Many types of pressure vessels are used in refining, and chemical and gas processing.  Coke drums and many types of reactors can be inspected without personnel entry using our LaserScan™/Video system.   This system combines a visual inspection with laser profilometry to identify and characterize anomalies (such as bulges) in the inside walls of vessels.  Anomalies are investigated more closely with the video system, and often can reveal cracking at the bulges visually.  A tensioned cable system is used to center both the laser scanner and the video system within the vessel, allowing for precise positioning, which in turn makes this technique repeatable.  The precise repeatability attribute is key to monitoring localized degradation over time, and increasing probabilities of detection from one inspection to another.

The system is typically used on vertically-oriented vessels, but has been used on horizontally-oriented vessels and flanged reactors.  For these horizontal applications, the centering cable is buttressed for stability, and the software is adjusted to account for minor deflection in the horizontal cable – the same positioning precision is obtained as with the vertical system.

The LaserScan™ system incorporates a visualization tool, LaserView™, that produces color contour maps that clearly indicate the location, size, shape and severity of anomalies.  The system also produces profiles and polar and severity charts of individual anomalies.  The results obtained by this system are extremely easy to understand.

External surfaces of pressure vessels, including both welds and base material, may be inspected using our Phased Array Advanced Ultrasonic tool.  Typically this is employed following a LaserScan™/Video inspection, for closer investigation of detected bulges and other anomalies (e.g. cracking), and for a highly detailed inspection of welds.  This tool is used to characterize flaws in the material, in particular crack depth relative to wall thickness thus providing a basis for integrity assessment and finger print for future condition monitoring.

For further information about Pressure Vessels, please contact us.