Inspection of suspect roofs
Asset utilization and optimization strategies are pushing operators to extend the service life of storage tanks as much as possible. As a result, some structures show signs of weakness, especially roofs, which are a source of sometimes fatal accidents for operators. Yet technical solutions do exist.
Customer challenges
Even today, inspectors still go directly onto roofs to carry out spot ultrasonic thickness measurements. Since these measurements are few in number, they often lack representativeness, which does not reassure the operator.
In addition, spot measurements do not always provide an ultrasonic signal display (A-scan), which means the value of the measurement point cannot always be validated with confidence, especially when the area is degraded, which is often the case on tank roofs.
A double constraint for the operator
Production teams face difficulties in making certain tanks available for inspection or maintenance needs. In the best case, this amounts to only a few days of availability each year.
Changes in HSE practices and regulations are pushing operators to evolve their intervention techniques — this is especially true when they have experienced serious accidents or fatalities linked to interventions on “weak” roofs.
Solution: the UT_Pole
All of these considerations led our client, a petrochemical industrial operator, to consult us to inspect suspect tank roofs on its high-threshold SEVESO site.
ROBOPLANET deploys UT_Pole, a telescopic pole that enables automated ultrasonic thickness measurement. Quick to install and capable of deployment up to 12 m, the operator remains within collective protection systems while carrying out the inspection.
Maximum safety. This operating method is highly reassuring for both the operator and the asset owner, who benefits from a much lighter HSE preparation workload and lower exposure to the potential risks of the intervention.
UT_Pole performs continuous thickness measurement (B-scan, at least 1 measurement/cm), providing a more reliable and more representative assessment of the roof’s condition. This gives the inspector a higher probability of identifying area corrosion.
The delivered B-scan report gives the client a clear thickness profile of the tank roof. Thousands of points are summarized and ready to be used by maintenance teams.
Degraded surfaces? Foam, layered corrosion, roughness, deposits of material such as soil, fungi, or dust can interfere with the ultrasonic wave path. That is why we developed a complementary surface preparation tool to improve measurement quality.
Results
Our client received a much more detailed report on the roof condition, under optimal safety conditions for the operator, all in just 2 hours on site.
2 hours, 4,000 measurement points, zero presence on the roof — UT_Pole secures the inspection of suspect roofs without compromising data quality.
Need to inspect a suspect roof?
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