Viking adds SLOFEC

STEADY EDDY

INSPECTION • ATTAINING THE UK LICENCE FOR SLOFEC MEANS VIKING INSPECTION IS A STEP AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING TANK ASSESSMENT SOLUTIONS

INSPECTING EQUIPMENT AND pinpointing problems has become even easier for UK-based tank storage operators as Viking Inspection has acquired the sole licence to supply the full range of SLOFEC® inspection services. An agreement has been reached with KontrollTechnik Germany (KT), developers of the technology, for Viking to receive support and expert guidance while supplying and developing the UK market.

There are two types of SLOFEC floor scanner, the main differences being the weight and dimensions of each unit and their testable wall thickness. The technology is an NDT inspection method for topside and underside corrosion in a variety of walled plates and pipes.

LESS HASSLE Based on the eddy current principle with superimposed DC field magnetisation, the SLOFEC inspection system handles and tests objects with up to 25 mm wall thickness and coatings up to 10 mm thick, depending on the scanner type. This means that grit blasting is not always necessary for tank operators and, often, a high-pressure water jet is all that is needed, translating into savings in time and cost. Through superimposed DC-magnetisation, the depth of penetration is increased so that corrosion, even at the subsurface, can be detected from the surface side.

After use, the results consist of a coloured tank floor map, single plate reports and, if required, a feature list, repair plate map and repair plate list. The tank floor map and single plate results will highlight wall thickness reductions, shown in a 2D-scan image, where the defect depth corresponds to a defined colour.

Furthermore, a remote scanner has been specifically designed to handle the scanning of storage tanks that include installations such as heating coils and tank roofs without the need for access-authorisation. One of the primary advantages for tank operators is that there is no need to disassemble installations or heating coils before the tank inspection.

“We’re currently having most interest from those using lined tanks. We’re able to go in and scan the tank floor with the SLOFEC as it will scan through the lining, which saves costs and time for operators that would have to remove the lining to use other equipment,” says Davina Symonds, sales and marketing manager at Viking Inspection.

“We are excited to offer the whole bandwidth of SLOFEC scanners including tank floor, shell and weld seam inspection as well as pipelines,” says Viking Inspection’s managing director, Steve Delves. “We will be the only UK inspection company to have the full support from KT and the latest version six with many additional features such as automatic defect signal finder, input of defect depth calibration curves, recognition of defect size for enhanced depth evaluation, enhanced defect sizing and editing of the tank floor map.”

Currently providing EEMUA and API standard inspections of tanks, vessels and pipelines, Viking’s addition of SLOFEC to its portfolio means customers can select from an even greater range of solution services. Furthermore, the SLOFEC pipe scanner unit will be available for use in pipeline inspection in the coming months and eddyMax, the sister product of SLOFEC, will soon be providing new solutions for heat exchanges and crack detection. Viking Inspection will be displaying its capabilities at Stand 14 during the Tank Storage Association (TSA) event at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, on 26 September. HCB www.vikinginspection.co.uk

VIKING’S LATEST SERVICE ADDITIONS WILL BE ON DISPLAY