Determination Of Cost Decrease In A Spherical Tank Construction Project By Using Phased Array Ultrasound

Abstract

This article aims to evaluate the economic, environmental and operational benefits and costs of using the Phased Array (PAUT) ultrasound technique in the inspection of welds in storage tanks of the oil industry. To this end, a comparison was made between the use of this technique and conventional ultrasound in terms of inspection time, probability of detection of discontinuities, water consumption and economic costs. The results obtained in the demonstration to the client and in the complete project showed that the use of the PAUT technique is more economical throughout the project due to the reduction of inspection times. In addition, it was found that the probability of detection of discontinuities with this technique is much higher than with conventional ultrasound. In terms of water consumption, significant savings were identified as it was found that more than 24,000 liters of water were saved during the project instead of conventional ultrasound. In economic terms, it was determined that the daily cost of availability for the PAUT technique is higher than that of conventional ultrasound. However, the savings in inspection time and the increase in the probability of detection of discontinuities, make the use of this technique more cost-effective in the long term. In conclusion, the use of the technique in the inspection of welds in storage tanks of the oil industry offers economic, environmental and operational benefits that exceed the initial costs of availability and training. This study suggests the importance of evaluating the adoption of more efficient technologies in the industry to achieve greater sustainability and long-term profitability.