Cygnus multiple echo ultrasonic thickness gauges can read through coatings of Oxifree which is used as a comprehensive barrier to protect against corrosion.
One of the key benefits of Cygnus multiple echo ultrasonic thickness gauges is that they can read through coatings of up to 20mm thick, so there is no need to remove any coatings prior to performing metal thickness surveys. This not only reduces the amount of time spent performing these surveys, by not having to scrap off coatings, but also reduces the possibility of further corrosion due to having to remove coatings and exposing the metal to the environment.
Tests were carried out on 4 metal samples using a Cygnus thickness gauge, and was also confirmed with manual caliper thickness measurements, to check that the gauge would read through a coating of Oxifree TM198.
Oxifree TM198 is a thermoplastic polymeric resin which is sprayed on to metal pipelines, bearing housings, flanges and other forms of substrate to form a comprehensive barrier that encapsulates and protects metal by preventing moisture and particle ingress. Amongst a wide range of applications, Oxifree TM198 has been used on Petrobras, Talisman, Chevron and ConocoPhillips assets and Oxifree is expecting to protect 40 more platforms in the next 8 years.
As you can see from the images above, the Oxifree TM198 was applied to a steel plate and then removed from the exact same spot for testing using the Cygnus DIVE underwater thickness gauge. Both readings were exactly the same, proving that our gauges can read through these protective coatings.
So you really can protect your assets and perform metal thickness surveys without causing any further unnecessary corrosion.
For more information about Oxifree, please visit www.oxifree.co.uk.
