Use of Magnetostrictive Sensor Technology for Inspecting Tank Bottom Floors

摘要

Magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) technology, making use of a thin, low profile magnetostrictive strip material bonded to the material under inspection with a low profile excitation coil, has been used for pipe inspection for approximately 10 years. MsS is an emerging method to cost-effectively inspect and monitor other types of large structures such as plates (tank bottom applications) using ultrasonic guided waves. More recently, Southwest Research Institute~? (SwRI~?) conducted work to extend the MsS capabilities to other applications.In this paper, the use of an MsS plate probe to inspect the structural condition of an oil storage tank is discussed. The testing shows that ultrasonic shear couplant can be used instead of an epoxy bond to collect valid data for assessing damage around the tank where the wall adjoins the floor. Example inspection data acquired from a mockup of the tank structure is shown and discussed.