Optimization of Advanced Ultrasonic Phased Array (PA) Inspection Techniques for detection of Hydrogen Damage Mechanisms (HIC &

SOHIC) using Ominiscan MX in Fixed Plant Equipments

Ramesh Parise* - Makamin Petroleum Services company, Dammam, KSA. ramesh.parise@saudimakamin.com Mahdi Al-Khater Makamin Petroleum Services Company, Dammam, KSA. m.khater@saudimakamin.com

ABSTRACT
Hydrogen Damage Mechanism is the greatest problem faced in the petrochemical industries. Failure in Detection, monitoring and sizing of it can lead to a catastrophic failures. Here in this article we describe briefly the HDM and mainly limited to HIC and SOHIC. It mainly describes the optimization of the techniques and parameters with the machine OMNISCAN-MX and the scanner HydroFORM. The the selection of a corrosion mapping technique with phased array probe and the stepping height measurement with an angled beam sectorial scan lead to many advantages than the other AUT using conventional single or dual transducer probes. A plate of 12.7mm thick is simulated with a defects of flat bottom holes having different diameters and depths which resembles the corrosion at the bottom and HIC at the mid wall thickness. A localized immersion technique with HydroFORM scanner is optimized with 7.5MHz with 1mm pitch by selecting one linear 0 deg and one sectorial with -30 to +30 deg is applied on the defects simulated plate. A sectorial scan for step height measurement is discussed and demonstrated in this article.

INTRODUCTION
Hydrogen Damage Mechanism (HDM) is a mechanical fracture caused by the penetration and diffusion of atomic hydrogen into the internal structure of steel, which changes into molecular hydrogen at internal defects like grain boundaries, inclusions and laminations in the base material. Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC) and Stress Oriented Hydrogen Induced Cracking are the two distinct morphologies of HDM those can be seen in the susceptible steels exposed to aqueous environments containing sour gas (H2S).

Hydrogen Induced cracking (HIC)

It can occur where a little or no applied residual tensile stress exists. It is manifested as Hydrogen Blister oriented parallel to the surface. This Hydrogen blisters nucleate on internal defects or adjacent blisters and cause cracking when the internal pressure exceeds the fracture stress, this is called Step Wise Cracking (SWC). In this stage, a
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potential dangerous situation occurs which could lead to rupture and leak. Figure 1 is the schematic of HDM.

FIG.1Graphical Representation of HDM and SWC in a material Stress Oriented Hydrogen-Induced Cracking (SOHIC):
It is a special form of HIC that may occur when local stress concentration is very high in a sour service pipeline. High stress fields allow the hydrogen to accumulate without the need for inclusions or other interfaces. For example, some types of spiral-welded pipe exhibit highly residual stressed regions adjacent to the seam weld called Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), caused during the edge forming process. This will develop parallel to the weld. SOHIC can have a greater effect on serviceability than HIC because it effectively reduces load carrying capabilities to a much greater degree so that are treated very conservatively in the Fitness For Service (FFS) assessments. Fig 2 is the schematic of SOHIC.

Fig: 2 Sketches of SOHIC & HDM

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Identification of Hydrogen Damage

Presence and extent of Hydrogen Damage like HIC, SOHIC in the operational equipments in the plant has to be detected, monitored and estimate the extent of damage. Failure of which, can lead to a catastrophic failure and production loss also. A risk based approach is normally used to priorities equipment where high probability and consequence of attack is indicated. Areas prone to attack can be identified by review of the process history, geometry, and operating conditions of the equipment.

Detection of Damage
The ideal situation is to carry out the inspection non-intrusively without having shut down the operating plant. The more appropriate selection of NDT techniques is an important in ensuring the plant availability is optimized, and defect detection is maximized.

Inspection Technologies
The inspection requires characterization of the suspected areas and to differentiate between inclusions, laminations and different stages of HIC. An optimized Ultrasonic inspection best suited for this type of inspection which reliably detect and size Hydrogen Damage. HIC can easily detect by longitudinal ultrasonic normal beam because HIC forms laminar reflectors parallel to the surface. But SWC and SOHIC which will be inclined to the surface, a normal beam cannot effectively detect the stepping and size it accurately. The objective in this case is to reliably determine if stepping is there between the HIC or not. For this purpose an angle beam is necessary for satisfactory detection as well as determining the stepping and its height measurement.

Advanced Ultrasonic Inspection:

Manual UT is good for planar defects but slow and operator dependent. AUT typically involved focusing beam, multiple A-scans display, combination of multiple views like S, B, C and D scan displays. This allows the operator flexibility in locating, characterizing, and sizing the indications with much faster and easier inspection. And moreover it is less- operator dependent. AUT scanner using conventional single or dual element ultrasonic probes needs higher raster scanning and poor ultrasonic data quality. A phased Array Ultrasonic inspection is one of the advanced ultrasonic inspection techniques for HDM inspection where two or more piezoelectric elements are triggered in a desired phase which allows electronically steering the beams in multiple angles, focusing the beam in the desired area of interest. This helps one to optimize the inspection parameters for ones desired inspection needs and gives best resolution.

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Makamin AUT Inspection System

We in our Makamin Petroleum Services Company are using Omini scan-Mx Phased Array Unit with manual, semi automated and automated capability for the inspection of HDM. This is a multi-technology unit, with replaceable function modules (besides phased arrays, there are conventional ultrasonics, ToFD, eddy current and eddy current array modules are available). Our current phased array unit is a 16/128 i.e. sixteen multiplexed pulsars with 128 channels, with up to 256 Focal Laws. This unit can perform electronic and sartorial scans. The unit has similar ultrasonic specifications to upscale single channel flaw detector (frequency, filtering, TCG, gates, alarms, range etc.), and can operate as such. The instrument is fully digital, and can perform encoded scans. It could record full waveform data at multiple angles and positions and can display multiple scan simultaneously which will give much increased imaging capabilities. The optimization of technique parameters can excellently contribute for detection and sizing of HIC, SOHIC and SWC with our equipment. The crack stepping is visualized and sized in Sectorial scan, which combines a number of A-scans with a continuous finegrade sweeping angles. The crack facets are hit by a multiple of angles. Narrow focusing of the beam provides an increased signal-to-noise ratio.

Experimental Technique and optimization of Parameters for HDM:

As discussed previously conventional UT cannot fully able to detect and characterize the HD. An initial screening tool of conventional ultrasonic testing is carried out on the suspected area with normal beam scanning to find out the HIC. Then the suspected areas are inspected with Phased Array technique for detection of exact location, characterize the defect and finally size it. The phased array inspection process is specifically divided in to two steps. A scan plan is prepared using ESBeam modeling tool software which provides a clear view of scanning, helping to clearly convey coverage area, probe position and the adequacy of range of angles for the full coverage of the area to be inspected. Figures 3, 5 and 6 are developed using the modeling tool. At first the suspected areas are inspected by selecting a HYDRO PROBE of 7.5MHz with pitch of 1 mm. Two groups are generated and the angles of inspection is optimized with one electronic scan with 0 deg which is nothing but the corrosion mapping technique and the other is a sectorial group with a sweep of angles ranging from -30 to +30 degs with 0.5 angle step. A distinction between blistering and inclusion is made by keeping in view that blisters exhibits loss of back wall and round in shape. If a cluster of HIC is there, this cluster will be shown as a step wise cracking with the 0 deg i.e. corrosion mapping which can lead to misinterpretations. In order to overcome this situation a sectorial scan of -30 to +30 deg will is used which assists in distinguishing the SWC and cluster of HIC.
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Here in our inspection a 0deg linear and -30 to +30 deg sectorial are used simultaneously. This optimization of the angles and two different groups simultaneously and the focusing the beam appropriately in the area where the HIC can occur will be much more efficient and can detect the stepping much better than other AUT techniques using conventional probes.figure.4(a) and 4(b) shows a SWC with -30 to +30 sectorial and 0 degree linear shows HIC in the mid wall thickness.

Fig. 3 Scan plan of longitudinal beam with normal and -30 to +30 sectorial

Fig.4(a). cluster of HIC with stepping

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Fig.4 (b) C and B scan show HIC with 0 deg longitudinal wave
Secondly if once the linking of HIC in different plans i.e. stepping is found by a shear wave of electronic scan beam with 45 deg and a sectorial of 45-67 degrees is generated using 5L64-A12 PROBE and scanned around the stepping area for sizing the step height. Particularly a shear wave is used instead of longitudinal wave because refracted longitudinal wave may not come back due to mode conversion. A scan plan prepared with ESBeam Tool software is shown in fig.5.

Fig. 5 Scan plan of shear wave linear 45 deg and sectorial 41 to 67 degs.

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SOHIC
This may occur when local stress concentration is very high in a sour service pipeline. High stress fields allow the hydrogen to accumulate without the need for inclusions or other interfaces. For example, some types of spiral-welded pipe exhibit highly residual stressed regions adjacent to the seam weld called Heat Affected Zone (HAZ), caused during the edge forming process. This will develop parallel to the weld. For this A PAUT probe 5L16-A12 is used for a good contact with the piece and for integrity of inspection. The inspection angles and the technique is optimized such that all the HAZ is fully covered. This can be seen in figure.6. with two sectorial groups fully covering HAZ A sectorial scan is more evident for the detection and sizing of cracks produce parallel to weld and propagates to the surface.

Figure.6. Scan plan for SOHIC inspection Selection of Scanner

Here in our inspection we used HydroFORM scanner. It is more pronounced in performance, simplistic, safe and productive. It contains a phased array probe having 64 elements with a pitch of 1mm which can cover up to 60mm (2.36 inch) area at a time .with this we can cover the inspection area 12 times more than a conventional ultrasonic probe. A gasket is used between probe and the inspecting part which creates a local immersion ultrasonic technique. This ensures the optimum coupling on surfaces and can give a near surface resolution of 1.6mm (0.063inch). There is no necessity of wedges. It can be used reliably on the surfaces having convex surfaces of 4in OD up to plate and or concave surface of 10 inch ID up to plate.

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Figure.7. Photograph of HydroForm Scanner Test Plate Preparation

A carbon steel plate of dimensions 400 by 300 mm having thickness 12.7 mm is selected. Six flat bottom holes of varying diameters from .500 inch to .125 inch in there rows of varying depths from .2 to .6mm. these holes resembles the corrosion at the bottom and Hydrogen blistering at the middle of the thickness. Figures 8 and 9 shows the drawing and photograph of the plate.

Fig: 8 a & b photograph of the plate and its drawing.

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Optimization of Scanner parameters

The HydroFORM scanner is mounted with 7.5 MHz probe of 64 elements with a pitch of 1mm. Two groups are created one is a linear scan of 0 deg and the other is a sectorial of angles ranging from -30 to +30 degrees. This is calibrated with a step wedge having known thickness from 6mm to 10mm by optimizing the water interface echo to be at zero position. The scanning is performed on the plate. The holes are nicely detected and can be sized. The figure.9 shows the holes indications in different scans.

Figure.9. scanning ptteren of the plate Sizing indications

The accurate sizing of flaws follows the characterization of the flaw type. In order to assess the flaw, one has to establish the flaw dimensions along three reference axes. In this particular case a sectorial scan is more evident. The indications length and width is measured with the help of a B-Scan. And the step height is measure from shear wave sectorial scan. Because of the various angles impinging perpendicularly to the tips of the crack it is very effective in sizing the height of the crack .Investigations has showed that a sectorial scan can give an accuracy of plus or minus of 0.5mm. figure 10 show the measurement of height of SOHIC in a 12.7 mm spiral welded pipe propagating towards ID side.

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In HIC

Fig.7 SOHIC height measurement depicting with sectorial scan the anning

pattern and the plan is optimized in such a way that Summary and Conclusions The advantage of advanced inspection with phased array technology for detection and sizing the Hydrogen Damage is discussed. Optimization of parameters for this could lead to sizing reliably. A localized immersion technique with HydroFORM scanner demonstrated for the fast inspection with 100mm/s. And finally the sizing of step height of the connected HIC blisters forming a step and propagating towards ID side is measured. In conclusion we can say that this technique can be more effective and reliable for the inspection of HDM.

References 1. Portable Phased Array Applications by Michael Moles

Olympus NDT Canada, 73 Superior Ave, Toronto, Canada M8V 2M7

2. A Contribution of Phased Array Ultrasonic Technology (PAUT) to Detection and Sizing Stress Corrosion Cracks
P. Ciorau,* Ontario Power Generation, Canada; C. Chartier, K. Mair, Acuren, Canada;

3. Hydrogen induce cracking (HIC) Assessments in Gas Processing Plant (case study).
Mohammed A Abufour, Saudi aramco, Saudi Arebia.

4. Contribution to detectection and sizing linear defects by conventional and phased array
ultrasonic techniques. P.Ciorau

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5. Susceptibility of conventional pressure vessel steel to Hydrogen-Induce Cracking and

Stress Oriented Hydrogen-Induced Cracking in Hydrogen Sulfide-conatings Diglycolamine solutions. M.A. Al-Anezi, G.S.Frankel.and Agrawal

6. Pressure vessel Inspection codes for phased array; M.Moles, Olympus NDT, Canada.

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