Plastic Fantastic? - An NDE Inspection Solution for HDPE Butt Welds

摘要

This paper presents a technique that has been developed for EDF Energy to detect butt weld defects in HDPE pipework using phased array ultrasonics. The technique uses a customized wedge to support a sound velocity difference that can generate forward angle beams within the low velocity and high attenuation material properties of HDPE. Test blocks have been manufactured with a variety of subsurface implanted targets. All these targets have been detected with a signal to noise ratio of greater than 12 dB. Additionally, the ability to resolve target edges is demonstrated allowing measurement of through wall defect size. The capability of detecting lack of fusion defects greater than 6 mm circumferential length by 2 mm through wall within HDPE pipework using phased array technology is presented together with the challenges overcome during development of the probe and manufacture of representative test blocks.