Conformable Eddy Current Array for Mapping External Pipeline Corrosion Available to Purchase

In a new project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, feasibility is being determined for a convenient, affordable method to map corrosion on the outside surface of pipelines. The goal of the project is a system that can produce a contour map of a corroded area and be easily deployed in the field by pipeline maintenance personnel. The collected data will support assessment algorithms such as B31G and RSTRENG (Remaining Strength), which rely on three-dimensional corrosion sizing. The array will be made up of multiple eddy current sensors, scanned electronically to collect data that represent local wall-loss measurements. The work is being performed at Southwest Research Institute and is building upon the results of an earlier project concerned with graphitic corrosion in cast iron pipe. Technical assistance is being provided by Clock Spring Company, who is cofunding the project and planning to commercialize the system if it proves feasible. This paper presents the basic measuring technology, results of laboratory testing of breadboard coils and a description of the proposed field operating procedure.