Method for the detection of voids and corrosion damage by thermal treatment

摘要

The present invention provides a method of detecting a void- related fault in a metal or metal alloy component. The method comprising filling the fault with a fluid, preferably liquid; treating the component and fluid so as to produce thermal-excitation in the component and fluid; and thereby cause a detectable acoustic signal. The detection of the signal detects the presence of a void-related fault. The invention also provides a method of locating and characterizing a void-related fault which comprises detection of the fault as described, measuring the parameters of the acoustic signal and the conditions for producing the signal, and correlating the parameters and conditions with the location and characteristics of the fault. The invention is particularly useful for the detection of microbiologically induced corrosion (MIC). The invention also concerns a method of evaluating a component for the severity of a void-related damage. The method comprises filling the void- related damage with a fluid (or maintaining the component in conditions so that the void- related damage is filled with the fluid); thermally treating the component and fluid so as to produce a detectable acoustic signal; evaluating parameters and conditions of the signal; and correlating the parameters and conditions with the severity of the damage.