Non-invasive flange inspection

Abstract

A non-invasive flange inspection system includes an ultrasonic scanning control unit and a probe with acoustic transducers coupled to the ultrasonic scanning control unit. The system also includes an output device that stores or displays ultrasonic scanning results, obtained using the ultrasonic scanning control unit and the probe on a flange in an assembled flange-to-flange pipe arrangement, for multiple radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange. A related method includes aligning an ultrasonic scanning probe with a flange in an assembled flange-to-flange pipe arrangement. The method also includes outputting control signals, by an ultrasonic scanning control unit, to the ultrasonic scanning probe to obtain ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange. The method also includes storing or displaying the ultrasonic scanning results for the multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.