For those who wish to get maximum use from their Ultraprobe or those who want to learn more we invite you to attend the Level 1 Ultrasound Training Course to be held in Chester form November 15th to 19th. Course content is as follows:

Ultrasound training is designed to improve the inspector's cognitive/intellectual skills that aid in the analysis of specific situations and to provide the neccessary information to enable the inspector to make sound judgements while perfoming ultrasound inspections. Academic learning and practical applications are provided to aid the student in optomising physical movements while performing inspections. Material is covered in the class to enhance the student's ability to relate, record and report test results. By applying the knowledge from this class to the inspector's work environment, the inspector should be able to perform inspections with competence and experience increased job satisfaction.

All successful students will be issued with a framed Ultrasound Level 1 Certificate.

Development Engineering International Ltd (DEI) carries out fire pump performance testing on a significant number of offshore Oil and Gas installations in the UK sector of the North Sea, this forming part of the routine condition monitoring programme. The pumps typically are of two types, "Line Shaft" and "Electrically Submersible" (ESPs). The line shaft type consists of a diesel engine driving a pump via a 90-degree gearbox, the pump being tens of meters below the deck level, and below the surface of the sea. The ESP is an integral motor pump unit, which again is tens of meters below the deck level, and below the surface of the sea.

These tests involve measurements of flow, pressure and rotary speed across the operating range of the pumps using non-intrusive methods. These readings are then compared against the 91as built92 performance curve, and in the case of fire water pumps, is used to determine whether the unit meets the installation92s safety case. If an unacceptable level of deterioration is evident the unit is overhauled or replaced. Testing of this type has been used successfully to alleviate the need for costly routine pump overhauls and has saved operators huge sums of money over the life cycle of their production facilities.

Offshore installations use a series of isolation valves to divert the flow from the pump on test from the ring main to a test loop with an overboard dump. One of the main reasons a pump can fail a test is if the test loop and ring main isolating valves are passing. DEI has recently began testing isolating valves using the Ultraprobe 2000 to ensure that pumps are not being pulled for overhaul unnecessarily. Overhaul of an isolating valve costs significantly less for a client than a undertaking an unnecessary pump major overhaul.

Testing of the valves is planned in advance and a table produced to collect the upstream and down stream readings. For the purposes of repeatability, the 50% dial readings were recorded and converted to dB using the transfer curve supplied with the Ultraprobe. The upstream readings were noted to be lower than the downstream in all cases. No leak sounds were heard at the upstream side of any of the valves. These results can then be compared/trended with subsequent readings on a routine basis. (editors note: now the Ultraprobe 9000 and 10000 store readings, producing reports and sound wave files for easy trending).

DEI recommend that the Ultraprobe be used on all pump tests of this nature in future to monitor the condition of isolating valves so that measures can be taken during testing to eliminate valve leakage as the cause of pump performance deterioration.

Electrical systems are a well known and proven area for infrared thermography. However, to enable a thermographer to inspect electrical equipment, a direct line of sight between the object to be viewed and the thermal imaging system must be available.

A common misconception is that infrared cameras can see through objects such as electrical panels, which they cannot. Unfortunately many customers have spent substantial amounts of money on surveys which features images of panel doors and little else. On some occasions the slight increase in temperature that the camera has detected has been the reflection of the thermographers own body heat!

It is of course still worth performing a "pre-open observation" scan before opening live equipment. Do this with both an infrared and ultrasound scan. As an example, if an enclosure appears significantly hotter than other equipment on the outside or makes an ultrasonic noise (arcing, corona, etc.), don't open it, de-energize it first.

For significant heat to be detected by an infrared camera, the problem inside the cabinet could already have reached an unacceptable and dangerous level, particularly if the component is more than a couple of inches away from the panel door.

Traditionally, covers and doors protecting the equipment had to be removed to perform an infrared survey. This combined with the fact that electrical equipment must be online and on load to maximize the heat generated at a fault location creates a potentially lethal situation.

The installation of infrared windows, utilizing a infrared transmitting material allows inspection of electrical equipment without ever removing the covers or opening doors dramatically increasing safety and coverage of infrared thermography. Two types of "window" are available. The first incorporates a crystal material (for any application, high medium or low voltage, indoor or outdoor) and the second utilises an aluminium mesh which is intended for low voltage (for example 415V) indoor applications.

In the USA, infrared thermography is specified by the National Fire Protection Association as being " ..beneficial to reduce the number of costly and catastrophic equipment failures and plant shutdowns."NFPA70B, recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, (2002).

Image of a Fitted HAWK I.R. Sightglass (left), Image Taken Through HAWK I.R. Sightglass (right)

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