Acoustic emission monitoring for industrial pressure vessels and infrastructure

• Published in: E-journal of Nondestructive Testing 2024-07, Vol.29 (7)
• Main Authors: Prokofyev, Mikhail, Marihart, Heribert, Lackner, Gerald
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1435-4934; 1435-4934
• DOI: 10.58286/29708

Acoustic emission (AE) is a phenomenon that occurs in materials that are exposed to stress. Defects in the material, such as cracks can grow and release energy in the form of a mechanical wave that propagates through the material. With the help of piezoelectric sensors, the mechanical wave is converted into an electrical signal. The signals are recorded by the measuring system and are available for further processing. Acoustic emission as a method that records and processes the incoming signals in real time is therefore very suitable for 24/7 long-term structural health monitoring. With new approaches in data processing, acoustic emission can be moved from the classic periodic test approach to an online monitoring process. The in-service monitoring brings measuring challenges with it, like application on hot surfaces and inside explosion hazard areas. New developments in hardware and software provide tailor-made solutions for a variety of monitoring tasks. The use of artificial intelligence algorithms helps to improve the analysis of measurement data and guarantees safe operation of pressure equipment and infrastructure around-the-clock. Some examples of continuous monitoring are shown on pressure vessels from the industry sector and on infrastructure buildings e.g., steel bridges. Also, a new lean system approach in structural health monitoring with acoustic emission is presented.