150M grant for developing a complex NDT system of critical pipeline parts
A new site equipped with experimental means of non-destructive testing should appear at Tomsk Vakhrushev Electromechanical Plant (TEMZ) in the framework of a joint project with Tomsk Polytechnic University. It is supported by the Federal Target Program R&D for Priority Areas of the Development of S&T Complex of Russia for 2014-2020. All necessary equipment for testing spatially complex shaped parts of pipeline fittings, including specially created import-substituting facilities, will be assembled at the site. In particular, it comes to the housing of axial valves. Photo: A laboratory stand for X-ray imaging The project supervisor, head of the School of Non-Destructive Testing & Security Dmitry Sednev says: ‘A global aim of the work is to decrease the percentage of defects at such critical production to the figures achieved by leading companies in this area. Axial surge and control valves are critical items because they protect a compressor against overloads and ensure its smooth operation while sustaining huge pressure drops. The biggest valves are up to 1.2 m in diameter; the most common diameter is of 300-700 mm. A missed defect in such item may cause a leakage, in the worst case it causes the destruction of the item and the failure of the gas pipeline.’ TEMZ specialists are working on the infrastructure of the site, TPU researchers are in charge of testing equipment of the project. The ‘heart’ of the site will comprise CNC machines producing items. TPU researchers are going to place NDT facilities in three directions around them: X-ray, ultrasonic and optical ones. ‘Currently, X-ray testing is the main method for testing complex shaped objects, so it is required in any case. In the market, there is no equipment that meets all requirements of our industrial partner. Thus, we have to create a new flaw detector based on betatron (ed. – an electro