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Leak detection in steam pipework
Author(s) -
Lyon R.,
Holt A.,
Wilson B.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
strain
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.477
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1475-1305
pISSN - 0039-2103
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-1305.2000.tb01165.x
Subject(s) - welding , leak , cracking , leak detection , piping , nondestructive testing , nuclear engineering , materials science , forensic engineering , structural engineering , engineering , mechanical engineering , composite material , medicine , environmental engineering , radiology
A large number of power stations worldwide contain steam pipework where welded joints can be susceptible to circumferential cracking close to or in the heat affected zone between the weld metal and the parent material. On occasions, cracks have grown significantly around the circumference of the welds and have penetrated through the pipework wall to produce small leaks. Although these leaks were detected before significant damage could occur, there is concern that violent failures could occur from undetected cracks. At present the problem is contained by conducting rigorous but selective NDT at each shutdown on a representative sample of the critical welds. However, numbers of steam leaks have been successfully reduced, but it has not proved possible to eliminate them completely. Consequently, there remains a need to detect, and respond to those leaks which do occur as quickly as possible. A programme of work was commissioned to investigate leak detection systems with the aim of devising a suitable system for power station use.