HDRTR (High Definition Real Time Radiography) Advances in Technology

HDRTRHDRTR (High Definition Real Time Radiography)(High Definition Real Time Radiography)

Advances in Technology Advances in Technology

API 2010 Winter Standards MeetingNew Orleans, LA January 28, 2010

Steve MorrisonSteve Morrison

Shaw Pipeline Shaw Pipeline ServicesServices

Gamma Radiographic Inspection Gamma Radiographic Inspection HistoryHistory

0.1 Ci of Ra-226 1930s-1940’s

Photos courtesy of: NUREG/BR-0024 Working Safely in Gamma Radiography.Morrison, A. Radiography with Cobalt-60. Nucleonics December 1949. Pages 19-32.

“Fishpole” method for pulling through a long Pipe.

PresenterPresentation NotesThis is an example of an industrial radiography source of the type used in the 1930s and 1940s. Sometimes referred to as a plumbbob, it would have contained approximately 0.1 Ci of Ra-226.   Although expensive, radium was used because no other radionuclides were then available of sufficient strength. After World War II, Ir-192 and Co-60 quickly became the radionuclides of choice and the use of radium was abandoned.   When used, the radiography source would be placed on one side of the weld or metal casting being "x-rayed," while a sheet of photographic film was placed on the other side. Exposure times were quite long, e.g., one hour to as much as four days. The source was either handled with a long pole ("fishpole") or tied to a cord. The latter method, for example, would allow it to be pulled through a long pipe.  The above B & W photos are from NUREG/BR-0024 Working Safely in Gamma Radiography. In the picture on the left, the source is being removed from its shield ("pig").  The photo on the right shows the source being held at the end of a fishpole. The long exposure time and an unsteady hand often resulted in a blurry x-ray image. The radium (usually radium sulphate) was packed into a cylindrical silver container, which was then placed inside a larger outer capsule. There were two general types of radium capsules: the aluminum type shown at the top of the page, and a steel type. The latter, manipulated at the end of a magnetic handling rod, had two parts: an hexagonal base with a flat bottom (ca. 1" diameter and 1" long) and a short conical cap.

Pipeline XPipeline X--Ray HistoryRay History

Pipeline X-Ray Machine 1968

PresenterPresentation NotesAn example of an X-Ray rig circ 1968, these low KV X-ray or termed Automatic x-ray macines were not that automatic, they did a reasonable good job on light wall piping and at that time were state of the art. They were bulky, heavy and slow compared to today’s equipment and requirements for production. Notice also how safety requirements have changed since 1968.

Pipeline Pipeline XX--Ray HistoryRay History

• In 1960’s, most pipeline radiography was conducted using low kilovoltage x-ray machines (170 kV to 225 kV) with a combination of fluorescent (calcium tungstate) screens and high speed, light sensitive film.

• Iridium 192 Gamma sources and lead foil screens were used primarily for weld inspection on fabrication (elbows, flange welds, etc.).

• In the years following, as the pipe wall thickness and diameters increased, it became necessary to increase the X-Ray kilovoltage which in turn was detrimental to the quality of the radiograph when using fluorescent screens.

• New techniques were developed such as using a combination of fluorescent screen on front and lead on back, and also a special screen material manufactured using lead screen impregnated with calcium tungstate. Both techniques produced radiographs much faster than lead screens, but had less desirable results when using higher kV radiation. As a result, a combination of gamma ray sources and lead foil screens replaced x-ray machines for most double wall exposures.

HDRTR HISTORY & BACKGROUND

In 2005 SPS independently funded the development of a 2nd Generation RTR system specifically designed for pipe weld inspection using new components & software to facilitate inspections particularly geared for a high resolution and high production demanding environment both On and Offshore.

• 2005 – SPS Acquired XTEK developers of the RTR Technology to further develop the

RTR technologies, GEN I

• 2008 – Performed HDRTR Offshore Market Lay Barge (Tyrihans) Norway (HDRTRSW-1)

GEN II

• 2009 – Introduced HDRTR to the landline market (HDRTRSW-1/ HDRTRDW-1) GEN

III

• 2009 Performed HDRTR Offshore Market Lay Barge (Pluto) Australia (HDRTRSW-1)

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT New for 2009New for 2009

•• Ruggedized LandRuggedized Land--Line and Laybarge Cooled Dual Head System using Line and Laybarge Cooled Dual Head System using components developed in components developed in ‘‘tietie--inin’’ program, covering 10program, covering 10”” to 30to 30”” pipe pipe diameters (SW2)diameters (SW2)

•• TieTie--In version for fully external (DW1) XIn version for fully external (DW1) X--ray inspection of 16ray inspection of 16”” to 36to 36”” pipeline girth welds using 300kV CP Highly Directional Xpipeline girth welds using 300kV CP Highly Directional X--ray Source ray Source and single head, cooled detectorand single head, cooled detector

•• High Resolution (24 micron) detector also variant for thin wall High Resolution (24 micron) detector also variant for thin wall tubes tubes

General DescriptionThe Hi-Res HDRTR detector has been developed for critical welds on pipelines. It has twice the resolution of the original RTR product and its combined electronics and CCD into the same package increases the overall signal to noise ratio. The detector produces results exceeding that of D4 film used with typical gamma sources. Applications also include thin wall pipes/tubes, fuel lines, aerospace engine components, laser and electron beam welds.

Specification:

CCD Size: 1024 x 128 pixels at 24 micron pitch• Resolution: >18 line pairs per mm• Sensitivity (IQI): better than 2% on 2.5mm thick plate/pipe• Active size: 24.6 mm length x 3.07mm TDI width• Scan speed: up to 35mm/second• Energy Range: 20 to 300 kV• Output: 16 Bit USB2

HiHi--ResRes HDRTRHDRTR

HDRTRHDRTR HardwareHardware

HDRTR EquipmentHDRTR Equipment 2 Systems for targeted applications

• HDRTRSW1

•Extremely Fast Production applications

•Lay Barge/ Landline production welding

•Fabrication and Spooling

•HDRTRDW1

•Tie-In Welds

HDRTRHDRTR--SW2SW2• General Description

The HDRTR-SW2 (Land-Line) girth weld system has been designed for operation from a vehicle in the field, used in conjunction with an X-ray crawler. It is also suited for offshore, lay-barge HDRTR where high production is required.

This new water cooled, twin head system inspects girth welds without the use of film. The X- rays source is an SPS panoramic x-ray crawler placed inside the pipe. The system inspects pipes from 10” to 30” diameter and shares the same major components as the Tie-In system.

• Twin water cooled and Peltier chilled HDRTR detection heads• Water cooled electronics module, motor control and USB to Ethernet adapter• Miniature closed loop pumped water chillers'• Weight reduced orbiting scanner (

SPS X-ray tube crawler system

HDRTR-SW2 Land-Line & Lay- Barge Production Version

3D CAD Model

HDRTRHDRTR--SW2SW2

HDRTRHDRTR SW2SW2

•• From 10 inch to 30 inch diameter currentlyFrom 10 inch to 30 inch diameter currently

HDRTR-SW2 Land- Line & Lay-Barge RTRfor 10” to 30” Diameter

Pipe

HDRTRHDRTR--SW2SW2

Twin head cooled HDRTR- SW2 Detection Head on 16”

pipe

HDRTRHDRTR--SW2SW2

HDRTRHDRTR SW3SW3--LDLD

Large Diameter Piping Large Diameter Piping up to 48 inch up to 48 inch diameter expected to diameter expected to be released 2nd Q be released 2nd Q 20102010

The The HDRTRHDRTR Inspection ProcessInspection Process Single Wall ScannerSingle Wall Scanner

HDRTRHDRTR--SW2 (LandSW2 (Land--Line): Line): –– Estimated/Actual Inspection TimesEstimated/Actual Inspection Times.750 wall thickness API pipe, 1.6% Wire IQI Sensitivity (source side)300kV/3mA CP Internal Panoramic 300kV/3mA CP Internal Panoramic

PipePipeDiameterDiameter

DistanceDistancemmmm

OverlapOverlap10%10%

Scan Scan SpeedSpeed

mm/secmm/secScan TimeScan Time

secondssecondsScan TimeScan Time

minutesminutes

1010”” 800800 877877 1212 4040 0.70.71616”” 12771277 14191419 1212 6060 1.01.02424”” 19101910 21282128 1010 106106 1.81.83030”” 23932393 26602660 88 212212 3.53.5

HDRTR-DW1 (Tie-In )3D CAD Model of finalized production system on pipe band

HDRTRHDRTR--DW1 DW1 (Tie(Tie--In) In)

System DiagramSystem Diagram

Single Head HDRTR-DW1 Tie-In X-ray detector with e-box, cooler & extended width scanner/band

HDRTRHDRTR--DW1DW1 ScannerScanner

HDRTR HDRTR –– DW1 (TieDW1 (Tie––In)In) SystemSystem

General DescriptionThe Tie-In HDRTR system inspects girth welds totally externally to the pipeline (DWSI) using a light/compact orbiting detection head (

X-ray tube on extended width bug & band

HDRTRHDRTR DW1DW1

•• Up to 30 inch diameter currentlyUp to 30 inch diameter currently

HDRTRDW1HDRTRDW1

TieTie--in weld on 20in weld on 20”” OD Pipeline Road CrossingOD Pipeline Road Crossing

HDRTRDW1HDRTRDW1

Typical Double wall setup Typical Double wall setup

HDRTRHDRTR--DW1 (TieDW1 (Tie--in inspection times:in inspection times:.600 wall thickness API pipe, 1.8% Wire IQI Sensitivity .600 wall thickness API pipe, 1.8% Wire IQI Sensitivity (source side)(source side)

PipePipeDiameterDiameter

DistanceDistancemmmm

OverlapOverlap5%5%

Scan SpeedScan Speedmm/secmm/sec

Scan TimeScan Timeminutesminutes

EstimatedEstimatedCycle Time*Cycle Time*

1616”” 12771277 13401340 77 3.23.2 13.213.22424”” 19101910 20002000 3.53.5 9.59.5 19.519.52626”” 20752075 21802180 3.23.2 11.411.4 21.021.03030”” 23932393 25122512 2.52.5 16.816.8 26.826.83636”” 28732873 30163016 1.81.8 27.927.9 37.937.9

*6 minutes allowed to attach band, fit bugs/detector/x-ray tube , put up safety barrier, remove bus/band. 4 minutes to remove all equipment from band to vehicle

Inspection DataInspectionInspection DataData

HDRTRHDRTR SoftwareSoftware

HDRTRHDRTR Image ResultsImage Results

Incomplete Penetration due to Hi/Lo

HDRTR Image ResultsHDRTR Image Results

Incomplete Fusion on the cover pass

HDRTRHDRTR Image ResultsImage Results

Elongated Slag Inclusions

ConventionalConventional RT Image ResultsRT Image Results

HDRTR Image ResultsHDRTR Image Results Comparison with DComparison with D--44

HDRTR Image ResultsHDRTR Image Results

SummarySummary HDRTR BenefitsHDRTR BenefitsImmediate Results with capability exceeding that of film RadiogrImmediate Results with capability exceeding that of film Radiographyaphy•• Interpretation takes place while the system is acquiring data thInterpretation takes place while the system is acquiring data thus reducing us reducing overall inspection cycle time = overall inspection cycle time = No Wait Time for Film ProcessingNo Wait Time for Film Processing•• Time to weld disposition the weld significantly less than gamma Time to weld disposition the weld significantly less than gamma = $Savings= $Savings•• Data, Images and reports can be eData, Images and reports can be e--mailed for further analysismailed for further analysis•• Retakes are virtually eliminated Retakes are virtually eliminated

Enhanced interpretation of resultsEnhanced interpretation of results•• Capability for further automation of interpretationCapability for further automation of interpretation•• Sensitivity exceeds 1104 specifications and Gamma RadiographySensitivity exceeds 1104 specifications and Gamma Radiography

Safest form of Radiography Safest form of Radiography •• No Gamma Source requiredNo Gamma Source required•• No ChemicalsNo Chemicals•• Highly Collimated beam reducing exposure risk to personnel and oHighly Collimated beam reducing exposure risk to personnel and othersthers

Archives the weld image and disposition report digitallyArchives the weld image and disposition report digitally•• Results Archived electronically indefinitelyResults Archived electronically indefinitely

HDRTR�(High Definition Real Time Radiography)� Advances in Technology Gamma Radiographic Inspection HistoryPipeline X-Ray HistoryPipeline �X-Ray HistoryHDRTR �HISTORY & BACKGROUNDPRODUCT DEVELOPMENT �New for 2009Hi-Res HDRTRHDRTR HardwareHDRTR Equipment�2 Systems for targeted applications�HDRTR-SW2Slide Number 11Slide Number 12HDRTR SW2�Slide Number 14Twin head cooled HDRTR-SW2 Detection Head on 16” pipeHDRTR SW3-LD�The HDRTR Inspection Process�Single Wall ScannerSlide Number 18Slide Number 19HDRTR-DW1 (Tie-In) �System DiagramSlide Number 21HDRTR – DW1 (Tie–In)�SystemSlide Number 23HDRTR DW1�HDRTRDW1HDRTRDW1Slide Number 27Slide Number 28HDRTR SoftwareHDRTR Image ResultsHDRTR Image ResultsHDRTR Image ResultsConventional RT Image ResultsHDRTR Image Results�Comparison with D-4HDRTR Image ResultsSummary HDRTR BenefitsSlide Number 37