Device for measuring material deterioration in equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018306699-A1
Application number	US-201715492783-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 20, 2017
Publication date	Oct 25, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A device for improving the accuracy and precision of measuring equipment changes due to corrosion, erosion, build-up of material, and combinations thereof. Increased control over the placement and removal of a coupon within the equipment is provided. Embodiments of the coupon provide multiple approaches for such measurements such as e.g., weight changes, thickness changes, inspection and analysis of the contacting surface of the coupon, and combination. Improved measurements with coupons using probes such as e.g., ultrasonic transducers is also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A device for measuring material deterioration in equipment, comprising:
a coupon configured for selective insertion and removal through an opening in the equipment, the coupon comprising
a fluid contacting surface for positioning within an interior of the equipment and in contact with a fluid; and
a chamber internal to the coupon and having an opening for access thereto, the chamber defined at least in part by a probe facing surface positioned opposite to the fluid contacting surface; and
a fastener configured for selectively affixing the coupon to the equipment, the fastener positioned outside of the equipment.

2 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the fluid contacting surface is positioned flush with an interior surface of the equipment adjacent to the fluid contacting surface.

3 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the chamber is symmetrical about a chamber axis extending normal to the probe facing surface.

4 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein within a 2 mm radius of the chamber axis the probe facing surface has a flatness within a tolerance of 0.0002 mm or less.

5 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the fluid contacting surface is contoured to match a shape of an interior surface of the equipment surrounding the fluid contacting surface.

6 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the internal chamber is defined by one or more internal surfaces configured for orienting a transducer positioned within the chamber such that the transducer will emit signals along a direction normal to the probe facing surface.

7 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , further comprising
an ultrasonic transducer positioned within the internal chamber and oriented so that signals are emitted from the ultrasonic transducer along a direction normal to the probe facing surface.

8 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 7 , wherein the internal chamber is further defined by a frustoconical surface configured for complementary receipt of the ultrasonic transducer.

9 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the coupon.

10 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the fastener comprises:
a base attached to equipment; and a nut removably attached to the base;

11 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 10 , wherein the fastener comprises a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the coupon and pressed between the base and the nut when the nut is attached to the base.

12 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 11 , wherein the sleeve comprises polytetrafluoroethylene.

13 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 11 , wherein the sleeve comprises an acetal resin.

14 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 1 , wherein the equipment has a wall thickness at the opening where the coupon is inserted, and wherein a thickness of the coupon between the probe facing surface and the fluid contacting surface is less than the wall thickness.

15 . A device for measuring material deterioration in equipment, comprising:
a coupon configured for insertion and removal through an opening in the equipment, the opening having a surrounding interior surface formed from an equipment material, the coupon comprising
a fluid contacting surface for positioning within an interior of the equipment and in contact with a fluid, wherein the fluid contacting surface is flush with the surrounding interior surface of the equipment and consisting of the equipment material; and
a fastener configured for selectively affixing the coupon to the equipment, the fastener positioned outside of the equipment;
wherein a gap is formed between the fluid contacting surface and the surrounding interior surface, the gap being in the range of 0.0025 inches to 0.0050 inches.

16 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 15 , wherein the coupon has a longitudinal axis about which the coupon is symmetrical.

17 . The device for measuring material deterioration in equipment as in claim 15 , wherein the fluid contacting surface is contoured to match a shape of an interior surface of the equipment surrounding the fluid contacting surface.

Assignees

• Savannah River Nuclear Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Restivo Michael L
• Imrich Kenneth J
• Fink Samuel D
• Duignan Mark R

Classifications

• G01N17/00 Primary

  Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light · CPC title

• G01N29/04 Primary

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title

• G01N17/046 Primary

  Means for supporting or introducing coupons · CPC title

• G01N2291/02416

  Solids in liquids · CPC title

• G01N2291/2695

  Bottles, containers · CPC title