ARTiS - Reformer Tube Inspection

TCR has indigenously developed an automated robotic crawler to aid ultrasonic inspection of reformer tubes. It provides tabular and interactive digital output. The 1st point on every tube is referred at the bottom of the tube, climbing up to 14 meters height and provides tube data at every 0.1-meter distance. The ARTiS can simultaneously collect tube data such as ultrasonic dB level of attenuation, the diameter of the tube and bowing angle at every location. An interactive, graphical user interface is part of the digital report along with a conventional hardcopy printed in a tabular format.

Few of the key advantages of using ARTiS:

• The method follows a similar technique of manual ultrasound coupling making it an industry-wide proven technique of inspection
• A macro-level view of the overall tube condition in the reformer is also reported, emphasizing troublesome areas/corner of the furnace if any
• The outcome of inspection work becomes more systematic and traceable with point-wise reading on each tube for ultrasound attenuation and creep strain
• It avoids the need for scaffolding, saves total tube inspection time and helps to achieve a reduction in shutdown time of the plant
• Automation deploys limited water source for coupling and nearly eliminates the need for overhead water drum arrangement, which overcomes additional issues related to drum filling, vacuum water clogging, etc.