Apparatus and method for inspection of tubes in a boiler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10048225-B2
Application number	US-201514743228-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2015
Priority date	Sep 29, 2011
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

A method for inspection of tubes in a boiler is disclosed. The method of inspecting includes the steps of providing an apparatus having a sensor and a housing adapted to contain the sensor. The method further including the steps of extending the apparatus into a tube bundle until a desired tube for inspection is reached; rotating the apparatus until the sensor is positioned over the tube to be inspected; clamping the housing around the tube to be inspected, thereby clamping the sensor around the tube; transmitting a pulse of guided waves into the tube to be inspected and detecting reflected signals; and acquiring data from the reflected signals and determining the condition of the tube.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method of inspecting tubes contained in a tube bundle, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an apparatus having a housing having first and second sections moveable between an open position and a closed position, the first section enclosing a first guided-wave probe and the second section enclosing a second guided-wave probe, wherein the first and second guided-wave probes together constitute a magnetostrictive sensor;
(b) extending the apparatus into a tube bundle until a desired tube for inspection is reached;
(c) rotating the housing until the sensor is positioned over the tube to be inspected;
(d) moving the first and second sections of the housing to the closed position and clamping the housing around the tube to be inspected, thereby clamping the sensor around the tube;
(e) transmitting a pulse of guided waves into the tube to be inspected and detecting reflected signals; and
(f) acquiring data from the reflected signals and determining the condition of the tube.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is rotated approximately ninety degrees to position the sensor over the tube to be inspected.

3. The method according to claim 1 , after inspecting the tube, further including the step of moving the apparatus to another tube to be inspected.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the step of moving the apparatus includes the steps of:
(a) disengaging the housing from around the tube; and
(b) rotating the housing until the sensor is clear of the tube being inspected.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second guided-wave probes are semi-circular guided-wave probes.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second guided-wave probes are semi-circular guided-wave probes, the first and second guided-wave probes being enclosed in the first and second sections such that the first and second guided-wave probes define a cylindrical passage in the closed position.

Assignees

• Electric Power Res Institute Inc

Inventors

• Kwun Hegeon
• Capps Matthew
• Crane James
• Walker Stanley M

Classifications

• G01N29/22 Primary

  Details {, e.g. general constructional or apparatus details} · CPC title

• F22B37/38

  Determining or indicating operating conditions in steam boilers, e.g. monitoring direction or rate of water flow through water tubes · CPC title

• F22B37/00

  Component parts or details of steam boilers · CPC title

• G01N29/2412

  using the magnetostrictive properties of the material to be examined, e.g. electromagnetic acoustic transducers [EMAT]; (investigating the presence of flaws using eddy currents G01N27/90, magnetostrictive transducers B06B1/08, measuring magnetostrictive properties G01R33/18) · CPC title

• G01N27/82 Primary

  for investigating the presence of flaws · CPC title