Operating Procedure OPN-037 Rev.

1
NDT Department February 7, 2005
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MAGNETIC FLUX LEAKAGE INSPECTION

OPERATING PROCEDURE REF: OPN 037

Prepared By: Verified By: Approved By:

 Operating Procedure OPN-037 Rev.1
NDT Department February 7, 2005
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1. Scope

This procedure describes the requirements for conducting Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) inspection of Bulk
Liquid Storage Tank Floors using Silverwing MFL 2000, Floormap 2000, or Handscan systems. It is
suitable for the inspection of floors made of mild steel up to 20 mm thick including floors with non-magnetic
coatings up to 6 mm thick (see limitations). Maximum coating thickness through the MFL technique can be
allowed is 6.0 mm.

2. Limitations

The sensitivity of the above systems varies with increasing floor thickness; refer to the specific system's
operating manual for limits. Similarly there are limitations to the maximum thickness of coating through
which satisfactory inspection can be carried out as floor thickness increases.
In Mapping Mode the Floormap 2000 system is only suitable for floors up to 12.5 mm thick; above this
thickness the system shall be used in Manual Mode.
As with all inspection methods the effectiveness of inspection is affected by the cleanliness and
preparation of the floor. In particular, magnetic debris and weld spatter can lead to false indications.
Each of the systems has a physical limit to the proximity to lap welds and shell to annular welds that can
be achieved. There is also a square in each corner of a floor plate that cannot be inspected. The relevant
dimensions of the untested areas are defined in the systems' operating manual.

The untested areas mentioned above are to be inspected using ultrasonic unless otherwise instructed.

3. Definitions

Manual Mode This refers to the use of the MFL 2000, or to the Floormap 2000 system when
used without the computer data acquisition.

Mapping Mode This refers to the Floormap 2000 system used in data acquisition mode.
Handscan This refers to the use of the Handscan system used to scan under obstructions
such as pipe-work and for the inspection in the shell to annular weld region as
well as the scanning of complete plates in small Tanks.
Calibration plate Calibration plates mean those plates defined by the relevant Silverwing
engineering drawings shown in the operating manual for the specific system.
The calibration plate used shall be of the same thickness as the floor to be
inspected.
Coating simulation plate A non-magnetic sheet of the same thickness as the coating that is placed
over the calibration plate during the calibration process. The simulation
plate is not required for coatings less than 1 mm in thickness.
Threshold level In Manual Mode the threshold controls determine the minimum depth of
under floor pitting that will be detected. The higher the threshold value, the
deeper the pit must be for detection.

Auto-stop In Manual Mode an auto-stop facility can be selected. This causes the motor
to stop when a signal above the current threshold is encountered. Scanning
cannot be resumed until the Reset button is operated.
Shell The wall of the tank.
Annular plates Plates around the periphery of the tank that are welded to the shell and
overlap the floor plates. Annular plates are often thicker than the floor plates.
Sketch plates Plates around the periphery of the tank, welded to the shell and are
overlapped by the floor plates. Sketch plates are usually the same thickness
as the floor plates.
 Operating Procedure OPN-037 Rev.1
NDT Department February 7, 2005
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Floor plates The main part of the floor. Floor plates are mostly rectangular.
Manway The access point for inspection.
Sump A depression in the floor to collect water etc. The sump cannot normally be inspected using MFL.

Tank datum An imaginary point outside the tank from which the orientation of the plate layout, man-ways and
roof access stairways can be defined. By convention the tank datum is usually the South West
corner of a square containing the tank.

Plate reference The corner of the plate from which corrosion indications are measured and usually the corner
from which scanning is commenced.
Plate orientation Plates are defined as 'vertical' or 'horizontal' with respect to the tank datum.
Row number The plates are considered to be in rows numbered from North to south with respect to the
tank datum.
Plate number The plates in each row are numbered from West to East with respect to the tank datum.
Reporting Level A percentage loss or minimum remaining wall thickness value agreed with the client.
Pitting equal to or above this value shall be included in the report

4. Prerequisites

Before commencing a tank floor inspection with the MFL 2000, the operator should ensure
the following information is available: -
a) Floor plate and annular plate thickness.
b) Floor coating thickness and coating material.
c) General condition of the top surface for cleanliness and pitting.
d) Presence of heater coils or other obstruction
e) Minimum pit depth to be detected (as a percentage of floor thickness).
f) Floor plate numbering system to be used.
g) Name and contact details of client's site representative.
h) Safety requirements (breathing apparatus, hot work permit system etc).

5. Equipment Required

a) MFL system - (MFL 2000, Floormap 2000 and/or Handscan).

b) Appropriate calibration plate as defined in clause 3 above.
c) Appropriate coating simulation plate as defined in clause 3 above.
d) A-scan Ultrasonic flaw detector and probe for confirmation checks.
e) Approved lighting system.
f) Approved generator for lights.
g) Coveralls, Hardhats and safety footwear.
h) Approved Breathing apparatus if required.
i) Other safety equipment as may be required by the contract.

6. Personnel

The inspection team leader shall be a person who has attended a Silverwing course of instruction on the system
to be used. The team leader shall carry out the calibration and shall remain in attendance during scanning.

The individual carrying out the Ultrasonic cross checking shall be trained and certified to a minimum of ASNT
Level 1 in the use of A-scan equipment for thickness measurement.

All personnel involved in the inspection shall have attended appropriate safety training including confined space
and breathing apparatus training where relevant.
 Operating Procedure OPN-037 Rev.1
NDT Department February 7, 2005
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7. Preparation

a) The tank floor shall be clean and free from product residue or ferromagnetic scale. If necessary
loose debris shall be swept away from a plate before scanning. The presence of pools of water
shall be avoided otherwise damage to the sensors may take place. Complete bottom plates,
including annular plates of the inside of the tank must be clean and free of any foreign particle. It
is not always necessary to grit blast the floor in order to carry out a satisfactory MFL inspection.

b) The team leader shall ensure that appropriate work permits have been issued, that the required safety
personnel are in position and that the client's site representative is aware of the times that the team
shall be in the tank.

c) Adequate lighting shall be installed and positioned for the inspection.

d) The floor plates and annular plates shall be numbered in accordance with the agreed numbering
system using a suitable paint marker. In mapping mode the numbering system shall always be in
accordance with the Floormap 2000 operating manual.

e) The team leader shall conduct a visual examination of the floor to assess the cleanliness and
degree of top surface corrosion present. If the surface condition for either of the above reasons is
considered to reduce the sensitivity of the inspection, the leader shall draw this to the attention of
the client's site representative. The depth and size of the external pits shall be measured and
recorded by any acceptable method, which are observed during the visual inspection.

f) If the floor is coated, particularly if the coating is other than paint, the team leader shall try to
establish whether the coating was applied when the floor was new or to cover top surface
corrosion at a later stage.

g) Calibration of the system using the appropriate calibration and coating simulation shall be carried
out on a non-magnetic substrate outside the tank. If this is not possible then the calibration plate
must be raised above a magnetic substrate by packing with wood at least 50 mm thick.

8. Calibration

Calibration shall be carried out using a calibration plate of appropriate thickness in conjunction
with a coating simulation plate where necessary in accordance with the definitions in clause 3
above. Reference should also be made to the relevant operating manual.
8.1 Manual Mode

a) Switch on the unit and allow to 'warm up' for a period of 10 minutes
b) Ensure the plate thickness selector switch is set to the correct position
c) Ensure the sensor head height is correct.
d) Set the threshold to approximately 15 and scan over the desired artificial pit (normally the 40%
pit), checking that the appropriate LED's turn red and the unit stops automatically.
e) Re-set the system and adjust the threshold either up or down until, rescan the artificial pits, until
the desired percentage material loss threshold is obtained. The system is sometimes slightly
more sensitive in one direction than the other. The unit can be considered calibrated when it just
finds the desired material loss, on the calibration plate, in one direction but not the other.
f) At the end of each scan during calibration the unit shall be turned through 180 degrees and the
subsequent scan made in the opposite direction. This is to avoid building up a residual magnetic
field in the plate that may prevent accurate calibration of the system.
8.2 Mapping Mode

Calibration of the Floormap 2000 system in mapping mode shall be carried out in accordance with
the operating manual section "Computer Inspection Mode" Clause 3 "System calibration"
Calibrations for plates of various thicknesses may be stored and re-called for use on site. Such
calibrations should be rechecked as soon as practicable after an inspection. If there is significant
change in calibration values on re-checking, the inspection shall be repeated.
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NDT Department February 7, 2005
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8.3 Handscan

a) Switch unit "On" by pressing the On/Off switch.

b) Check that the battery state indicator is in the 'Green' sector.
c) Ensure the sensor head height is correctly set for the plate thickness to be scanned as described in the
Adjustments section of the operating manual
d) Connect the scanning head leads to the Handscan unit as described in the operating manual
e) Allow the unit to warm up and stabilize for 10 minutes.
f) Select the correct thickness range for the plate to be tested, using the selector switch as defined in the operating
manual.
g) Place the scanning head onto a defect free region of the calibration plate, ensuring that the handle is in the
jacked position and fingers are away from the magnet carriage and wheels. Lower the front wheels onto the
plate by means of the jacking handle ensuring fingers are clear of the scanning head.
h) Scan over the desired artificial pit (normally the 40% pit), adjust the threshold control until the appropriate LED's
turn red. [See clause 10.3 a) below].
i) Re-scan the artificial pits, until the desired percentage material loss threshold is obtained. The system is sometimes
slightly more sensitive in one direction than the other. The unit can be considered calibrated when it just finds the
desired material loss, on the calibration plate, in one direction but not the other.
j) At the end of each scan during calibration the unit shall be turned through 180 degrees and the subsequent scan made
in the opposite direction. This is to avoid building up a residual magnetic field in the plate that may prevent accurate
calibration of the system.

9. Entering the tank

Due to the extremely strong magnet and the normally restricted entry man ways, care must be taken when placing
the unit in the tank to avoid fingers and or any other extremities being trapped between the magnet and the tank
wall. It requires two people to put the MFL 2000 or Floor map 2000 in the tank.

The first, inside the tank, leans out of the man way and lifts the unit by the handles at top of the chassis/handle
assembly. The second person lifts the front of the unit by the handles in front of the drive wheels. If the man way is
very narrow, the left-hand handle will unscrew to assist with access.

The chassis/handle assembly is passed through the man way in the horizontal position and the rear rollers should
be positioned to rest on the bottom of the man way.

The rear rollers should then be carefully placed on the tank floor. When putting down the unit inside the tank, be
aware that as the magnet approaches the floor, the attractive force increases. Ensure that no obstructions or
human limbs are between the magnet and the floor as it is put down.

The person holding the handles at the top of the scanner should slowly allow the front rollers of the magnet carriage
to come into contact with the floor.

10. Scanning
Reference should also be made to the operating manual for the relevant system.
10.1 Manual Mode

a) Scanning of the floor plates shall be performed with the auto-stop system enabled.
b) The floor shall be scanned plate-by-plate following the designated numbering system for the
floor.
c) Rectangular plates shall be scanned using a raster scanning pattern and sketch plates using
the most convenient uni-directional pattern
d) Each plate shall be scanned along the longitudinal axis starting at the intersection of a
longitudinal and transverse weld.
e) At the end of the scan, the motor wheels shall be raised and the scanner hand propelled so
that the motor wheels can cross the weld without giving a shock load to the magnet system.
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NDT Department February 7, 2005
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The scan is completed as the front rollers of the magnet carriage reaches, but does not cross, the
transverse weld.
°
f) With the drive wheels raised the unit is manoeuvred through 180 to begin the next scan. The
effective scan width is 300 mm for the plate thickness below 8 mm and 250 mm for plate
thickness above 8 mm.
g) Adjacent scans shall be overlapped by 25 mm to ensure complete coverage.

h) A transverse scan shall be performed at each end of the plate to improve coverage.
i) The design of the magnet carriage allows coverage up to the 'lap welds' when inspecting the
thinner plates up to 10 mm thick. However on thicker plates coverage is only to within 30 mm.
j) It is not possible to get closer than 60 mm adjacent to the shell to annular weld. These areas
cannot be inspected by the MFL technique.
-Initially these inaccessible areas shall be thoroughly inspected by visual method.
-Manual ultrasonic scanning using A scan technique shall be carried out on these areas.
-These inaccessible areas shall be thoroughly checked and thickness measurements shall be done at
several locations and recorded.
k) The Handscan system shall be used to cover the un-inspected areas mentioned in clauses h)
and j) above.

10.2 Mapping Mode

I) The Handscan system shall be used to inspect areas under pipes and heater coils that
are inaccessible to the MFL 2000 or Floormap 2000

a) The inspection shall be carried out in accordance with the Floormap 2000 operating
manual section "Computer Inspection Mode", Clause 4 "Inspection Mode"
b) Scanning of the floor plates shall be performed with the plate selector switch in the "FM"
position this also disables the Autostop system.
c) The floor shall be scanned plate-by-plate following the designated numbering system for
the floor.
d) Rectangular plates shall be scanned using a raster scanning pattern and sketch plates
using the most convenient uni-directional pattern
e) Each plate shall be scanned along the longitudinal axis starting at the intersection of a
longitudinal and transverse weld.
f) At the end of the scan, the motor wheels shall be raised and the scanner hand propelled
so that the motor wheels can cross the weld without giving a shock load to the magnet
system. The scan is completed as the front rollers of the magnet carriage reaches, but
does not cross, the transverse weld.
°
g) With the drive wheels raised the unit is manoeuvred through 180 to begin the next scan.
h) The effective scan width, overlap and coverage are defined in the Floormap 2000
operating manual section Fundamentals and Definitions", Clause 6 "Plate Coverage".
i) The Handscan system shall be used to cover the un-inspected areas defined in clause h)
above.
j) The Handscan system shall be used to inspect areas under pipes and heater coils that
are inaccessible to the Floormap 2000.
10.3 Handscan

a) The scanning head can be pushed, or pulled over the area to be inspected and steering
around a curved path is usually easier when pulling. Because there may be a difference
in sensitivity associated with the scanning direction, calibration shall be carried out in the
same direction as the intended scanning direction.
b) When Handscan is to be the main inspection tool, the floor shall be scanned plate-by-
plate following the designated numbering system for the floor.
c) When Handscan is used to cover areas that are not accessible to the MFL 2000 or
Floormap 2000, the most convenient scanning path to suit the area or obstruction shall
be used.
d) The design of the Handscan scanning head is such that it is able to detect pitting close to
the edge of the head. This means that it covers up to the toe of welds. However there will
be a 100 mm square in each corner of a plate that is inaccessible to Handscan as well as
to the MFL 2000 and Floormap 2000 systems. These areas shall be inspected using the
Ultrasonic method.
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NDT Department February 7, 2005
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11. Detection and Confirmation

11.1 Manual Mode

a) When a pit signal above the threshold value is encountered, the Autostop function operates and the
scanner stops leaving the relevant sensor channel LED's illuminated.

b) The operator shall note the illuminated channel numbers and locate the corresponding channel numbers
marked at the rear of the magnet bridge The floor shall be paint marked with a spot at the centre of the
relevant channels and in line with the back of the rear rollers.

c) After pressing the scanner reset button the scanner shall be moved clear of the paint mark and a rectangle
drawn in paint around the spot marked in b) above. The rectangle shall be at least the width of the distance
between the first and last noted channels and shall extend at least 50 mm in front and behind the marked
spot.

d) The scanner shall be returned to the position at which it stopped, drawn back 100 mm and the scan
resumed.

e) The rectangular marked areas shall be examined by Ultrasonics and the position and depth of the located
pits recorded.
11.2 Mapping Mode

a) Data about the location and depth of all pitting are stored in the computer Data Acquisition Software.
However in order to check that the system calibration and inspection modes are functioning properly a
limited amount of cross checking shall be carried out as detailed below

b) At the end of each scan the software indicates the position and depth of the largest pit detected along that
track. Initially, the largest indication above 20% loss shall be identified, marked and checked by
Ultrasonics. This shall be repeated at random until at least one indication (if one exists) in the bands 20 -
40%, 40 - 60%, 60 - 80% and above 80% have been cross-checked.

c) If all of the results of b) above show a discrepancy of more than 10% of the Floormap value, the system
shall be re-calibrated and the plates re-scanned. d) If only one of the bands shows a discrepancy of more
than 10%, more indications in that band shall be cross-checked to establish whether the earlier indication
was false. If indications in a particular band are consistently miss sized, the inspection shall be halted until
the cause has be identified and rectified.

11.3 Handscan

a) When an indication above the threshold value is encountered there is an audible signal and one or more of
the six LED's is illuminated. The operator shall note which LED's illuminate

b) The scanner is then moved backwards and forwards over the affected area until the operator considers the
centre of the sensor head to be over the detected pit. The longitudinal centre line of the sensor array shall then
be paint marked on the plate and the scanning head moved away from the area.

c) The channels that have illuminated shall then be marked with short paint lines transverse to the line in

d) above. Left-hand LED indicators display defects found on the left hand half of the scanning head and right-
hand indicators for the right hand half.

e) Ultrasonic examination shall be carried out across the width of the affected half and for 50 mm in front and
behind the line in b) above and the position and depth of the located pits recorded.

f) Manual Ultrasonic scanning using A scan equipment shall be carried out at selected locations to confirm
the findings of the MFL inspection technique. These cross checks shall be carried out on areas revealed as
“no noticeable corrosion”, “heavy” and “moderate corrosion” areas found in MFL inspection.
 Operating Procedure OPN-037 Rev.1
NDT Department February 7, 2005
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12. Reporting

The report shall include a drawing of the floor plan showing the Tank Datum, plate and annular
numbering system and the position of man ways, sumps, Pipe work and obstructions.

The co-ordinates of all pitting equal to or greater than the reporting level for each plate together
with the percentage loss or remaining wall thickness shall be shown on a diagram for each
affected plate. In mapping mode this information is generated automatically and displayed in
colour coded pixels. Results from areas that have been inspected by Handscan and Ultrasonics
shall be inserted manually into the Mapping Mode results.

A detailed computerized report showing the total plan view of the bottom plates which includes
annular plates, with each plate enlarged subsequently. The report shall clearly show the
thickness reduction by means of various contrasting colours marked on each plate, which shall
detail the plate number and the thickness reduction locations.

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