Guided Wave Damage Detection in Power-Plant-Tubes by Using Magnetostrictive Transducer Arrays

This paper presents an efficient damage detection technique for power-plant-tubes by using guided waves and magnetostrictive transducer arrays. Particularly, our detection technique focuses on the small diameter and thick wall power-plant-tubes, such as superheater tubes, reheater tubes and water wall tubes. Firstly, the damage effects on guided waves in small diameter and thick wall tubes were studied by using three-dimensional finite element method. The wave reflections and mode conversions induced by damage were investigated. Secondly, based on T (0, 1)-F (n, 2) modes, magnetostrictive transducers were designed for guided wave generation and sensing in small diameter and thick wall tubes. The designed magnetostrictive transducers can effectively generate and measure guided waves, especially the non-dispersive torsional T (0, 1) wave mode. Finally, a magnetostrictive transducer array was developed for damage detection in small diameter and thick wall tubes. Through a virtual focusing array imaging algorithm, intensity images were constructed, which can show both the location and size of damage.