Selection of Test Parameters

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 Ideal Test Conditions

• Single wave mode generated

• No Dispersion

• Single test direction

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 General Dispersion Curves (Vp)
Phase velocity dispersion curves can be easily recognised as at their frequency cut off
the (Vp) tends toward infinity. This graph displays the variation of phase velocity (Vp)
over frequency (f). Phase velocity (Vp) is the apparent speed of any point of constant
phase inside the pulse.

12” - 9.53mm WT

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 General Dispersion Curves (Vg)
Group velocity dispersion curves can be easily recognised as at their frequency cut off
the (Vg) tends toward zero. This graph displays the variation of group velocity (Vg) over
frequency (f). Group velocity (Vg) is the apparent speed of the pulse.

12” - 9.53mm WT

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 Effect of Diameter:
Lower frequency limit for L(0,2)

50

45

40

35
Cut off frequency, kHz

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Pipe Diameter, inches

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 Effect of thickness:
Upper frequency limit for L(0,2)
Upper cut-off frequency for L(0,2) Testing

180

160

140

120
Frequency, kHz

100

80

60

40

20

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pipe thickness, mm

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 Upper cut off frequency for T(0,1) mode

180.0
160.0
140.0
Frequency kHz

120.0
100.0
80.0
60.0
40.0
20.0
0.0
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
Thickness mm

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Effect of Frequency and Ring Spacing on L(0,2) Output

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Effect of frequency and Ring Spacing on T(0,1) output

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Selection criteria for T(0,1) testing

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Output Conditions on Pulse Shape

Good

Poor

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Effect of thickness on L(0,1) suppression

120

100 30mm spacing

Frequency, kHz

80

60 46mm
spacing
40

20

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Pipe thickness, mm

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Combined effects on L(0,2) test conditions
selection

120

100 30mm spacing

Frequency, kHz

80
46mm spacing
60
Upper cut off frequency
40
Upper Optimum Frequency

20
Lower Optimum Frequency

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Pipe thickness, mm

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Selection criteria for L(0,2) testing

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 Example

We are inspecting a 12” pipe with a wall thickness of 14.27mm.

What would you consider the most appropriate ring spacing for
this pipe when using the Longitudinal wave mode?

30mm

46mm

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