REMOTE FIELD EDDY CURRENT

TESTING

Participant Manual

SKILL GROUP
15
Level
3

MATERIAL ENGINEERING &

INSPECTION
PROGRAMME ID

ISSUE DATE
29 Nov 2004
VERSION
1.0

All RIGHTS RESERVED

This material may not be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from
PETRONAS Management Training Sdn. Bhd.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Page
1.0

Introduction..................................................................................................1
Figure 1: MultiScan MS5800 acquisition unit by R/D Tech..........................1

2.0

Principle of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing.............................1

Figure 2: Typical Probe Orientation.............................................................2

3.0

Typical Scan Image of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing...........3

Figure 3: Voltage Plane curves used for sizing wall loss.............................3

4.0

Applications of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing.......................4

Figure 4: Inspection of boiler tubes..............................................................4
Figure 5: Inspection of buried pipelines using a flexible remote field probe.4

5.0

Advantages of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing.......................5

6.0

Limitations of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing.........................5

Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

REMOTE FIELD EDDY CURRENT (RFEC) TESTING
1.0 Introduction
Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing is an electromagnetic inspection
technique that is primary used for the wall thickness inspection of ferromagnetic
pipes through the use of an internal probe, consisting of a pair of exciter coil and
detector. When the exciter coil is subjected to a sinusoidal alternating current, it
generates eddy currents, which in turn also generates their own magnetic fields. Any
change in these magnetic fields sensed by the detector would indicate the presence
of defects in the test pipe. Due to the insensitivity of this method to pitting effects,
RFEC is only applicable to detect for general wall losses. An example of RFEC
testing equipment is the MultiScan MS5800 acquisition unit by R/D Tech. It can be
used in the detection of wall losses in boilers, buried pipes, and carbon steel heat
exchangers. It has up to 4 different frequencies with real time mixes.

Figure 1: MultiScan MS5800 acquisition unit by R/D Tech

2.0 Principle of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing
An example of a RFEC probe is illustrated in Figure 2. It consists of an exciter coil
and a detector coil at a distance between each other, approximately twice the inner
diameter of the tube [distance = 2D]. The probe is passed through the tube which
shall be inspected. The exciter coil is fed with a low frequency sinusoidal alternating
current and this exciter current creates an electromagnetic field around the exciter
coil.

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Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

The energy of the electromagnetic field spreads out in axial direction inside the tube
as well as into the tube wall. The eddy currents which are induced in the tube wall
generate a secondary field which can be measured outside the tube. This secondary
field is much weaker than the primary field directly at the exciter coil inside the tube
and has a significant phase shift. The direction of the energy flow is from tube inside
to tube outside. This area is called Near Field.
The energy slope in the Near Field in axial direction decreases very quickly because
it has to provide the energy for the induction of the eddy currents in the tube wall and
due to the effects of the opposing magnetic field generated by the eddy currents. The
slope of the secondary field at the tube outside has smaller decrease as the eddy
currents experience some conductive losses along the tube. Thus at a certain axial
distance from the exciter coil, there will be an area at which the secondary field is
stronger than the primary field, since primary field decreases quicker than secondary
field. This area is called Remote Field.
The area between Near Field and Remote Field is called Transition Zone. It is
basically a null point here when the secondary field and primary field are equal. In
this method of testing, there are 2 energy paths. On the direct coupling path, the
energy comes directly from the exciter coil and on the indirect coupling path, the
energy is passed to the tube outside and then transmitted back to the tube inside.
The region where the indirect coupling path is retransmitted back into the tube is
where the Remote Field is. If a defect is located in the tube wall on the indirect
coupling path, it can be detected by the change of the electromagnetic Remote Field.

Figure 2: Typical Probe Orientation.

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Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

3.0 Typical Scan Image of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing
The scan image (Figure 3) consists of the strip chart representation, the attenuation
spiral and the voltage plane polar plot. In the strip chart, combinations of phase,
amplitude, or log amplitude are plotted against distance along the pipe giving, an
indication of where the problems are occurring and some indication of their severity.
When short peaks are observed, this indicates the presence of defects on the test
material.
The attenuation spiral relates amplitude to phase lag. Every point on the exponential
spiral curve represents a phase lag and its corresponding amplitude. In a uniform
wall thickness, detector signals will be on or close to this curve but when there is a
change in wall thickness; the detector vector may not follow this attenuation curve.
Deviations from the attenuation spiral of defect free reference materials would
therefore indicate wall losses on the test materials.
The voltage plane is a polar plot of the detector field in which the trace of the vector
tip is recorded and accumulated as it traverses defects. Its path produces a
characteristic defect pattern or signature of the defect. When this trace intercepts
with the attenuation spiral of a defect free material, defects would be detected and its
corresponding defect vector can also be obtained from the plots.

Figure 3: Voltage Plane curves used for sizing wall loss

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Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

4.0 Applications of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing
The applications of REFC are normally for the detection of general wall losses on the
inner or outer surface of carbon steel ferromagnetic pipelines in:

Heat exchangers and pressure tubes. (Figure 4)

Water and gas distribution lines in power plants that are buried deep into the
ground with the surface of the pipes not accessible. (Figure 5)
Petrochemical industries.

Figure 4: Inspection of boiler tubes

Figure 5: Inspection of buried pipelines using a flexible remote field

probe.

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Remote Field Eddy Current Testing

5.0 Advantages of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing

Able to inspect for wall thinning and losses in pipelines that are buried deep
into the ground with their surface not accessible for the use of other testing
methods.
Highly sensitive to variations in wall thickness.
Equal sensitivities in the detection of wall losses in both the inner and outer
surfaces of a pipe.
Does not require pre-cleaning before commencing on the inspection. Hence
using this method of inspection is time and cost effective.
Allows penetration of the walls at three times the maximum frequency
possible with the conventional direct field method.

6.0 Limitations of Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) Testing

Only applicable to ferromagnetic materials such as carbon steel and nickel.

Only applicable to detect for general wall looses and is highly insensitive to
isolated pitting.
Unable to differentiate between inner or outer surface wall losses.
Magnetic materials outside of the tube being tested can greatly influence the
results of the test.
Sensitivity of results is dependant on the strength of eddy current,
permeability and electrical conductivities of test pipes.
The use of low frequency current limits the maximum speed at which the
inspection equipment can travel. This severely limits the potential uses on inline inspection.

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