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Modern Corrosion Mapping of Storage Tank Bottoms—Notable Advancements in Critical Zone Coverage, Inspection Efficiency and Data Integrity



Author(s)

Andrew J. Simpson and Matthew A. Boat

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DOI:10.17265/1934-7359/2024.03.006

Eddyfi Technologies-Eddyfi UK Ltd, Clos Llyn Cwm, Swansea Enterprise Park, Swansea, SA6 8QY, UK

Every day, an NDT (Non-Destructive Testing) report will govern key decisions and inform inspection strategies that could affect the flow of millions of dollars which ultimately affects local environments and potential risk to life. There is a direct correlation between report quality and equipment capability. The more able the equipment is—in terms of efficient data gathering, signal to noise ratio, positioning, and coverage—the more actionable the report is. This results in optimal maintenance and repair strategies providing the report is clear and well presented. Furthermore, when considering tank floor storage inspection it is essential that asset owners have total confidence in inspection findings and the ensuing reports. Tank floor inspection equipment must not only be efficient and highly capable, but data sets should be traceable and integrity maintained throughout. Corrosion mapping of large surface areas such as storage tank bottoms is an inherently arduous and time-consuming process. MFL (magnetic flux leakage) based tank bottom scanners present a well-established and highly rated method for inspection. There are many benefits of using modern MFL technology to generate actionable reports. Chief among these includes efficiency of coverage while gaining valuable information regarding defect location, severity, surface origin and the extent of coverage. More recent advancements in modern MFL tank bottom scanners afford the ability to scan and record data sets at areas of the tank bottom which were previously classed as dead zones or areas not scanned due to physical restraints. An example of this includes scanning the CZ (critical zone) which is the area close to the annular to shell junction weld. Inclusion of these additional dead zones increases overall inspection coverage, quality and traceability. Inspection of the CZ areas allows engineers to quickly determine the integrity of arguably the most important area of the tank bottom. Herein we discuss notable developments in CZ coverage, inspection efficiency and data integrity that combines to deliver an actionable report. The asset owner can interrogate this report to develop pertinent and accurate maintenance and repair strategies.

Storage tank, tank bottom, CZ, MFL, stars, corrosion, corrosion-mapping, efficiency, coverage, paperless reporting, data traceability.

Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture 18 (2024) 148-153 doi: 10.17265/1934-7359/2024.03.006