KR100814089B1 - An Apparatus For Detecting Butt Joint of Pipe Using Parallel Connected Transducers And Method Thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a pipe joint fusion unit inspection apparatus using a transducer parallel connection method, a pipe joint fusion unit inspection apparatus using a probe parallel connection method, disposed so as to face the pipe joint fusion unit, m ultrasonic oscillator furnace A phased array scheme having h scan channels configured and configured to sequentially activate h deactivated ultrasound generators of m ultrasound oscillators, the first and second transducers transmitting and receiving ultrasound signals into the tube; A transducer body for supplying power to the first and second transducers and generating an ultrasound image based on the ultrasonic signals received by the first and second transducers, the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first transducer and the first 2 m-n + 1 (n is a natural number of m + 1 or less) of the transducer and wired in parallel Characterized in that the activating or deactivating.

Ultrasound, NDT, inspection, flaw detection, PE pipe, welded joint, parallel

Description

Apparatus For Detecting Butt Joint of Pipe Using Parallel Connected Transducers And Method Thereof}

1 is a view showing the principle of performing a non-destructive testing by using a phased array ultrasonic inspection equipment.

2 is a view illustrating a method for inspecting a pipe joint fusion unit using a conventional ultrasonic phase inspection apparatus.

3 is a view showing a method for inspecting a pipe joint fusion using a conventional TOFD method.

4 is a view showing the arrangement and wiring of the ultrasonic oscillator by the transducer parallel connection method according to the present invention.

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of connection between the first and second transducers and the switch box.

6 is a diagram illustrating a method for inspecting a pipe joint fusion using a probe parallel connection method.

<Description of the major reference numerals>

10: transducer

20: ultrasonic oscillator

30: wedge

40: PE pipe

50: welded pipe joint

60: ultrasonic

70: wiring

80: switch box

90: Flaw

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for ultrasonically inspecting jointed joints, and more particularly, by simultaneously connecting the ultrasonic oscillators in parallel so that two transducers of a phased array are symmetrical and simultaneously activating the jointed joint without a separate system. An ultrasonic inspection apparatus and method for enabling accurate inspection are provided.

In general, non-destructive inspection method is called an inspection method that can repair defects or control quality by accurately diagnosing defects, safety, and lifespan without disassembling or destroying structures or products.

Ultrasonic Test (NLT) method is a method to detect surface and internal defects by sending high frequency ultrasonic waves to the subject, which is useful for the metallographic examination, and there is no problem in the safety management of the operator. There is an advantage that can be judged to be widely used.

The ultrasonic flaw detection method first fires an ultrasonic pulse into the subject, and if there is a defect in the traveling direction of the ultrasonic pulse, the ultrasonic wave reflected from the interface is received and analyzed by the ultrasonic probe, along with the loss of energy. You can find out.

There are various types of flaw detection methods using ultrasonic waves, but in recent years, a phased array method has been widely used. This phased array method applies the principle of Huygens, which generates small wavefronts independently and superimposes or interferes with each of them to form the entire wave surface.

In the phased array method, when several micro oscillators constituting one channel are arranged in a predetermined shape and direction to transmit ultrasonic waves into a medium, the wave front of the entire ultrasonic waves is adjusted in a desired direction by adjusting the oscillation time of each micro ultrasonic oscillator. To focus the ultrasound on a specific area.

The phased array method has an advantage that the direction of the ultrasonic wave is controlled without a separate driving device and the focusing is performed whenever the ultrasonic wave is transmitted and received, and thus the signal-to-noise ratio is greatly improved, and thus it is widely used in medical or non-destructive inspection fields.

On the other hand, polyethylene (PE) pipes are corrosion resistant and are not corroded under the influence of salt or water, are chemically stable, and are economical when installed with flexibility, impact resistance, and cold resistance. It is widely used for gas piping.

Since polyethylene (PE) pipes transport explosive gases, it is very important to prevent the leakage of gas in advance by periodically or aperiodically inspecting them during construction and after construction. ) It is very important to ensure safety by inspecting at the time of construction.

Recently, many attempts have been made to check for defects in pipe joints using ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

In the case of using the ultrasonic wave inspection apparatus of the phased array method in the case of having an inclination angle, such as a pipe joint fusion portion, there is a problem that it is difficult to inspect the presence of an accurate defect. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

1 is a view showing the principle of performing a non-destructive inspection by using a phased array ultrasonic inspection equipment, Figure 2 is a pipe joint fusion unit of the PE pipe 400 using a conventional phased array ultrasonic inspection equipment ( 500 is a diagram illustrating a method of inspecting 500.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the phased array method, h ultrasonic oscillators 200-1 of a plurality of ultrasonic oscillators 200 inside the transducer 100 are driven with a predetermined phase difference (time difference) to generate ultrasonic waves at a point. Receives ultrasonic waves reflected from the focused point by focusing, and adjusts the depth of the focusing point to form a scan line, and then repeats the operation of forming a scan line while moving the driving ultrasonic oscillator 200 one by one. Create an internal image.

This phase arrangement method is a very suitable method for inspecting the defect in the horizontal direction of the tube as shown in FIG. 1, but inspects the defect in the vertical direction of the tube like the pipe joint fusion unit 500 of the PE tube 400 as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, accurate inspection is difficult.

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That is, the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the h ultrasonic wave oscillators 200-1 proceed to the h ultrasonic wave oscillators 200-3 of the other side which are not activated by being reflected by the boundary surface and the surface of the pipe joint fusion splicing part 500.

Therefore, since the ultrasonic oscillator 200-3 in the inactive state is not supplied with power, it is impossible to receive the ultrasonic wave, and thus there is a high probability that the ultrasonic oscillator 200-3 may not be detected even though the pipe joint fusion unit 500 is defective.

3 is a view showing a method for inspecting a pipe joint fusion using a conventional TOFD method.

As shown in FIG. 3, a time of flight diffraction (TOFD) method is widely used in ultrasonic inspection in an inclined state in addition to the conventional phased array method. In the TOFD method, ultrasonic waves transmitted from the outgoing probe 100 are diffracted at both ends (sharp portions) of the defective part 700 of the pipe joint fusion part 500 to be received at the receiving probe 100 'so that the inside of the pipe is inspected. In this way, the depth of the tube, the diffraction angle of the ultrasonic wave, and the like are calculated to determine the distance between the two transducers 100 and 100 '.

The path of the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmitting probe 100 to the receiving probe 100 'is determined by the surface wave ①, the diffraction components (②, ③) caused by both ends of the defect portion 700, and the bottom reflection wave ④. Four components arrive with a time difference, and among them, the time difference is calculated to extract and analyze the diffraction components (2, 3) by the defect unit 700 to detect the presence of a defect.

However, since the TOFD method uses two single probes, it is difficult to accurately interpret the signal. In particular, when the defect part 700 is formed to be inclined, the diffraction phenomenon of the ultrasonic wave is severely generated and the ultrasonic wave that hit the defect part 700 is accurately received. Many cases do not face the transducer 100 '.

In addition, the TOFD method is not a method of scanning while moving a focal point like a phased array method, so a separate position tracker is required to implement an image.

Therefore, there is an increasing demand for a method that can solve the above problems and accurately inspect the presence or absence of defects in the pipe joints while using a phased array ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to realize the precise inspection and flaw detection image of the pipe joint fusion while using the phased array method by simultaneously activating the two phase-aligned transducers in parallel It is to provide an ultrasonic inspection apparatus and a method for enabling this.

According to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, in the pipe joint fusion unit inspection apparatus using a probe parallel connection method, it is disposed to face the pipe joint fusion unit, is composed of m ultrasonic oscillators A phased array method having h scan channels in which successive h ultrasound oscillators of m ultrasound oscillators are simultaneously activated or deactivated, the first and second transducers transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal into the tube, and And a transducer body for supplying power to the first and second transducers and generating an ultrasound image based on the ultrasonic signals received by the first and second transducers, the nth ultrasonic oscillator and the second transducer of the first transducer. M-n + 1 (n is a natural number of m + 1 or less) by simultaneously connecting the second ultrasonic oscillator in parallel The pipe joint welding inspection apparatus using the probe parallel connection, comprising a step of disabling is provided.

Here, it is preferable that the m ultrasonic oscillators can both transmit and receive ultrasonic waves.

Moreover, it is more preferable that the said inclination angle is 45 degrees.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a phased array transducer having m scan channels composed of m ultrasound oscillators and h consecutive ultrasound generators of m ultrasound oscillators are simultaneously activated or deactivated is connected in parallel. A method of inspecting a seam fusion, wherein a first and a second transducer are disposed to face the tube seam fusion, wherein n-th ultrasonic oscillator of the first probe and m-n + 1 (n of the second probe) Is a natural number of m + 1 or less) is connected to the parallel ultrasonic connection is activated or deactivated at the same time to provide a pipe joint fusion test method using a probe parallel connection method characterized in that scanning the pipe joint fusion.

Here, the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first transducer receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the first transducer and the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the m-n + first ultrasonic oscillator of the second transducer, and the nth ultrasonic wave of the second transducer The oscillator preferably receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the oscillator and the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the m-n + first ultrasonic oscillator of the first probe.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings will be described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a view showing the arrangement and wiring of the ultrasonic oscillator by the transducer parallel connection method according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the first and second transducers 10 include a total of m ultrasonic transducers 20 (96 in the drawing), and a series of h ultrasonic transducers 20 among the m ultrasonic oscillators 20 ( In this embodiment, 16 ultrasound oscillators 20 are simultaneously activated and have h scan channels through which scans are performed. At this time, by controlling the oscillation time of the h ultrasonic oscillators 20 that are activated at the same time can adjust the wavefront of the entire ultrasonic wave in the desired direction to focus the ultrasonic wave to a specific site, it is possible to adjust the direction of the ultrasonic waves, The scan line is formed while moving. A method of acquiring a scan image using a phased array ultrasonic transducer is disclosed in detail in the applicant's registered patent No. 10-543736. Here, the number and the number of channels of the ultrasonic wave oscillator 20 is selected according to the specification, the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to the number of the ultrasonic wave oscillator 20 and the number of channels.

In this embodiment, the n th ultrasonic oscillator 20 of the first transducer 10 and the m-n + 1 (n is a natural number of m + 1 or less) th ultrasonic oscillator 20 'of the second transducer 10'. Is wired in parallel and electrically connected to the switch box 80, and a pair of ultrasonic oscillators 20 and 20 'connected in parallel by the switch box 80 are simultaneously activated or deactivated.

For example, assuming that m = 96 and h = 16, the number 1 of the first transducer 10 and the number 96 'of the second transducer 10', the number 2 of the first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 95 'of (10'), ... ultrasonic transducers of both transducers (10, 10 ') in the same manner as # 96 of the first transducer (10) and 1' of the second transducer (10 ') 20, 20 'are wired in a parallel manner.

Thus, for example, when the first to sixteenth ultrasonic oscillators 20 of the first transducer 10 operate with a predetermined time difference, the ultrasonic oscillators 20 'to 81' to 96 'of the second transducer 10' are operated. ) Works simultaneously.

Therefore, when the ultrasonic transducers 1 to 16 of the first transducer 10 are driven by the switch box 80 to form a scan line and scan the inside of the tube, 81 of the second transducer 10 ′ is applied. '~ 96' ultrasonic oscillator 20 is driven at the same time to form a scan line to inspect the inside of the tube.

The ultrasonic oscillators 20 and 20 'of each transducer 10 and 10' have a structure capable of both transmitting and receiving, and thus, the first transducer 10 to the first transducer 10 and the first transducer to the first transducer 10 in one scan line. The ultrasonic probe 10 of the second transducer 10 ′, the second transducer 10 ′ in the second transducer 10 ′ and the first transducer 10 ′ in the second transducer 10 ′ is performed at 10). This will be described again with reference to the drawings of FIG. 6.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of connection between the first and second transducers 10 and 10 'and the switch box 80. As shown in FIG.

The first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 ′ are connected to the switch box 80 in such a way that the adapters 75, 75 ′ are connected to the adapter portions 85, 85 ′ of the switch box 80. . This structure is intended to use an existing transducer without making a new transducer. When the first and second transducers 10 and 10 'are connected to the switch box 80, the inside of the switch box 80 is used. In the above, the first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 ′ have a wiring structure for parallel connection in the same manner as described above. According to another embodiment, it is also possible to connect the first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 'with the switch box 80 while being connected in parallel.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of inspecting a pipe joint fusion unit 50 using a probe parallel connection method.

As shown in FIG. 6, after the wedges 30, 30 ′ are formed on the PE pipe 40 to form a 45 degree inclined surface, the transducers 10, 10 ′ on the wedges 30, 30 ′. ) Is mounted.

Wedges (30, 30 ') is made of an acrylic material that can be ultrasonically well progressed, the oscillator array portion of the transducers (10, 10'), that is, the portion in contact with the wedge (30) during flaw detection Is in the form of a long rectangle and moves along with the wedge 30 is made of flaw detection. The wedge 30 may be fixed to or detached from the transducer 10.

The inclined surface of the wedge 30 is m-n + 1 (n is m + 1 or less) of the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 'with respect to the pipe joint fusion joint 50. Natural number) The first transducer is preferably set to be in a symmetrical position with each other, and is set to 45 ° in this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, the sixteen ultrasonic oscillators 21 activated among the ultrasonic oscillators 20 of the first transducer 10 are echo signals generated by the ultrasonic waves echoed by the defect unit 90. ③) and ultrasonic waves generated by the 16 ultrasonic oscillators 23 activated among the ultrasonic oscillators 20 'of the second transducer 10' are diffracted at the end of the defect 900 and receive the diffraction component ②. Receive.

Similarly, the 16 channels 23 activated among the ultrasonic oscillators 20 'of the second transducer 10' include a signal (Echo Pulse, ④) in which the ultrasonic waves generated by the second transducer 10 'are reflected at the defect unit 90 and the first transducer. The ultrasonic wave generated in the activated 16 channels 21 among the ultrasonic wave oscillators 20 of 10 is diffracted at the end of the defect portion 90 to receive the diffraction component ① received.

Since the sixteen ultrasonic oscillators 21 of the first transducer 10 and the sixteen ultrasonic oscillators 23 corresponding to the sixteen ultrasonic oscillators 21 are simultaneously activated in the second transducer 10 ′, the ultrasonic inspection apparatus main body ( The four signal components are all input, and the sum of the four signal components is a signal detected in one scan line, and a scan image is generated based on the four signal components. In addition, since the first transducer 10 and the second transducer 10 'are symmetrically arranged and the two transducers 10 and 10' are wired in parallel, the image is symmetrical with respect to the center when generating the scan image. Ultrasonic examination is for determining the presence of defects, so it does not matter that the image is symmetrical. Rather, since a composite component of four signals is drawn in one scan image generation, more precise inspection is possible.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when an ultrasound scan is performed by driving 16 channels once, a plurality of inspections are performed. In particular, since ultrasound is difficult to predict in which direction the diffraction occurs, it is difficult to predict in which direction When the signal is received at the advancing angle of, it is possible to increase the probability of capturing the reflected ultrasound.

Therefore, according to the present invention, by setting the inclination angle of the wedge portion 30 precisely, the two transducers 10 and 10 'are disposed symmetrically with respect to the pipe joint fusion portion 50, and the two transducers ( 10 and 10 'are connected in parallel, the ultrasonic oscillators 20 and 20' disposed in symmetrical positions are simultaneously activated to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, so that defects in the pipe joint fusion unit 50 can be accurately detected.

Although the PE tube 40 is mainly illustrated in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is applicable to all cases of inspecting defects using ultrasonic waves on the inclined surface, and moreover, the method of testing joints of various tubes. Naturally, such a range is included in the technical spirit of the present invention.

According to the present invention as described above, by providing two phase-aligned transducers connected in parallel at the same time to provide an ultrasonic inspection apparatus and method for enabling accurate inspection and flaw detection image while using the phased array method. can do.

Although the present invention has been described in connection with the above-mentioned preferred embodiments, it is possible to make various modifications or variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the appended claims will cover such modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the invention.

Claims (5)

In the pipe joint fusion unit inspection device using a parallel connection method of the probe, A phased array method having a plurality of scan channels arranged to face the pipe joint fusion part and configured of m ultrasound oscillators and of which h ultrasound oscillators are continuously activated or deactivated simultaneously among m ultrasound oscillators, the inside of the tube A first transducer and a second transducer for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal, and a probe for supplying power to the first and second transducers and generating an ultrasound image based on the ultrasonic signals received from the first and second transducers. Including the body, Parallel connection of the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first transducer and the m-n + 1 (n is a natural number of m + 1 or less) of the second transducer in parallel by connecting and activating or deactivating at the same time Pipe joint welding device using a connection method. The method of claim 1, The m ultrasonic oscillator is a pipe joint fusion unit inspection apparatus using a transducer parallel connection method, characterized in that both ultrasonic transmission and reception possible. The method of claim 1, The inclination angle of the pipe joint fusion unit using a probe parallel connection method, characterized in that 45 °. In a method of inspecting a pipe joint fusion by connecting a phased array transducer in parallel having m scan channels composed of m ultrasonic oscillators and h consecutive ultrasonic transducers of m ultrasonic oscillators are simultaneously activated or deactivated. The first and second transducers are disposed to face the pipe joint fusion part, and the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first probe and the m-n + 1 (n is a natural number less than or equal to m + 1) of the second probe An ultrasonic oscillator is connected in parallel and simultaneously activated or deactivated to scan the pipe joint fusion joint. The method of claim 4, wherein The nth ultrasonic oscillator of the first transducer receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the first transducer and the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the m-n + 1st ultrasonic oscillator of the second transducer, and the nth ultrasonic oscillator of the second transducer Method for inspecting the joint joint fusion using a parallel connection method of the transducer characterized in that it receives the echo signal of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the transmitter and the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the m-n + first ultrasonic oscillator of the first probe.

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