NDT FOR HDPE PIPING

[ddurdle]

I am running several kilometers of HDPE piping as a tailings line for a nickel concentrator. I need to determine if this pipe is experiencing any internal wear, what types of testing methods are out there

 

[ndeguy]

You dont say whether the pipeline is buried or not, insulated or not, diameter and wall thickness. If its not buried with access to the external circumference then an ultrasonic thickness survey will give you measured wall thicknesses around the circumference that will tell you if wear is taking place or not. Contact a reputable NDE company

Buried pipelines in the oil & gas sector are generally designed to be capable of being "pigged", that is an inspection device is introduced to the pipe via a "pig launcher". Pigs have different capabilities according to the on-board tools - cleaning, caliper (dimensions), NDE (ultrasonics, magnetic flux leakage).

My advice would be to contact a pipeline inspection company to determine the piggablility of your line and, if piggable, which NDE method to be used - probably UT. The advantage of pigging is that you will get a complet 360 degree reading from the whole length of the pipeline in a reasonable amount of time.)

Good luck!



Nigel Armstrong
Karachaganak Petroleum
Kazakhstan

 

[BigInch]

The intelligent pigs I use employ magnetic resonance to take their measurements, so they would not be suitable for HDPE, but there could be some other types of pigs around that I don't know about.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com

 

[SJones]

Magnetic flux leakage surely? Unless, there is a new tool for undertaking NMR spectroscopy on the inside of the pipe. As for the HDPE, it would probably be easier to have a removable spool somewhere in the line so that it could be removed and checked periodically.

Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer

http://www.pdo.co.om/pdo/

 

[BigInch]

Yes, you're right... it is flux, but still not useful for HDPE.

http://virtualpipeline.spaces.msn.com