FIFTH CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON NONDESTRUCTIVE ... - IAEA

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ADVANCED RADIOGRAPHY FOR TRANSPORTATION AND ENERGY SYSTEMS
Haiold BzKge.1
lndui,t?i.Lal Quality, Inc.
Gaithe.iibu.iQ, UV, U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
Radiography is a code-approved NDT method for inspections involving pipelines,
pressure vessels and many other products. Radiography provides several advantages
for inspection including image quality indicator (IQI) sensitivity of
2% or better, and an image for ease of interpretation and long-term inspection
record retention. New advances in radiographie testing are expected to broaden
the use of radiography even more. One example involves improved real-time
radiographie methods; these are now demonstrating an IQI sensitivity of 2%
or better. Real-time radiography is being applied in areas that include cast
aluminum automobile wheels, aircraft maintenance and pipeline welds, as examples.
Microfocus radiographie equipment is available in energies up to 160kV
in both conventional and rod anode configurations. The geometric magnification
one can achieve improves the radiographie results by displaying extremely
small discontinuities and by the improved contrast that results from the distance
between object and detector. Applications in inspection of composites
and ceramics have been particularly useful. The rod anode equipment has been
applied to welds in small tubing such as used in heat exchangers. Relatively
low energy radioisotope sources such as ytterbium-169 have also been used in
similar applications. A notable advance in the energy field is the development
of a portable linear accelerator for in-service inspection. This new
Minac, a 3.5MeV machine whose radiation head weighs about 100 kg, has been
used in several electric utility inspections for components such as pumps and
piping. A new smaller radiation head, the Shrinkac, has been particularly useful
for piping inspections where access is often limited. Neutron radiography
is now available for on-site industrial applications because of developments
in transportable sources. Corrosion detection in aircraft and other maintenance
inspections are attractive applications for this novel radiographie method.
These examples illustrate that there are many new concepts available in
radiographie testing and that many of the applications for this new technology
are in the transportation and energy fields.
INTRODUCTION
Inspection requirements for the transportation and energy industries are often
critical. Lives and safe use of property depend on the performance of systems
in fields such as aerospace, rail, highway, ship and pipeline transportation
and the production and distribution of energy from nuclear and fossil fuel
plants. It is often these industries that lead the way in the use of advanced