In-Pipe Manipulator for Non-Destructive Examination of ID 75-110 Pipes

Abstract

Plants are constantly challenged when trying to examine hard-to-reach areas. Execution of inspections during outages, where time pressure is an issue, calls for rapid performance without compromising precision and reliability. Inside NDE of primary piping especially for smaller diameters requires dedicated solutions.Combining long-term experience in remote-operated crawlers with expert knowledge in non-destructive examination (NDE) Framatome provides various technologies for inspection of hardly accessible areas. In-pipe manipulators have several advantages for flexible application in vertical or horizontal piping including elbows.The paper will give an overview on the present in-pipe manipulator development for pipe ID 75 to 110 mm. Focus is on the capabilities and features for visual inspection (VT), eddy-current (ECT) and ultrasonic testing (UT) as well as result assessment.