Eddy Current Testing

• Eddy Current is a cost effective and reliable way to inspect tubing.

• Inspection of non-ferromagnetic tube and materials.

• The probe consists of 2 coils i.e Differential and Absolute.

• Condensers, feed water heaters, air conditioners, chillers, and other heat
exchangers.

• Detection and sizing of metal discontinuities such as corrosion, erosion, tube-

to tube wear, pitting, fretting, cracks, etc.

• Multi-frequency inspection with mixing and filtering capabilities.

• Data is recorded and archived which will allow you to track the corrosion rate
for each tube.
Principl Coils
AC Coils

e Coils Magnetic Field

Coils

Coils Coils

Coils Magnetic Field

Coils Magnetic Field

Eddy Currents Eddy

Magnetic Field Currents

Conducting Material Conducting Material

Phase lag:
It is the shift in time between the eddy current response from a disruption
on the surface and a disruption at some distance below the surface.

 In Radians

 In Degrees

Where:

θ=Phase Lag (Rad or Degrees)

x=Distance Below Surface (mm)
δ=Standard Depth of Penetration (mm)
 Effect of Frequency

Increase in frequency
• Decreases depth of penetration
• Increases concentration of eddy currents near to test surface
• Increases sensitivity to surface defects
Effect of conductivity

• Conductivity - ability of a material to conduct electric current.

• It is opposite to resistance.
• Increase in conductivity decreases depth of penetration
• In good conductors eddy currents tend to concentrate at the surface. This is
called skin effect
 Standard Depth
of
Depth

Depth
Penetration
(Skin Depth)

1/e or 37 %
of surface density
Eddy Current Density Eddy Current Density
High Frequency Low Frequency
High Conductivity Low Conductivity
High Permeability Low Permeability
 Edge effect
• Edges produce signals just like cracks and mislead inspector

• Different techniques can be used to avoid edge effect

Discontinuities

Crack parallel to eddy

Currents - not detected

Crack interrupts eddy

Currents - detected
 Types of Probes

External
Probe
Surface
Probe

Internal Probe
 Mode of 0peration
Absolute
Sensitive to both sudden and
gradual changes in properties.
Easy to interpret
Single Coil
Absolute value of impedance
and induced voltage is
measured
Differential
Not Sensitive gradual changes
in properties
Difficult to interpret
Pair of coils
Changes in impedance or
induced voltage is mesured
Eddy Current Probes
 Probe selection:
Example: Tube OD = 19.05mm, Tube Thickness =1.5mm, fill
factor = 0.85

Tube ID = (Tube OD –2*(tube thickness))

2
Pr obeOD
FillFactor  2
TubeID

Pr obeOD   
Fillfactor * TubeID

Pr obeOD   
0.85 *16.05

Probe OD = 14.79mm
Tube Inspection
Shape of signal

Wobble Dent

Correct Speed
High Speed
Applications of eddy current testing:

• Crack detection.
• Inspection of aerospace structures.
• Heat exchanger tube testing.
• Material thickness measurements.

• Coating thickness measurements.

 Crack Detection

Magnetic Field
From Test Coil

Magnetic Field
From
Eddy Currents

Crack
Eddy Currents

The basic principle behind this that whenever there is a surface crack ,it disrupts the
path of eddy currents.

Due to this disruption the flux linkage in primary coil changes, which can be detected
by the coil
 Material Thickness Measurement
E
•Thicker materials will support more eddy currents than thinner materials.

•The• strength
Thickness measurements
(amount) are can
of eddy currents possible with eddy
be measured current
and related to the
material thickness. within certain limitations.
inspection Magnetic Field

• Only a certain amount of From Probe

• Therefore, thicker materials will support more eddy

currents than thinner materials.
Test
• The strength (amount) of eddy
Material currents can be measured

and related to the material thickness.

Eddy Currents
 Material Thickness Measurement

Eddy current inspection is often used in the aviation industries to detect

material loss due to corrosion and erosion.
 TUBE INSPECTION

In tube inspection the long tubes

are inspected through a long probe
which is inserted into the tube and
the condition of material inside the
tube is determine from the
impedance measurements.
Nonconductive Coating Measurement
 The coating displaces the eddy current probe from the conductive base
material and this weaken the strength of the eddy currents.
 This reduction in strength can be measured and related to coating
thickness.

Nonconductive
Coating

Conductive
Base Metal

Eddy Currents
Advantages of eddy current testing:

 Sensitive to small cracks and other defects.

 Detects surface and near surface defects.

 Inspection gives immediate results.

 Equipment is very portable.

 Test probe does not need to contact the part.

 No couplents.
Limitations of eddy current testing:
 Only conductive materials can be inspected.

 Surface must be accessible to the probe.

 Skill and training required.

 Surface finish and roughness may interfere.

 Reference standards needed for setup.

 Depth of penetration is limited.

Thank you