Internal Rotary Inspection System

Iris uses the principle of ultrasounds

 A transducer located inside a turbine generates an ultrasound pulse along the

axis of the tube.
 The ultrasound is reflected on a 45° mirror and oriented toward the tube wall.
 When it reaches the internal surface of the tube, the ultrasound is partially
reflected, then transmitted inside the tube wall, and finally reflected on the outside
surface.
 The wall thickness of the tube can be calculated by using the ultrasound velocity
in the tube material and the time of flight difference between the outside and inside
diameter echoes.
This technique provides accurate wall thickness measurement and
defect sizing.
• IRIS is an ultrasonic technique used for the inspection of a wide range of
materials, including both non-ferromagnetic and ferromagnetic tubing.

• Allows for the detection and sizing of wall loss as a result of corrosion,
erosion, tube-to-tube wear, pitting, fretting, cracking and baffle cuts.

• Focused ultrasonic probe and a rotating mirror to produce a helical scan.

• Ultrasound is reflected from the tube ID and OD and the time difference is
used to calculate the thickness.
IRIS Probe
 Internal Rotary Inspection System (IRIS)

•Water driven rotating mirror to direct an

ultrasonic beam, which is reflected 90 degrees to
the internal tube wall.

•The water acts as a water couplant and transmit

sound waves from the ultrasonic transducer to the
tube wall.

•Displayed in a B-scan (Cross-sectional view) or

C-scan showing the tube wall thickness and
isolated corrosion areas along the tube length.
Concept:
•A water flow is going inside the cable and then through the turbine.

•The mirror, attached to the rotor part of the turbine rotates

continuously at a speed of about 50 rev/sec.

•This rotation allow a full inspection of the tube wall thickness .

•A small pin attached to the turbine body produces an ultrasound

reflection each time the mirror passes under it.

•The reflection from the pin is used to synchronize the screen display.
Ultrasound path in the tube

Ultrasound timing:
Acquisition unit(MS5800)

IRIS Setup
Calibration Tube Details

•20% ID groove E- 20% SDH (4) I- 100% SDH

•40% ID groove F- 40% SDH
•20% OD groove G- 60% SDH
•40% OD groove H- 80% SDH
Calibration Tube Image
Exchanger Tube Image (No Wall loss)
Exchanger Tube Image (With wall loss)


Approximately 5m length of tube has eroded from the inlet end. In this eroded
area, Wall losses are less than 19%. At one spot, wall loss is 24%
 Applications for IRIS technique

•Ferrous and non-ferrous tubing

•Carbon Steel
•Stainless Steel
•Brass
•Copper-Nickel
•Main applications
•Heat Exchanger
•Boiler
•Air Cooler
•Industries
•Petrochemical plant
•Pulp and paper mill
•Food Processing plants
 ADVANTAGES OF IRIS INSPECTION

• Used to inspect any tube material type ferrous or nonferrous.

• Can detect gradual wall loss, pitting, baffle fretting, steam

erosion and impingement erosion at tube sheet area.

• Can distinguish between I.D. and O.D. defect orientation.

 DISADVANTAGES OF IRIS INSPECTION

• Cleanliness of the tubes is a major factor and requires thorough

tube cleaning (removal of all scale, deposits, chemical residue and/or
oil residue prior to inspection.
• Requires flooding the tube with water for sound coupling.
• Cannot detect cracks (Special probe design is needed).
• Limited to isolated pit detection and pit size (diameter).
• Adequate water pressure, quality of water, maintaining adequate
flood in tubes, regulating consistent turbine speed, pull speed, probe
centering, and tube cleanliness are all variables that must be in sync
in order to achieve data and that will affect the quality of data.
Thank you