Textual note taken from Eddyfi Technologies on August 30, 2024
As the demand for energy rises, the power generation industry is evolving, leading to the development of larger and more complex rotor shafts, particularly in next-generation nuclear power plants. These plants require significantly larger forged components than previous designs, posing challenges for both manufacturing and inspection. Only a few forges worldwide are equipped to produce these components and ensuring their quality and public safety is paramount.
Eddyfi Technologies has addressed this challenge by introducing a semi-flexible 2D array probe designed to overcome the limitations of conventional ultrasonic testing (UT) methods. Traditional UT probes often struggle with inadequate signal-to-noise ratios, particularly when inspecting larger components with longer sound paths. This is due to the smaller active surface of standard probes, which limits the amount of acoustic energy transmitted and results in a broader divergence of the acoustic beam.
The semi-flexible 2D array probe developed by Eddyfi Technologies features a larger active aperture, allowing more acoustic energy to interact with the reflector, thereby improving the inspection process. Additionally, the use of phased array UT technology enables the focusing and steering of the acoustic beam at various depths, which is essential for inspecting turbine rotors with different-sized sections. This innovative probe design has been validated through trials, demonstrating superior performance and a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio compared to conventional UT probes.
Eddyfi Technologies UltraVision® Classic software further enhances the inspection process by providing tools for designing probes, performing acoustic simulations, and analyzing data in real-time. This comprehensive solution streamlines the inspection of large rotor forgings, ensuring compliance with industry standards and reducing overall inspection time.
For more information, contact our team of friendly experts who can offer advice for your next inspection campaign. And make sure to subscribe to our blog to stay Beyond Current!
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Source: Eddyfi Technologies
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