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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Inspection of steel pressure vessels by acoustic emission

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4938926
From 2nd international congress for pressure vessel and piping technology; San Antonio, Texas, USA (1 Oct 1973). The inspection of steel pressure vessels by acoustic emission is discussed in terms of: the importance of verifying the integrity of pressure vessels; equipment and methods for acoustic emission detection and the processing of data obtained as acoustic emission signals; the relation between fracture mechanisms and acoustic emission in steels: rupture mechanisms in test pressure vessels; hydraulic tests on industrial pressure vessels to evaluate the reliability of acoustic emission testing for detecting defects before leaks or ruptures occur; and current laboratory research on acoustic emission testing. It is concluded that the inspection of steel pressure vessels by detection of acoustic emission presents attractive features. First, it is a global control method and it is easy to apply to the pressurized equipment to be monitored. Secondly, the method ensures, if not continuous monitoring in the present status of its development, at least an efficient monitoring easy to adapt to normal operating conditions of the plant (pressure rises after shutdown, normal pressure transients, regulatory tests). Lastly, it is a selective method since it deals only with defects that are evolving, and consequently hazardous. (LCL)
Research Organization:
CEA Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, 91 - Gif-sur-Yvette (France)
Sponsoring Organization:
Sponsor not identified
NSA Number:
NSA-29-026801
OSTI ID:
4938926
Report Number(s):
CEA-CONF--2519; CONF-731003--4
Country of Publication:
France
Language:
English