Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) for erosion monitoring
Early detection, measurement, and monitoring of erosive wear rates can alleviate problems of unpredictable shutdowns, costly downtimes, and improper process operation. The first generation of a nondestructive, noninvasive acoustic-based system was tested on pressure boundaries of fossil energy conversion plants, yielding the desired information. Multiple transducers and wave guides are needed for such a system in order to determine wear profiles in large components. The same information could, however, be obtained with a single, scanning electromagnetic transducer (EMAT). Advantages of such EMAT-based systems motivated this investigation in order to establish criteria and requirements needed for erosion monitoring at elevated (operating) temperatures. The effort concentrated on three areas: (a) development of EMAT design parameters, (b) material-EMAT interaction, and (c) signal processing. Prototype horizontal shearwave EMATs, based on design parameters selected from computer calculations of the static field, were evaluated, and their performance was compared to the performance of piezoelectric transducers. Input power requirements for a larger than 10-dB signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio were established for various structural and hardfacing materials. Effects of surface roughness and temperature were determined for different test conditions. The results indicate that accurate wall thickness measurement can be performed at elevated temperature on rough surfaces as encountered, for instance, in a cyclone. Modern data processing such as signal averaging on correlation improves the S/N ratio from 12 dB to 26 dB and enables wall thickness measurements with an accuracy of +-0.25% of total wall thickness. Additional efforts are needed to determine requirements of EMATs in scanning mode and pulsed static field operation.
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- OSTI ID:
- 6219309
- Report Number(s):
- ANL/FE-84-12; ON: DE85004834
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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