TPT May 2012

I nspectIon & T esTing

Effective support for the longevity of pipes

EVERY company is looking for ways to reduce the damage that is caused by corrosion. Anatural process yet unrequested and with a global annual footprint of billions of dollars. Therefore protective and resistant coatings applied during pipe manufacture as well as manually on site are the tool of choice not only for standard steel pipes. Yet this thin shield against mechanical and chemical attacks you wish to rely on for years needs your utmost support by a careful and professional check for cracks, pores or other damages. That’s when the ISOTEST ® holiday detector systems come into play. A concluding check of the protective coating using high voltage impulses can provide the certainty that all unprotected spots, which are consequently targets for corrosion, are detected no matter how small. What you are looking for is a reliable method to find material defects such as pores and cracks, other mechanical damage and the results of handling errors in applying the coating material. The testing of coverings and coatings

with NDT devices that make use of pulse-type high voltage technology has been introduced worldwide due to its many advantages.

ISOTEST ® test equipment based on that pulse-type high voltage technology has the required safety margin that can still keep the chosen testing voltage even when facing rough conditions and growing pipe diameters. Two major components are important in this context: the built-in sphere gap, which stabilises high voltage permanently, and powerful and automatic regulation of the test voltage, which guarantees that even under demanding test conditions such as having moisture on the surface, the voltage is adjusted to the set value in a fraction of a second. Yet even the strongest performer can be upgraded with the matching accessories. The company starts off with a spiral electrode, which is literally doing an all embracing job if the pipe is still lying or hanging freely. In that case the test can be done in one single step – around the

complete circumference of the pipe. This is also the easiest and quickest way to test longer sections of pipes. If the pipe has already been laid in the trench, the half-round brush is a suitable alternative. This is the easiest and quickest method when there is a longer section ahead. In addition to electrodes for the testing of the outer circumference where you are generally facing the more robust type of coating, there are various types for thin or delicate coatings. In these cases the metal brush set is replaced by a special type of conductive rubber. A further alternative may be an electrode for the testing of the inside of the pipes combining stainless steel and nylon bristles. Elmed Dr Ing Mense GmbH – Germany

Email: info@isotest.de Website: www.isotest.de

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M ay 2012