Investigation of Remote Field Eddy Current Defect Detection for Pipeline Welds

Abstract

Due to the roughness and the geometry of the weld region on the pipeline, the defects detection remains as a challenge task by using Nondestructive Testing (NDT) techniques. Remote field eddy current testing (RFECT) has been applied for the detection of the deeper hidden cracks due to its significant penetrate ability. This paper investigates the feasibility study for deeper weld defects detection by using RFECT. In particular, optimizing parameters such as phase rotation and noise reduction have been conducted to enhance the detectability. The impact factor of lift-off is studied to balance the uniformity and intensity of the eddy current distribution. The results have been validated for girth weld defects detection with an extreme deep depth at 9.0 mm of the X70 Pipeline with large lift-off distance at 4.7mm.