Quantitative Infrared Thermography for Composite Pipe Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-destructive testing techniques for composite materials, such as infrared thermography, are limited in their ability to accurately detect defects in composite structures, especially in high-pressure applications, as they cannot provide quantitative data on defect size, depth, or entrapped media, and are restricted to surface-level inspections.
Innovation Solution
A system and method using quantitative infrared thermography that includes a heating device, an infrared camera, and a computer system with a training database to detect defects by comparing thermal images from the inspection site to known composite material samples, allowing for the determination of defect parameters like size, depth, and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If infrared thermography is used for inspecting composite structures, then contact-free measurement and fast acquisition are achieved, but quantitative defect data (size, depth, entrapped media) cannot be provided
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a digital twin model of the composite structure that replicates its thermal behavior. This virtual copy allows quantitative analysis of defect parameters by comparing actual thermal images against the simulated thermal response of the digital twin, enabling extraction of defect size, depth, and entrapped media information while maintaining fast inspection speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or contact-based inspection methods with an optical/thermal field-based approach. By using infrared thermography combined with a digital twin model, the system achieves non-contact measurement while obtaining quantitative defect data through computational analysis of thermal radiation patterns.
2Measurement precision
If invasive inspection techniques are used to detect subsurface defects, then accurate defect detection is achieved, but continuous operation of the structure is interrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal radiation as an intermediary medium to detect subsurface defects without physical contact. The infrared camera captures thermal energy emitted from the structure surface, and the digital twin model processes this information to identify defects, enabling accurate subsurface detection while maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes mechanical invasive inspection methods with optical/thermal field-based non-contact measurement. By using infrared thermography and digital twin simulation, the system achieves accurate defect detection without interrupting the continuous operation of the composite structure.
3Measurement precision
If surface preparation is performed to improve inspection accuracy, then defect detection quality improves, but inspection time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the structure itself to serve as its own preparation medium by utilizing its existing thermal properties and surface characteristics. The digital twin model compensates for surface variations and environmental factors, allowing high-quality defect detection without requiring external surface preparation treatments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the inspection parameters by using thermal radiation characteristics rather than relying on surface optical properties. By measuring thermal emission and using digital twin simulation to account for surface variations, the system achieves accurate defect detection without requiring surface preparation to modify optical characteristics.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid, accurate, and cost-effective inspection of composite structures by providing quantitative defect data, facilitating in-service inspections with minimal surface preparation and the ability to detect subsurface defects.
Implementation Method 1
a heating device for heating a section of a surface of the structure
Implementation Method 2
an infrared camera for receiving infrared radiation from the surface in response to heating
Implementation Method 3
Composite materials (hereinafter 'composites') are currently used as a replacement for metallic materials in many industrial applications because of their resistance to corrosion
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for inspecting a composite material structure for defects includes a) an inspection apparatus having a heating device for heating a surface of the structure, an infrared camera for receiving radiation from the surface in response to heating, a controller configured to generate thermal images from the infrared radiation, b) a training system includes an arrangement for obtaining thermal images from a known composite material sample including a plurality of heating elements positioned to apply heat to an entire surface of the sample, an infrared camera for capturing thermal images of the sample, and a processing system for recording the thermal images in a training database, and c) a computer system coupled to the training system and the inspection apparatus adapted to receive thermal images from the inspection apparatus and detect parameters of defects in the structure using the training database.