A weld phased array inspection water wedge block

Abstract

A kind of weld phased array detection water wedge block, it is related to nondestructive testing field, including wedge block shell, including: wedge block shell, inside is provided with upper and lower first chamber of through;Flexible water locking body, is set to the bottom of the wedge block shell, the flexible water locking body is adapted to fit the piece to be measured under the action of pressure, second chamber is opened in the flexible water locking body and is located with the first chamber;Probe fixed plate, is set to the top of the wedge block shell, the wedge block shell with the probe fixed plate are connected by fastener;Probe, part is clamped between the wedge block shell and the probe fixed plate, and another part of the probe protrudes the probe fixed plate surface setting;Two water inlets, are set to the probe fixed plate and are downwardly communicated to the first chamber.The utility model has significantly improved the adaptability of wedge for different curvature and irregular profile workpieces with weld excess height, enhanced universality and reduced customization needs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of nondestructive testing technology, and in particular to a phased array water wedge for weld detection. Background Technology

[0002] In immersion ultrasonic testing, the water wedge is a crucial acoustic wave guiding component used to couple the probe to the workpiece and control the acoustic beam angle during testing. Its basic structure typically includes an internal cavity filled with a coupling medium, and is designed with specific incident and outlet surfaces to ensure effective acoustic wave transmission to the inspected workpiece. In practical industrial testing, water wedges must possess excellent acoustic characteristics such as low attenuation, suitable acoustic impedance matching, and durability to adapt to different workpiece shapes and testing environments. Traditional wedges are often custom-designed for specific workpiece shapes. While they perform well in localized testing, they generally suffer from low versatility, high manufacturing costs, and the tendency to generate air gaps in complex shapes, affecting testing reliability.

[0003] In the prior art, Chinese utility model patent with authorization announcement number CN223065240U discloses a wedge-type water immersion ultrasonic testing device. This utility model injects water into the water storage cavity through the water inlet. The gas cylinder workpiece to be tested fits into the arc-shaped groove at the bottom of the wedge. The probe adopts a phased array water immersion probe to test the gas cylinder. The bottom of the wedge adopts an arc-shaped design, which is the same size as the workpiece to be tested, so as to better fit. A soft foam structure is applied around it to reduce excessive water overflow.

[0004] However, existing wedges require customization for different test pieces, resulting in high costs and poor versatility; during water coupling, wedges are prone to air gaps due to factors such as weld reinforcement and curvature, leading to acoustic attenuation and large blind spots; under high-temperature limiting conditions, foam or mailed glass is not heat-resistant and cannot be used for testing under preheating conditions. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to overcome the poor versatility of traditional water immersion ultrasonic testing wedges, which need to be customized for specific workpiece shapes.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the utility model, a phased array detection water wedge for welds is provided, comprising a wedge housing, including: a wedge housing having a first chamber extending vertically through it; a flexible water-locking body disposed at the bottom of the wedge housing, the flexible water-locking body adaptively conforming to the test piece under pressure, the flexible water-locking body having a second chamber aligned with the first chamber; a probe fixing plate disposed above the wedge housing, the wedge housing and the probe fixing plate being connected by fasteners; a probe, partially clamped between the wedge housing and the probe fixing plate, with another portion of the probe protruding from the surface of the probe fixing plate; and two water inlets disposed on the probe fixing plate and communicating downwards with the first chamber.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, a limiting caliper is also included. The limiting caliper is adjustablely connected to the adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge block of the weld by bolts. The limiting caliper has a waist-shaped hole and is marked with scale.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, it further includes an auxiliary outer cavity, which is disposed between the wedge block shell and the flexible water-locking body.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge for weld seams is located on both sides of the wedge shell.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge block for weld seams is located on both sides of the auxiliary outer cavity.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, a sealing gasket and a sealing washer are further provided between the auxiliary outer cavity and the wedge block housing.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the probe includes a fixing part and an extension part, the fixing part and the extension part are integrally formed, the fixing part is disposed between the wedge block housing and the probe fixing plate and forms a fixation, and the extension part protrudes from the surface of the probe fixing plate.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the wedge housing is provided with a partition rib, which divides the first chamber into a water inlet area, a probe receiving area, and a water holding area. The water inlet area and the probe receiving area are located above the water holding area, and the water inlet area and the probe receiving area are connected through the water holding area.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the probe fixing plate is an observation plate made of plexiglass material.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment of the above technical solution, the flexible water-locking body is a deformable part made of high-temperature resistant synthetic rubber.

[0016] In summary, this utility model has the following advantages: 1. This utility model sets a flexible water-locking body at the bottom of the wedge block shell. The thixotropic body can adaptively conform to the surface shape of the workpiece under pressure, which significantly improves the adaptability of the wedge block to workpieces with different curvatures and irregular contours such as weld seam excess height, enhances versatility and reduces customization requirements. 2. Furthermore, the adjustable design and scale markings of the limit calipers allow users to precisely control the deformation of the flexible water-locking body. This mechanism effectively prevents problems such as unstable detection chamber volume or coupling agent loss due to excessive compression, thereby ensuring the consistency of sound wave propagation distance and the reliability of detection results; especially during automated scanning, this design can maintain stable detection conditions and reduce fluctuations in detection data caused by differences in operating force or workpiece shape. Further or other beneficial effects will be discussed in the embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 1 of the present utility model; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a full sectional view of the structure of Embodiment 1 of this utility model; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of Embodiment 2 of this utility model; Among them, 1-wedge housing, 11-first chamber, 111-water inlet area, 112-probe receiving area, 113-water holding area, 12-insertion ring groove, 13-sealing ring, 2-flexible water-locking body, 21-second chamber, 22-insertion flange, 3-probe fixing plate, 4-probe, 41-fixing part, 42-extension part, 5-water inlet, 6-limiting caliper, 61-waist-shaped hole, 7-auxiliary outer cavity, 71-sealing gasket. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The directional terms such as up, down, left, right, front, back, front, back, top, and bottom mentioned or possibly used in this specification are defined relative to the construction shown in the accompanying drawings. The terms "inner" and "outer" refer to directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively. These are relative concepts and may therefore vary depending on their location and usage. Therefore, these or other directional terms should not be interpreted as restrictive.

[0019] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the embodiments: Example 1:

[0020] A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams, such as Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, it mainly includes a wedge housing 1, a flexible water-locking body 2, a probe fixing plate 3, a probe 4, and two water inlets 5.

[0021] The wedge housing 1 is made of aluminum alloy through precision machining, and has a first chamber 11 that runs vertically through it. The first chamber 11 is divided into three functional areas by internal partition ribs: a water inlet area 111, a probe receiving area 112, and a water holding area 113. The water inlet area 111 and the probe receiving area 112 are located above the water holding area 113, and the water inlet area 111 and the probe receiving area 112 are interconnected through the water holding area 113.

[0022] The flexible water-locking body 2 is made of high-temperature resistant synthetic rubber. A ring groove 12 is formed at the bottom of the wedge housing 1, and correspondingly, a connecting flange 22, adapted to the ring groove 12, is provided on the upper side of the flexible water-locking body 2. The connecting flange 22 is integrally formed with the flexible water-locking body 2, therefore the connecting flange 22 is also made of rubber. Its elasticity allows for an interference fit with the wedge housing 1, resulting in a strong connection and naturally good sealing performance. Through the above-mentioned connecting structure, the flexible water-locking body 2 is reliably installed below the wedge housing 1. A second chamber 21, corresponding to the water-containing area 113 of the first chamber 11, is formed on its lower surface. In its natural state, the bottom of the flexible water-locking body 2 is flat; under external pressure, this component exhibits excellent elastic deformation capability, enabling it to adaptively conform to the surface contour of the workpiece to be inspected.

[0023] The probe fixing plate 3 is made of transparent plexiglass sheet and is fastened to the top of the wedge housing 1 with screws. A sealing ring 13 is also provided between the probe fixing plate 3 and the wedge housing 1. A through hole is opened in the central area of ​​the probe fixing plate 3 to accommodate the probe 4. The probe 4 includes a fixing part 41 and an extension part 42, which are integrally formed. The fixing part 41 is clamped and fixed between the wedge housing 1 and the probe fixing plate 3, while the extension part 42 protrudes upward from the surface of the probe fixing plate 3.

[0024] Two water inlets 5 are threaded onto the probe mounting plate 3 and pass downward through the probe mounting plate 3 to communicate with the water inlet area 111 of the wedge housing 1. The water inlets 5 can be connected to an external water pump or a coupling agent supply device to inject coupling agent or water (hereinafter referred to as coupling agent) into the first chamber 11.

[0025] The phased array detection water wedge for weld seams is also equipped with a limiting caliper 6, which is installed on both sides of the wedge housing 1 and is adjustablely connected to the housing by bolts. The limiting caliper 6 has a slotted hole 61 to facilitate flexible adjustment of its height position, and the caliper surface is marked with scale for precise control of the adjustment amount.

[0026] The outer contour of the flexible water-locking body 2 is adapted to the outer contour of the wedge housing 1, and the cross-sectional area can be the same, or smaller than that of the wedge housing 1 in another embodiment of this application. If the limiting caliper 6 is not provided, the flexible water-locking body 2 is prone to upward deformation under pressure, which reduces the volume of the detection chamber composed of the first chamber 11 and the second chamber 21, and may affect the accuracy of detection of pipes of different diameters.

[0027] The function of the limiting caliper 6 is to control the deformation of the flexible water-locking body 2 by adjusting its height: when the limiting caliper 6 is adjusted downwards and pressed against the surface of the part to be tested, the further applied pressure will be borne by the rigid limiting caliper 6, thereby limiting the flexible water-locking body 2 from continuing to deform upwards and ensuring that the testing chamber maintains the required size. This design allows users to precisely control the deformation amount according to actual needs when testing pipe fittings of different diameters, while the scale markings further improve the accuracy and repeatability of the adjustment.

[0028] Working principle and usage process: During testing, after installing probe 4, couplant is injected into the first chamber 11 through inlet 5 until the water-containing area 113 and the second chamber 21 are full. A water wedge is placed on the workpiece to be inspected, such as a pipe circumferential weld, and a certain pressure is applied. The flexible water-locking body 2 undergoes elastic deformation under pressure, its bottom perfectly conforming to the workpiece surface, forming a sealed space, effectively preventing couplant leakage and eliminating air gaps. The sound waves emitted by the phased array probe 4 are transmitted to the interior of the workpiece through the couplant. After propagating in the workpiece, the sound waves are reflected when they encounter defects or interfaces. The echo signal is received by probe 4, processed by the instrument to form a detection image, thereby determining the internal quality of the weld.

[0029] In practical applications, taking the phased array inspection of a DN200*35mm thick pipe butt weld as an example, the phased array inspection water wedge of this embodiment is used for operation. First, the phased array probe 4 is installed in the wedge housing 1 and secured with the probe fixing plate 3. Then, based on the difference in the propagation speed of sound waves in air and water, the effective water depth in the detection chamber is calculated and set to approximately 8.1mm. Next, according to the pipe curvature and inspection requirements, the limit calipers 6 on both sides of the wedge are precisely adjusted to control the deformation of the flexible water-locking body 2 and maintain the stability of the detection chamber. Afterwards, the scanning frame is firmly fixed to the wedge housing, so that the flexible water-locking body 2 at the bottom of the water wedge fully fits the weld surface, effectively eliminating air gaps and ensuring the quality of sound wave transmission. Then, the inlet valve 5 is opened to inject coupling water. By adjusting the water flow speed and the moving speed of the scanning frame, stable coverage and continuous supply of the coupling water layer are achieved, finally completing the fully automated PAUT inspection process. Example 2:

[0030] Based on Example 1, this example adds an auxiliary external cavity 7 to the water wedge. For example... Figure 4 As shown.

[0031] The auxiliary outer cavity 7 is located between the main shell of the wedge housing 1 and the flexible water-locking body 2. The auxiliary outer cavity 7 is mainly used to increase the temporary storage space of the coupling agent and improve the system stability. Sealing gaskets 71 and sealing washers (not shown in the figure) are provided between the auxiliary outer cavity 7 and the wedge housing 1, and between the auxiliary outer cavity 7 and the flexible water-locking body 2, to ensure the sealing of the entire system and prevent coupling agent leakage.

[0032] Due to the addition of the auxiliary outer cavity 7, the overall height of the wedge block structure increases, and the mounting reference surface of the limiting caliper 6 also changes accordingly. In this embodiment, the limiting caliper 6 is located on both sides of the auxiliary outer cavity 7, and its adjustable connection method and function are the same as in Embodiment 1. The mechanical connection method between the auxiliary outer cavity 7 and the flexible water-locking body 2 is also consistent with the connection method between the wedge block housing 1 and the flexible water-locking body 2 in Embodiment 1, ensuring reliable assembly and sealing between modules.

[0033] This embodiment is particularly suitable for weld inspection of large-diameter, thick-walled pipes. For example, when performing phased array inspection on a DN600*62mm pipe butt weld, the scheme in Embodiment 1 may be difficult to adapt due to insufficient space required for the effective water depth. Based on the speed of sound waves in air and water, the effective water depth in the inspection chamber for this pipe is calculated to be approximately 14.5mm. This embodiment, by adding an auxiliary outer cavity 7, increases the distance between the probe 4 accommodating area 112 and the workpiece surface, achieving a greater effective water depth and meeting the corresponding requirements. This ensures that the sound beam can effectively cover the entire weld thickness, ultimately achieving high-quality, high-reliability PAUT automated inspection.

[0034] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, those skilled in the art, upon learning the basic inventive concept, can make other changes and modifications to these embodiments. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to be interpreted as including the preferred embodiments as well as all changes and modifications falling within the scope of the present invention.

[0035] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this utility model without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this utility model and their equivalents, this utility model also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams, comprising a wedge shell, characterized in that, Including: The wedge-shaped housing has an internal first chamber that runs through both the upper and lower parts. A flexible water-locking body is disposed at the bottom of the wedge housing. The flexible water-locking body adaptively fits the test piece under pressure. A second chamber is formed on the flexible water-locking body that is aligned with the first chamber. A probe fixing plate is disposed above the wedge block housing, and the wedge block housing and the probe fixing plate are connected by fasteners; The probe is partially clamped between the wedge housing and the probe fixing plate, and another part of the probe protrudes from the surface of the probe fixing plate; Two water inlets are located on the probe mounting plate and are connected downwards to the first chamber.

2. The phased array detection water wedge block for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a limiting caliper, which is adjustablely connected to the adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge block of the weld by bolts. The limiting caliper has a waist-shaped hole and is marked with scale.

3. The phased array detection water wedge block for weld seams according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an auxiliary outer cavity, which is disposed between the wedge housing and the flexible water-locking body.

4. The phased array detection water wedge block for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge for weld seams is on both sides of the wedge shell.

5. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 3, characterized in that: The adjustable connection part of the phased array detection water wedge block for weld seams is located on both sides of the auxiliary outer cavity.

6. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 3, characterized in that: A sealing gasket and a sealing washer are also provided between the auxiliary outer cavity and the wedge block housing.

7. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The probe includes a fixing part and an extension part, which are integrally formed. The fixing part is disposed between the wedge housing and the probe fixing plate and forms a fixation. The extension part protrudes from the surface of the probe fixing plate.

8. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wedge housing is provided with a partition rib, which divides the first chamber into a water inlet area, a probe housing area and a water holding area. The water inlet area and the probe housing area are located above the water holding area, and the water inlet area and the probe housing area are connected through the water holding area.

9. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The probe mounting plate is an observation plate made of plexiglass.

10. A phased array detection water wedge for weld seams according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible water-locking body is a deformable component made of high-temperature resistant synthetic rubber.

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