Acoustic emission signal characteristics of maraging steel 250 pressure vessel during a hydraulic qualification test

ABSTRACT

High-strength aero-space grade maraging steels finding an increased use in industry for manufacturing of pressure vessels. Structural integrity assessment of such pressure vessels is an important and yet challenging task. Several researchers have attempted to quantify failure or structural integrity of similar pressure vessels using acoustic emission (AE) but a one stop criterion to assess quality of pressure vessels has not been evolved. In this study, an integrated approach in evaluating behaviour of maraging steel specimens has been carried out. AE Behaviour during tensile deformation of maraging steel specimens studied with respect to AE parameters. Two types of specimens viz. type A and type B data are presented in this manuscript. In type A, failure was due to rupture caused by inherent defects and in type B, failure was predominantly due to yielding. Further, an effort was put forth to compare such AE Parameters acquired during qualification burst test of a maraging steel pressure vessel. The pressure vessel that was burst also exhibited type A and type B behaviour at two different zones on the vessel. A reasonable match in the AE behaviour of specimens to that of a pressure vessel has been observed. The promulgated AE criteria have the potential to identify a real-time defect growth during a pressure test.

KEYWORDS:

• Acoustic emission
• non-destructive evaluation
• structural integrity
• pressure vessels

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).