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High Temperature Pipe Structural Health Monitoring System utilising Phased Array probes on TOFD configuration

Objective

Uncertainties in the calculation of the lifetime of superheated steam pipes in power plants that contain a minor defect create situations with potentially catastrophic results, typically costing €120 million per event. Superheated steam pipes are periodically inspected and depending on their defects sizes they may be replaced after a lifetime assessment has been performed. Common errors in defect sizing create dangerous situations as size underestimation will result in a pipe prone to failure. Inetec and Enkon, often face this difficult issue when performing inspections for their customers, thus the need for a frequent in-service and accurate monitoring of defects on pipes was identified.
The final goal of the HotPhasedArray project is the development of a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system for superheated steam pipes. The expected benefits of the project are:
• Increased safety in electrical production power plants;
• Elimination of catastrophic accidents from superheated steam pipe failures;
• Decrease of the required shut-down time for inspection purposes;
• Projected Return on Investment of 101:1 from system sales and operator savings; and Increase in confidence in the operational safety of thermal power and nuclear energy plants.

Call for proposal

FP7-SME-2013
See other projects for this call

Coordinator

INETEC-INSTITUT ZA NUKLEARNU TEHNOLOGIJU DRUSTVO S OGRANICENOM ODGOVORNOSCU ZA ISTRAZIVACKO RAZVOJNE I KONSULTING USLUGE, PROIZVODNJU I TRGOVINU
EU contribution
€ 223 731,93
Address
DOLENICA 28 LUCKO
10 250 ZAGREB
Croatia

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Region
Hrvatska Grad Zagreb Grad Zagreb
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Administrative Contact
Martina Fabijan (Ms.)
Links
Total cost
No data

Participants (7)