AN ASSET TO INSPECT

HOW TO INSPECT SPHERE TANKS?

LPG Sphere Tanks Integrity

SHELL PLATES
• HSR AUT Corrosion Mapping
• RAT / UT with A-SCAN

AUT Scan

EXTERNAL INSPECTION
INSPECTION OVER INSULATION
• Pulsed Eddy Current
• Digital RT
• Acoustic Emission
PAUT Scan

INTERNAL INSPECTION
• Visual Test (VT)
• Penetrant Test (PT)
• Magnetic Test (MT)

UT Grid Scan

SUPPORTS INSPECTION
• Pulsed Eddy Current
• Guided Wave

Welds & Surface Defects

• PT & MT Tests Acoustic Emission

Thermal Imaging ECT Scan MT Test PT Scan LRUT Test

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Spherical LPG Tanks Inspection

Spheres are typically used to store ambient temperature liquids and
pressurized gases such as ammonia, propylene, LPG, butadiene, etc.

The LPG spherical tank is a fixed-pressure vessel at

normal temperature, with a single-layer tank structure,
dedicated to storing liquefied petroleum gas, using
steel plates for the vessel, with excellent performance,
safety, and reliability. The spherical tank is quite
important to the storage and production process. It can
be eroded by the internal medium, and may defects
such as corrosion, cracks, holes in the walls and welds.

For these reasons, inspection of LPG tanks is very

important. Also, Inspection is a necessary means to
ensure the safe operation of the spherical tank.
WRITER Inspection is mainly conducted to identify wear and
Onur ÖZUTKU tear, and corrosion around components such as vessel
M a ster's D eg ree M ech a n ica l E n g in eer connections, welded nozzles and seams, and areas near
to welds, external controls, or fittings, and so on.
A n k ara,T u rk ey

B orn in A nkara,T urkey in 1987, been

living in T urkey/H atay for m any years.
G rad u ated fro m A k d en iz U niversity in
2010 as a M echanical E ngineer, and in
2012 com pleted m aster's degree in heat
transfer & fluid m echanics at M ustafa
K em al U niversity. B een w o rk in g as a
m echanical engineer in the sector for 13
years. W orked in the field of production
and m anufacturing fo r th e first 3 y ears o f
his profession, and then for 2 years w orked
in project-based m aintenance -rep air an d
capacity increase w o rk s in O il & L P G
term inals. B een w o rk in g at M ilan g az fo r
the last 8 years. B een w o rk in g as L P G
O perations E ngineer for 5 years and as
L P G T erm inal M anager for 3 years .

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Spherical Tanks Internal Inspection

Unless justified by a RBI assessment, the period between internal or on-stream
inspections shall not exceed one half the remaining life of the LPG vessel or 10
years, whichever is less.

LPG Tanks are designed to store LPG gas.

Leaks or failure in tanks may lead to major PREPARATION
accident on site. Inspection is done to
identify this failures and leaks in LPG
tank. Inspection involves measurements
Internal Inspection
and testing. The inspection is done on non-
destructive basis. To improve quality
REQUIREMENTS
control inspection is most important. Internal inspections require the tank to be
Inspection also ensures the safety or empty so that the internals of the tank can
reliability of structures. During inspection be checked to ensure that there is no
it is necessary to do inspection using corrosion, wastage, or damage due to the
proper steps. contents of the tanks. The thickness of the
internal walls is also measured to test
structural integrity.

To inspect the tank internally, the tank

should be decommissioned, and an
atmosphere should be created in which an
inspection expert can work with safely.

These processes are generally called Gas

free, but itself is not enough for safety.

In addition, there must be sufficient

oxygen and no toxic vapors or substances
inside.

Furthermore, there should be sufficient

lighting inside the tank so that the
inspection expert can visually inspect the
welds with naked eye.

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Conventional NDT used for internal Inspection!

Most common methods are Visual Testing, Magnetic Particle Testing, Penetrant Testing,
Ultrasonic Testing, Radiographic Testing and Eddy Current. In these tests, defects such as
corrosion, cracks, decrease in wall thickness or gaps in internal structures are identified in ferritic
and austenitic steels, aluminum alloys, nickel, copper and titanium alloys during production or
usage. Non-destructive testing methods can change depending on the procedure, size, thickness,
and structure of the material.

Visual Inspection.
VT is the fastest and cheapest method of Non-destructive
testing. It’s the first step of every inspection before any
other Non-destructive test starts. When performing visual
test with naked eye, equipment such as magnifying glass,
light source, borescope, and mirror can also be used.

The condition of the surface is important to detect

discontinuities such as cracks, porosities, and undercuts.
Required cleanings must be finished before visual testing
starts. surface cleaning is very important.

Visual Testing is perhaps the oldest and most widely used

inspection technique. Often the eyes of the inspector are
the only “equipment” used for the inspection. Visual
İnspection is applicable to virtually any material, at any
stage of manufacture, at any point in its service life. To
perform a successful direct visual examination, adequate
lighting and good inspector eyesight is required.

VT seems like an easy method, but it has its own inspection

terms, and the experience of the staff is important. Test
should be performed under enough light, minimum 500 lux,
with an angle not lower than 30° and the distance between
eye and the surface shouldn’t be less than 300 mm.

Ultrasonic Testing Magnetic Testing Penetrant Testing Radiography Testing

Random RT X-ray or gamma ray
Wall Thickness & Metal MT is essentially a surface- PT is a method to detect
radiography may be used. The
Loses measurements using type examination, although surface-connected defects. It selection of the method should be
UT Thickness Gauges some imperfections just below is important to have a clean dependent upon its adaptability to
includes A-scan feature to the surface are detectable. and smooth surface. After work being radiographed. When
able to detect corrosion This type of examination is mechanical, chemical random radiography of welds is
failure and display reading specified by the engineering
limited to materials which can precleaning the surface must
in Digital & A-scan view. design, it should be done on the
be magnetized (hence it is not be dry and any dirt such as number of welds designated. The
appropriate for austenitic rust, oil, or paint should be engineering design shall specify
stainless steels). An area to cleaned from the surface as it the extent to which each examined
be examined by magnetic will affect the process. The weld should be radiographed.
particle examination can be biggest advantage of this Random radiography may also be
used for examination of piping
completely examined or method is it has no
components such as a valve or
examined on a random restrictions about the fitting to any extent specified by
sampling basis, as specified. material. the engineering design.

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Advanced NDT used for internal & external Inspection!

Most common methods are Phased Array UT, Automatic UT Corrosion Mapping, Acoustic Emission,
Pulsed Eddy Current, Short Range guided wave. In these tests, you will have a permanent record and
digital report for corrosion assessment. Defects such as corrosion, cracks, decrease in wall thickness
or gaps in internal structures are identified in ferritic and austenitic steels, aluminum alloys, nickel,
copper and titanium alloys during production or usage. Non-destructive testing methods can change
depending on the procedure, size, thickness, and structure of the object need to inspect.

Ultrasonic Thickness Grids Measurement

U T G rid scan w ith sp ot d igital read in g & A -scan .
An ultrasonic thickness gauge works by precisely measuring how long it takes
for a sound pulse that has been generated by a small probe called an
ultrasonic transducer to travel through a test piece and reflect from the inside
surface or far wall. From this measurement, the thickness of the test piece is
calculated and displayed on a digital screen. The portability of the testing
equipment allows for on-site inspection and results are instant. If a problem
has been detected by the technique, additional non-destructive testing
methods can be used to further investigate the findings.

Manual point thickness measurements using conventional ultrasound (UT) is a

widely used technique for monitoring corrosion in many infrastructure
applications. Depending upon the nature of the corrosion (e.g., localized,
versus generalized and pitting), an inspector typically records the minimum
thickness reading within a small area (usually 1 in.2). This however can lead
to inconclusive inspection data due to minimal coverage of large areas,
operator variability, lack of pitting or localized corrosion detection, and
inadequate data reporting and analysis.

A u tom atic U T M ap p in g P h ased A rray U T Pulsed Eddy Current Acoustic Emission

Ultrasonic technique using Inspect large surface areas Inspection over Insulation to
powered scanners. quickly with high resolution. determine the condition of When a material with defects is
pipes and monitor corrosion. subjected to mechanical stress or
AUT is using mechanical scanners Inspect large surface areas quickly
with high resolution. Typically, a load, it releases energy. This
with magnetic wheels to only PEC technology does not require
adhering purposes to locate thickness reading is performed energy travels in the shape of
direct contact with a test object nor high-frequency stress waves.
inherent defects within a given every 1 mm2, which represents 500
specific surface cleaning, making
material. AUT is the term used to more sample points than These waves or fluctuations are
inspection fast and easy even at
describe corrosion mapping conventional ultrasound. This high obtained with the utilization of
high temperatures and on offshore
inspections, pulse-echo weld resolution makes it possible to
detect small, localized indications,
wells. Inspections can be sensors which in turn transforms
inspection, Phased Array and Time conducted, and corrosion can be
of Flight Diffraction. such as corrosion pits, and it the energy into voltage. This
monitored during operation to allow voltage is electronically
enables the operator to profile the
for planned maintenance and
Typical Automated Corrosion shape of the corroded area.
repairs to be scheduled and carried
overstated with the utilization of
mapping systems can inspect 20-30 out at times optimal for your timing circuits and later refined
sq. meters per standard workday. Intuitive and affordable phased
business. as acoustic emission signal data.
The benefit of using the automated array instruments are now
imaging systems allows a picture commercially available. These
Pulsed Eddy Current readings AE refers to the generation of
(C-Scan Image) quickly identifies devices are easy to setup so users
conducted many times at the same transient elastic waves produced
any significant reduction in wall can record and archive data for
location can be reliably reproduced
thickness. These automated further analysis. Easy-to-read by a sudden redistribution of
regardless of casing, coatings, or
corrosion mapping scans can then images make interpreting stress in a material. When a
insulation. PEC technology
be superimposed into development acquisition data straightforward.
The data can then be used to
provides results with a plus/minus structure is subject to an
drawings of equipment and 10% accuracy for corrosion
accurately indicate location of perform corrosion assessments external stimulus (change in
detection and a plus/minus 0.2% pressure, load, or temperature),
problem regions. The images on according to ASME B31G and other
accuracy rate for corrosion
this page show some significant applicable standards.
monitoring. Moreover, Pulsed Eddy
localized sources trigger the
problems detected from field Current inspections can be release of energy, in the form of
inspections. Multiplexing, sometimes called an stress waves, which propagate to
successfully and easily carried out
electronic or linear scan, is used to
perform corrosion monitoring. The
at temperatures ranging from -100° the surface and are recorded by
Automated Corrosion Mapping C to 500° C (-150°F to 932°F).
Ultrasonic scans of materials, uses sensor consists of a long-phased sensors. With the right
a range of colors to represent the array probe, 25 –100 mm (1 – 4 in.) equipment and setup, motions on
Pulsed Eddy Current technology is
thickness range of part being with between 32 and 128 elements. the order of picometers (10 – 12
based on electromagnetics and
inspected, typically blue colors are A small group of elements, defined m) can be identified. Sources of
provides average wall thickness
used to represent nominal wall as the active aperture, is activated
to generate an ultrasonic beam
values over the probe footprint AE vary from natural events like
thickness with orange and red area. It measures and compares the
colors used to indicate significant propagating normal to the interface. earthquakes and rock bursts
This group of elements is then percentage variation in average melting, twining, and phase
wall reduction. wall thickness throughout an
indexed using electronic
object. Pulsed Eddy Current can be
transformations in metals. In
Mapping of pipelines for follow up multiplexing, creating a true composites, matrix cracking and
effectively applied for corrosion
of Smart Pig surveys and Long- physical movement of the ultrasonic fiber breakage and debonding
detection and monitoring on pipes
Range UT (LRUT) programs allows beam under the array with an index
as small as 1 mm (0.040”). The
and vessels made of carbon steel or contribute to acoustic emissions.
accurate assessment of localized low-alloy steel without contacting
areas of concern. Due to the speed electronic indexing is performed so AE’s have also been measured
the steel surface itself. PEC and recorded in polymers, wood,
of modern systems considerable fast that a 4-inch (100 mm) line
technology allows measurements to
coverage can be completed daily. If length is covered by the ultrasonic and concrete, among other
be made through insulation,
you have a critical system and you beams in milliseconds. The travel materials.
concrete, or corrosion barriers.
require 100% coverage for process time of these beams is used to
determine the component’s
Need more, read Edition# 3
reliability, then this is the solution
you require. thickness at each acquisition point.

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Spherical Tanks Supports Inspection

Many foundation structures in refineries such as skirts of process columns and the
supports of spherical storage tanks are covered with a layer of fireproofing for safety
reasons. Small cracks or holes in fireproofing may cause ingress of water, resulting in
corrosion underneath the covering. The deterioration process cannot be detected by
Visual Inspection alone. Failing to adequate condition monitoring tools, the deterioration
process may eventually cause the foundation to collapse with disastrous results.

Corrosion Under Fireproofing (CUF) is nothing

different than Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI).
Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC)
Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) is an advanced
electromagnetic inspection technology
used in detecting flaws and corrosion in
ferrous materials typically hidden under
layers of coating, fireproofing, or
insulation.

Why Pulsed Eddy Current for Corrosion

Under Insulation & Fireproofing?
• N o need to rem ove insulation, cladding,
asbestos, firep ro o fin g , co n crete, co ating over
test m aterials, thus elim inating the operating
asset’s do w n tim e.
• P E C T can be applied at high tem peratures up to
550°C of m etal under insulation.
• M easurem ent accuracy of ± 1 0 % o f m easu red
w all thickness
• P E C testing can be perform ed on insulated
layers up to 250m m thick.
• T est over corrosion scabs or blisters. N o need of
surface preparation thus cost saving for the
plant ow ner
• P E C is an Inservice inspection w hich is not
affected b y flo w o f flu id s w ith in th e subject
equipm en t, th u s no sh u td o w n req u ired .
• B attery pow ered instrum ent, thus perfect for
rem o te lo catio n s.
• P E C is a fast-screening tool.

Standards guiding PEC Inspection

ISO 20669

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