such pipelines. Rope access is of course one way out of this situation when pipelines at heights can be safely inspected.

Isolation of a fault in miles of pipelines is not an easy operation at all. It requires the involved professionals to be well trained, experienced, and dedicated as well. The equipment that’s used has to be the latest in technology and duly calibrated. Non-destructive testing methods are invariably used for obvious reasons. The various options for pipeline inspection could be by the use of Magnetic Testing, Radiographic Techniques or Ultrasonic Testing methods. The Magnetic Flux Leakage In Line Inspection tool is one of the popular options wherein a tool called “PIG” travels inside the pipeline. The tool is smart and it collects the data of the inner wall in real time while assessing it as it runs inside. The use of GPS can help pinpoint the defect location.

Share

The Complexities involved with Pipelines Inspection

A large number of industries have pipelines that in cases can run for hundreds of miles. These could be the Nuclear, Petrochemical, Pharmaceutical, Power Generation or Pulp & Paper Industries. These pipelines are to be inspected regularly to ensure that there is no blockage or corrosion since such blockages or corrosion could ultimately result in the industry coming to a grinding halt. Pipeline inspection therefore assumes the greatest of significance in any industry. The large length of the pipeline isn’t the only problem associated with its inspection. At times the pipeline could be in a relatively inaccessible location making the task of its inspection that much tougher. The team of inspectors has to be qualified and experienced besides being dedicated and true professionals duly certified and possessing modern equipment that has been periodically calibrated.

Pipeline inspection involves a complex form of non-destructive testing such as magnetic, radiographic or ultrasonic testing. In a magnetic form of testing use is made of Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) equipment. The MFL is used in the case of steel pipelines and consists of generating a strong magnetic field around the pipeline. The resultant flux lines reveal the existence of cracks and other defects in the pipeline. Advanced systems use multiple sensors to improve the resolution. In the In Line Inspection Tool method (MFL-ILI) the tool or “Pig” travels inside the pipeline while relaying real time data. In yet more advanced methods GPS is used to pinpoint the exact location of the fault in the pipeline.

Share
|

An Overview of failure analysis and material analysis

Industries of modern times are a tough place to be in. Operations, processes, manufacturing, distillation, etc. constantly go on, throughout days, weeks, months and even for years at a stretch. In such circumstances, even little failures and defects can result in tragedies of catastrophic proportions. While we cannot dissuade failures completely, it is imperative that we learn from the mistakes and try to avoid them in future.

Failure analysis refers to the comprehensive study of different aspects related to an event of failure to determine the causes behind it. It is important to know whether the mishaps happened due to careless and negligent human behavior, poor maintenance or simply due to presence of defects in the material being used (using materials analysis). This is done so that the processes can be rectified and future occurrence can be averted.

How failure analysis is done?

Have you ever seen the investigation of a crime by forensic experts on TV? Well, failure analysis is done much on the same lines, albeit without oodles of glamour. The experts doing failure analysis use techniques of forensic science to reconstruct the incident and gauge the cause of the event. They use several scientific techniques like destructive and non-destructive methods to complete their analysis.

How material analysis is done?

Material analysis involves subjecting a sample of the material under close microscopic observation. The grain of the material is analyzed to determine its structure, heat tolerance and other physical and chemical properties to determine the real cause of the failure.

Share
|