On the application of AE technology in continuous monitoring of pipelines of power units operating at high temperatures

摘要

This paper deals with issues relating to the application of the acoustic emission (AE) method for continuous monitoring of hot industrial steam overheating pipelines in operation with the prediction of breaking load. The possibility of introducing the AE method for continuous monitoringof pipelines belonging to power unit 1 of thermal power plant Kiev TPP-6 is analysed. Acoustic properties of the steam pipeline material are studied. Preliminary high-temperature AE studies of the steam pipeline material are conducted. A continuous AE monitoring system is mounted, tested andput into trial operation and its settings are corrected on the basis of the measurement results obtained. It is shown that the breaking load predicted by the AE continuous monitoring system is determined with sufficient accuracy for practical purposes. Control schematics and features of practicalapplication of the system are presented.