THE ROLE OF NONDESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY FOR PIPELINE AND PRESSURE-VESSELS - CASE-STUDIES

Non-destructive examination (NDE) method with its technological develo pments and ingenuity of applications offers enormous scope in assuring and improving the quality and reliability of the components/systems m eant for pipe-line and pressure vessels. This paper discusses the judi cious selection of conventional NDE methods in proper combination depe nding on the component's geometry in achieving the high quality demand s. A few typical case studies such as (i) measurement of gap between c oncentric pipes, (ii) ultrasonic examination of thin-walled nozzle gro ove weld with focused probe and (iii) development of volumetric NDE pr ocedures for typical weld geometries in pressure vessels are explained . These case studies go to prove that NDE methods can find multifariou s applications apart from being useful as an effective tool for assess ing the internal soundness of materials. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd .