volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

Eddy current (EC) inspection is used extensively in non-destructive testing (NDT) to detect surface-breaking defects of engineering components. However, the sensitivity of conventional eddy current inspection has plateaued in recent years. The ability to detect submillimetre defects before it becomes critical would allow engineering components to remain in-service safely for longer. Typically, it is required that higher frequency EC is employed to achieve a suitable sensitivity for detection of such submillimetre defects. However, that would lead to significant electromagnetic noise affecting the sensitivity of the inspection. To overcome this issue, the electrical-resonance based eddy current method has been proposed, where the electrical enhanced resonance signal increases the contrast between signal and noise, thus improving the sensitivity of the defect detection. This work aims to investigate the electrical-resonance system via simulation technology using combination of fast numerical-based simulation and circuit approach. Leveraging on this model, the detection system can be optimized by performing parameters tuning. Investigation of both experiment and simulation develops a precise calibration model for submillimeter defects detection.

1. Blitz, J., Electrical and Magnetic Methods of Non-destructive Testing, 2nd Ed., Springer-Science+Business Media Dordrecht, 1997.
doi:10.1007/978-94-011-5818-3

2. Bowler, J. R., S. J. Norton, and D. J. Harrison, "Eddy-current interaction with an ideal crack I. The forward problem," J. of Appl. Phys., Vol. 75, 8138-8144, 1994.
doi:10.1063/1.356512 Google Scholar

3. Sophian, A., G. Y. Tian, D. Taylor, and J. Rudlin, "Design of a pulsed eddy current sensor for detection of defects in aircraft lap-joints," Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, Vol. 101, No. 1-2, 92-98, 2002.
doi:10.1016/S0924-4247(02)00195-4 Google Scholar

4. Ball, D. L., "The role of nondestructive testing in aircraft damage tolerance," Materials Evaluation, Vol. 61, No. 7, 814-818, 2003. Google Scholar

5. Hashizume, H., Y. Yamada, K. Miya, S. Toda, K. Morimoto, Y. Araki, K. Satake, and N. Shimizu, "Numerical and experimental analysis of eddy current testing for a tube with cracks," IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 28, 1469-1472, 1992.
doi:10.1109/20.123973 Google Scholar

6. Thollon, F., B. Lebrun, N. Burais, and Y. Jayet, "Numerical and experimental study of eddy current probes in NDT of structures with deep flaws," NDT & E Int., Vol. 28, 97-102, 1995.
doi:10.1016/0963-8695(94)00010-H Google Scholar

7. Perrusson, G., P. Vafeas, and D. Lesselier, "Low–frequency dipolar excitation of a perfect ellipsoidal conductor," Quarterly of Applied Mathematics, Vol. 68, 513-536, 2010.
doi:10.1090/S0033-569X-2010-01171-5 Google Scholar

8. Vafeas, P., P. K. Papadopoulos, and D. Lesselier, "Electromagnetic low–frequency dipolar excitation of two metal spheres in a conductive medium," Journal of Applied Mathematics, Vol. 2012, 1-37, 2012.
doi:10.1155/2012/628261 Google Scholar

9. Bernieri, A., G. Betta, L. Ferrigno, and M. Laracca, "Crack depth estimation by using a multi-frequency ECT method," IEEE Trans. on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 62, 3, 2013.
doi:10.1109/TIM.2013.2266034 Google Scholar

10. Chady, T. and R. Sikora, "Optimization of eddy-current sensor for multifrequency systems," IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 39, 1313-1316, 2003.
doi:10.1109/TMAG.2003.810412 Google Scholar

11. Yin, W., P. J. Withers, U. Sharma, and A. J. Peyton, "Non-contact characterisation of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic using multi-frequency eddy-current sensors," IEEE Trans. on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. 62, No. 3, 2007. Google Scholar

12. Hughes, R. and S. Dixon, "Developments in near electrical resonance signal enhancement (NERSE) eddy-current methods," Progress in Quantitative NDE, Vol. 1650, 345-352l, 2015. Google Scholar

13. Hughes, R., Y. Fan, and S. Dixon, "Near electrical resonance signal enhancement (NERSE) in eddy-current crack detection," NDT & E International, Vol. 66, 82-89, 2014.
doi:10.1016/j.ndteint.2014.04.009 Google Scholar

14. Kincaid, T. G. and M. V. K. Chari, "The application of finite element method analysis to eddy current NDE," Proceedings of the ARPA/AFML Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE, July 1977–June 1978. Google Scholar

15. Miorelli, R., C. Reboud, D. Lesselier, and T. Theodoulidis, "Eddy current modeling of narrow cracks in planar-layered metal structures," IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 48, No. 10, 2551-2559, 2012.
doi:10.1109/TMAG.2012.2197403 Google Scholar

16. Bui, V. P., C. Lane, Y. L. Hor, Z. Yu, and C. E. Png, "Model-assisted NDT for sub-mm surface-breaking crack detection in alloys," 2017 XXXIInd URSI GASS, 1-4, 2017. Google Scholar

17. Burke, S. K., "Eddy-current inversion in the thin-skin limit: Determination of depth and opening for a long crack," J. of Appl. Phys., Vol. 75, 3072-3080, 1994.
doi:10.1063/1.358454 Google Scholar

18. Aldrin, J. C., et al. "Model-based inverse methods for sizing cracks of varying shape and location in bolt-hole eddy current (BHEC) inspections," AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 1706, 090020, 2016.
doi:10.1063/1.4940557 Google Scholar

19. Vafeas, P., A. Skarlatos, T. Theodoulidis, and D. Lesselier, "Semi-analytical method for the identification of inclusions by air-cored coil interaction in ferro-magnetic media," Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences, Vol. 41, 6422-6442, 2018.
doi:10.1002/mma.5168 Google Scholar

20. Chew, W. C., "Waves and fields in inhomogeneous media," IEEE Press Series in Electromagnetic Waves, IEEE Press, 1995. Google Scholar

21. Cheney, W. and D. Kincaid, Numerical Mathematics and Computing, 4th Ed., 138-141, Brooks/Cole, 1999.

22. Hor, Y. L., Y. Zhong, V. P. Bui, and C. E. Png, "Electrical resonance eddy current sensor for submillimeter defect detection," Proc. SPIE, Nondestructive Characterization and Monitoring of Advanced Materials, Aerospace, and Civil Infrastructure, 2017. Google Scholar

23. Miorelli, R., C. Reboud, T. Theodoulidis, N. Poulakis, and D. Lesselier, "Efficient modeling of ECT signal for realistic crack in layered half space," IEEE Trans. Magn., Vol. 49, No. 6, 2886-2892, 2013.
doi:10.1109/TMAG.2012.2236102 Google Scholar

Dr. Yew Li Hor

Dr. Vinod Kumar Sivaraja

Dr. Yu Zhong

Dr. Viet Phuong Bui

Dr. Christopher Lane