Pulsed infrared imaging: A new NDT methodology for aboveground storage tanks

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Materials Evaluation; (United States)

OSTI ID:7014427

Bales, M J; Bishop, C C ^[1]

---

1. Bales Scientific Inc., Walnut Creek, CA (United States)

Historically, thermography or infrared imaging has been used for nondestructive testing (NDT) applications that characteristically have their own thermal fingerprint because they produce their own heat. Aboveground storage tanks, and the nation's infrastructure in general, do not produce their own thermal fingerprints. Material loss due to corrosion can be detected in aboveground storage tanks using a new technology called pulsed infrared imaging (PII). The PII technique involves providing heat, by means of a pulse, and dynamically collecting infrared images of the material surface. Heat intensity and duration are dependent on the thermal characteristics of the material. For the test to be successful, the heat, which is supplied to the top surface, must penetrate and conduct through the material to the bottom surface. The paper describes this technique and the thermal image processor workstation.

• OSTI ID: 7014427
• Journal Information: Materials Evaluation; (United States), Vol. 52:7; ISSN 0025-5327
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
02 PETROLEUM
INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
PERFORMANCE
STORAGE FACILITIES
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
TANKS
HEAT SOURCES
IMAGE PROCESSING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
CONTAINERS
MATERIALS TESTING
MEASURING METHODS
PROCESSING
TESTING
THERMOGRAPHY
420205* - Engineering- Transport & Storage Facilities- (1980-)
022000 - Petroleum- Transport
Handling
& Storage