MCET Technologies News & Research

MCET recently participated in the second Combined Loading Assessment of Spoolable Pipe Systems (CLASPS-02) Joint Industry Program (JIP), a program designed to evaluate current non-destructive examination (NDE) technologies and assessment of defects caused common threats to pipelines.  

Pressure vessels are crucial components in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, chemical processing, and power generation. These vessels are designed to store, transport, or process pressurized fluids, gases, or other substances. As pressure vessels are subject to high stress and fatigue loads, they require regular inspection and monitoring to ensure their structural integrity and prevent catastrophic failure. In this blog, we will discuss structural health monitoring (SHM) in pressure vessels, including its benefits, techniques, and challenges.

Pressure vessels are crucial components in a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, chemical processing, and power generation. These vessels are designed to store, transport, or process pressurized fluids, gases, or other substances. As pressure vessels are subject to high stress and fatigue loads, they require regular inspection and monitoring to ensure their structural integrity and prevent catastrophic failure. In this blog, we will discuss structural health monitoring (SHM) in pressure vessels, including its benefits, techniques, and challenges.

MCET Technologies has completed Phase I of the U.S. DOT’s highly competitive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program awards contracts to domestic small businesses to pursue research on and develop innovative solutions to our nation’s transportation challenges.

The use of non‐metallic composite pipes is increasing due to light weight and anti‐corrosion/durability related advantages.  However, NDE testing methods for non-metallics can be limited, and like metallic structures, most NDE monitoring methods involve physical inspections- which can be labor-intensive and dangerous.  Specific failure modes in non-metallic pipelines to be monitored in these applications are as follows:

Pipeline distribution for Oil & Gas is considered to be a “performance critical” market, component failures can be catastrophic to the environment, hazardous to human health, and costly due to both repair and financial losses. In the O&G industry during 2020 alone, there were 578 reported incidents in pipeline distribution that resulted in 43 injuries and 15 fatalities, as well as a total cost of $339.7M.

Metal structures exposed to cyclic loading, including aerospace structures, bridges, and vibrating machinery, are susceptible to fatigue cracking. Monitoring fatigue cracks in metal structures is thus critically important for preventing failure by making repair decisions before a crack reaches its critical length, leading to fracture.

Metal structural infrastructure components deteriorate over their service life due to static and...

Metal structural components of aircraft, machines, vehicles, and infrastructure deteriorate over their service life due to static and cyclic loading, exposure to corrosive chemicals, and harsh environments. For example, steel bridges are particularly susceptible to fatigue cracking as increased traffic demands often exceed their design load capabilities and members often have fatigue-sensitive details. Corrosion due to deicing chemicals can also result in deterioration and reduction in load-carrying capacity. The result is progressive weakening of the structural elements due to section loss and cracking.

Metal structural components of pipelines, pressure vessels, and infrastructure deteriorate over their service life due to static and cyclic loading, exposure to corrosive chemicals, and harsh environments. Consequently, chemical corrosion can also result in deterioration and reduction in load carrying capacity. The result is progressive weakening of the structural elements due to section loss and cracking, and eventual structural failure if the damage is not detected in time.

While visual inspections are specifically undertaken to detect this hazard, these inspections are often only undertaken once every several years, are labor-intensive, and can only be conducted if the component is completely pulled out of service.  Technology alternatives, such as fiber optics, also have limitations as they have a very limited sensing range.