Radiography: Conventional and Digital Methods

Radiography is used extensively in oil refineries to monitor equipment integrity. It can measure pipe wall corrosion, find weld defects, and detect other anomalies without taking equipment out of service. The two main types are conventional and digital.

Conventional Radiography

Conventional radiography uses a radiation source and film to capture images. It is the incumbent technology and has been used in refineries for decades. Physical film copies are stored as records.

Digital Radiography

Digital radiography, specifically computed radiography, uses an imaging plate coated with a phosphor material instead of film. [1] Adoption is increasing as the technology matures. The benefits over conventional radiography include faster imaging, enhanced image quality, and digital record storage.

One practical advantage worth highlighting is smaller exclusion zones. In a refinery, the area around an active radiography source must be barricaded and cleared of personnel. Smaller exclusion zones mean less disruption to nearby operations and maintenance activities, more work can continue in parallel. [2]

References

[1] Mistras Group - Digital Radiography

[2] H&M EC - Piping Non-Destructive Testing: Conventional vs. Computed