System Description

As a self-contained and battery-powered unit, the Tank Bottom Inspection Tool (TBIT) does not require any cables and is operated by a ROSEN survey technician. Due to its compact design, the tool is ideally suited for obtaining high-resolution metal loss data on tank plates including annular plates and in the regions close to plate welds. In addition, the remote control function of the TBIT permits inspection of restrictive installations (e.g. underneath heating coils, piping etc). 

Numerous benefits arising from a combination of different technologies

ROSEN’s TBIT combines two distinct technologies: Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) and Eddy Current (EC). Whereas MFL is used to detect and size corrosion defects, EC helps determine the precise location of flaws within steel bottom plates, notably whether they are on the top-side or the bottom-side of the inspected plate. EC also provides lift-off information, i.e. regarding the thickness of “coating” and amount of debris etc. This lift-off information is also used to improve the sizing quality and the reliability of the MFL inspection results. 

To summarize the benefits of TBIT:

• Improved sensitivity to corrosion, resulting in enhanced sizing and characterization of corrosion
• Provides information for each detected feature such as length, width and depth
• Discriminates between top-side and bottom-side flaws and thus supports integrity decisions
• Detects and sizes small pittings