Nondestructive examination of high pressure turbine cylinders
First Claim
1. A method for inspecting a cylinder component of high-pressure cylinders of steam turbines, wherein the cylinder component has an axial dimension, comprising the steps of:
- supporting a linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at an axial location along a surface of the cylinder component;
moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers axially while monitoring linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers'"'"' output to identify an axial location to be monitored;
fixing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at the axial location to be monitored;
moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially around the surface of the cylinder component at least 360°
at the axial location while noting outputs of the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers indicative of fatigue induced flaws in a wall of the cylinder component;
routing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially around the fixed axial location where a most significant flaw was noted from the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers outputs during the step of moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially; and
successively focusing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at different depths in the wall where the most significant flaw was noted to further characterize the depth and size of the flaw.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of inspecting the steam inlet sleeves on high pressure outer cylinders and the nozzle chamber to cylinder welds on the high pressure steam turbines using linear phased array ultrasonic transducers. The transducers are supported on the surface of the component to be monitored. The transducers are then move axially while monitoring the transducer'"'"'s output to identify the location to be monitored. The axial extent of the transducers are then fixed and the transducers are moved circumferentially around the surface of the component at least 360° while noting outputs of the transducers indicative of fatigue-induced flaws. The transducers are then routed to the location on the wall of the component where the most significant flaw was noted. Then the transducers are successively focused at different depths in the wall where the most significant flaw was identified to further characterize the depth and size of the flaw.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for inspecting a cylinder component of high-pressure cylinders of steam turbines, wherein the cylinder component has an axial dimension, comprising the steps of:
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supporting a linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at an axial location along a surface of the cylinder component;
moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers axially while monitoring linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers'"'"' output to identify an axial location to be monitored;
fixing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at the axial location to be monitored;
moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially around the surface of the cylinder component at least 360°
at the axial location while noting outputs of the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers indicative of fatigue induced flaws in a wall of the cylinder component;
routing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially around the fixed axial location where a most significant flaw was noted from the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers outputs during the step of moving the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers circumferentially; and
successively focusing the linear phased array of ultrasonic transducers at different depths in the wall where the most significant flaw was noted to further characterize the depth and size of the flaw. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification