In 2009 Doctor Yuwu Yu and Hoan Nguyen worked on prototypes of the new TT probe. This patent pending technique employs exciter coils on one side of a pipe and a detector array on the other. The device (photo) is manually scanned down a pipe to detect “Corrosion Under Insulation” (CUI) on insulated pipes and internal pitting on bare pipes.
The device connects to a standard 16 channel Ferroscope and produces colour contour plots of the scanned area, showing thin spots. The NRC contract is to adapt this technique to allow use of a Blanket of sensors which will produce a colour plot of the pipe under the blanket. Blankets are anticipated to come in sizes similar to radiographic film, and will be a stand-alone system, communicating directly to a remote or connected lap-top computer. The three photos show the Flat Bottom Holes in the pipe, the TT probe on the insulated pipe and the Ferroscope data from those FBH’s.