PCTE Industrial

  Asset integrity is a critical area of concern in industrial applications and factories. Two main factors that contribute towards compromising the reliability and the integrity of assets are – heat and chemical reactions. Heat exchangers start to deteriorate after a while as the expansion and contraction of the tubes inside the heat exchanger start to erode them. Also, these tubes rest against steel support plates, and after some time, through the passage of fluids at high speed through the tubes, there is circumferential cracking in the tubes. These result in the wear down of the asset. Similarly, chemical reactions can damage the tubes and the support plates, creating holes through the tubes.  Eddy current testing  is one of the commonly used non-destructive testing methods included in asset integrity management programs. Reasons for using this testing method are many:  - It is a fast method with instant results - Eddy current testing is a cheap and affo...

Asset integrity is a critical area of concern in industrial applications and factories. Two main factors that contribute towards compromising the reliability and the integrity of assets are – heat and chemical reactions. Heat exchangers start to deteriorate after a while as the expansion and contraction of the tubes inside the heat exchanger start to erode them. Also, these tubes rest against steel support plates, and after some time, through the passage of fluids at high speed through the tubes, there is circumferential cracking in the tubes. These result in the wear down of the asset. Similarly, chemical reactions can damage the tubes and the support plates, creating holes through the tubes.  Eddy current testing  is one of the commonly used non-destructive testing methods included in asset integrity management programs. Reasons for using this testing method are many:  - It is a fast method with instant results - Eddy current testing is a cheap and affordable ...

Eddy current testing or electromagnetic testing is based on the science of electric current being induced in conductors when the magnetic field around them changes. This flow of eddy current with changing magnetic field finds application in locating and sizing minute cracks and defects existing on the surface, can estimate the thickness of coatings, and can assist in determine the material make up (i.e. alloy) a test element. The current is characterised by closed loops that start to make a magnetic field of their own. As a result, the magnetic field produced by the eddy current and the initial magnetic field opposes each other. The eddy current produced by a material in its pure form will differ from the eddy current produced by the material when present in an altered or defect form. This difference in the creation of a magnetic field is what gets primarily used for NDT or non-destructive testing of materials. How the process works? In order to produce eddy current, alt...