The natural gas industry is an important energy supply industry, in which the storage and transportation of liquefied natural gas is an essential link. How to ensure the safety of natural gas transmission pipelines is also an issue that often attracts attention. As a new type of testing equipment, can the pulse eddy current detector become a mainstream testing equipment in the natural gas industry?
1.Background introduction
In the natural gas industry, pipeline liquefied natural gas storage and transportation usually adopt double-shell thermal insulation. The inner area of the pipe shell is relatively small, while the outer area of the pipe shell is relatively large. Pipelines are used to transport ultra-low temperature liquefied natural gas, with temperatures usually below -160°C. Due to the long-term operation of transportation pipelines, various corrosion or damage will occur, and the safe operation of pipelines has become a core issue in practical applications.
2.Principle of pulse eddy current detector
The principle of eddy current detection is that under the electromagnetic field, eddy currents are generated due to changes in the conductor, and these eddy current changes are detected to determine the properties of the object being measured. The pulse eddy current detector uses a new method to detect damage to liquefied natural gas pipelines by performing scanning eddy current testing on the surface of the pipeline.
3.Inspection of the application effect of pulse eddy current detector in the natural gas industry
At present, domestic and foreign technology companies are developing eddy current non-destructive testing technology, and the corresponding applications of pulsed eddy current detectors are becoming more and more widespread. For example, in a natural gas branch in Guangdong, pulse eddy current detectors were used to conduct more than 20 pipeline damage tests. All results were accurate and the detection results were better than other detection equipment. In addition, the company used an eddy current detector to test special natural gas valves, and the results also proved to be very effective.
4.Advantages and disadvantages of pulse eddy current detector
Compared with traditional eddy current testing technology, the advantage of the pulse eddy current detector is that it can detect various damage conditions of the pipeline through the detection of the surface layer. Moreover, its detection speed is fast, its accuracy is high, its real-time performance is strong, and it also has the advantage of not requiring pipeline outage. However, its shortcomings are also obvious, such as the detection range is relatively small and it can only detect the surface condition of the pipeline, etc.
5.Market prospects of pulse eddy current detectors
In the future, pulsed eddy current detectors can be used in important equipment and industrial manufacturing fields such as pipeline liquefied natural gas storage and transportation, large petroleum/chemical equipment, aircraft parts, and high-speed trains in many natural gas industries. The market prospects of pulsed eddy current detectors cannot be ignored.
6.Thoughts and prospects
As a new type of testing equipment, the pulse eddy current detector has been widely used in the natural gas industry. In the future, with the improvement of technology and optimization of performance, the pulse eddy current detector is expected to become one of the mainstream testing equipment in the natural gas industry, achieving optimal process management, thereby improving the technological level, safety and stability of the natural gas industry.
In short, the application prospects of pulsed eddy current detectors in the natural gas industry are bright. Through continuous technological innovation and application practice, it is believed that pulsed eddy current detectors will have wider applications and better performance in the future.
