2 research outputs found
Fatigue Crack Length Sizing Using a Novel Flexible Eddy Current Sensor Array
The eddy current probe, which is flexible, array typed, highly sensitive and capable of quantitative inspection is one practical requirement in nondestructive testing and also a research hotspot. A novel flexible planar eddy current sensor array for the inspection of microcrack presentation in critical parts of airplanes is developed in this paper. Both exciting and sensing coils are etched on polyimide films using a flexible printed circuit board technique, thus conforming the sensor to complex geometric structures. In order to serve the needs of condition-based maintenance (CBM), the proposed sensor array is comprised of 64 elements. Its spatial resolution is only 0.8 mm, and it is not only sensitive to shallow microcracks, but also capable of sizing the length of fatigue cracks. The details and advantages of our sensor design are introduced. The working principal and the crack responses are analyzed by finite element simulation, with which a crack length sizing algorithm is proposed. Experiments based on standard specimens are implemented to verify the validity of our simulation and the efficiency of the crack length sizing algorithm. Experimental results show that the sensor array is sensitive to microcracks, and is capable of crack length sizing with an accuracy within ±0.2 mm
Investigation of wireless power transfer-based eddy current non-destructive testing and evaluation
PhD ThesisEddy current testing (ECT) is a non-contact inspection widely used as non-destructive
testing and evaluation (NDT&E) of pipeline and rail lines due to its high sensitivity to surface
and subsurface defects, cheap operating cost, tolerance to harsh environments, and capability
of a customisable probe for complex geometric surfaces. However, the remote field of
transmitter-receiver (Tx-Rx) ECT depends on the Tx-Rx coils gap, orientation, and lift-off
distance, despite each coil responding to the effect of sample parameters according to its liftoff distance. They bring challenges to accurate defect detection and characterisation by
weakening the ECT probe’s transfer response, affecting sensitivity to the defect, distorting the
amplitude of the extracted features, and responding with fewer feature points at non-efficient
energy transfer. Therefore, this study proposed a magnetically-coupled resonant wireless power
transfer (WPT)-based ECT (WPTECT) concept to build the relationship between Tx-Rx coil at
maximum energy transfer response, including shifting and splitting (resonance) frequency
behaviour.
The proposed WPTECT system was investigated in three different studies viz., (1)
investigated the multiple resonance point features for detection and characterisation of slots on
two different aluminium samples using a series-series (SS) topology of WPTECT; (2) mapped
and scanned pipeline with a natural dent defect using a flexible printed coil (FPC) array probe
based on the parallel-parallel (PP) topology of WPTECT; and (3) evaluated five different
WPTECT topologies for optimal response and extracted features and characterised entire
parameters of inclined angular Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) cracks in a rail-line material via
an optimised topology. Multiple feature extraction, selection, and fusion were evaluated for the
defect profile and compared in the study, unattainable by other ECT methods.
The first study's contribution investigated multiple resonances and principal component
analysis (PCA) features of the transfer response from scanning (eight) slots on two aluminium
samples. The results have shown the potential of the multiple features for slot depth and width
characterisation and demonstrated that the eddy-current density is highest at two points
proportionate to the slot width. The second study's contribution provided a larger area scanning
capability in a single probe amenable to complex geometrical structures like curvature surfaces.
Among the extracted individual and fused features for defect reconstruction, the multi-layer
feed-forward Deep learning-based multiple feature fusion has better 3D defect reconstruction,
whilst the second resonances feature provided better local information than the first one for
investigating pipeline dent area. The third study's contribution optimised WPTECT topology
for multiple feature points capability and its optimal features extraction at the desired lift-off
conditions. The PP and combined PP and SS (PS-PS) WPTECT topologies responded with
multiple resonances compared to the other three topologies, with single resonance, under the
same experimental situation. However, the extracted features from PS-PS topology provided
the lowest sensitivity to lift-off distances and reconstructed depth, width, and inclined angle of
RCF cracks with a maximum correlation, R2
-value of 96.4%, 93.1%, and 79.1%, respectively,
and root-mean-square-error of 0.05mm, 0.08mm, and 6.60
, respectively.
The demonstrated magnetically-coupled resonant WPTECT Tx-Rx probe characterised
defects in oil and gas pipelines and rail lines through multiple features for multiple parameters
information. Further work can investigate the phase of the transfer response as expected to offer
robust features for material characterisation. The WPTECT system can be miniaturised using
WPT IC chips as portable systems to characterise multiple layers parameters. It can further
evaluate the thickness and gap between two concentric conductive tubes; pressure tube
encircled by calandria tube in nuclear reactor fuel channels.PTDF Nigeri