IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS, VOL. MAG-20, NO.

5 , SEPTEMBER 1984 1983

A NUMERICAL TWO-DIMENSIONAL MODELLING OF EDDY-CURRENTS :

AN APPLICATION TO NOM-DESTRUCTIVE TEST

C h r i s t i a n Rose

Abstract

A way t o d e t e c t c r a c k s i n s t e a m - g e n e r a t o r t u b e s ,
consistsinusingprobes made of two c o i l s of wire,
c o n c e n t r i cw i t ht h ea x i s of the t u b e . A l t e r n a t i n g
c u r r e n t s of t h e same amount f l o w i n t h e c o i l s . As the
probe i s moved i n s i d e t h e t u b e , eddy c u r r e h t s , c i r c u -
l a t i n g i n i t s wall, a r e c r e a t e d . Then, t h e s e eddy
c u r r e n t sc a u s ei nt h ec o i l se . m . f . ' s ,o p p o s i n gt h e
initial currents. A crackinthetubeoffersresistance
t o t h e eddy c u r r e n t s c i r c u l a t i o n , and i n s o f a r a s t h e
coilsarenotequidistant from t h e c r a c k , t h e i r c o r -
respondinge.m.f.'sarenotequal.

The e . m . f . ' s d i f f e r e n c e , r e p r e s e n t e d by a complex

number, i s v i s u a l i z e d o n a c a t h o d i c s c r e e n . F i g . 1 and 2

We d e c i d e d t o b u i l d
allowingusto
up a mathematicalmodel,
compute t h e s e e.m.f . ' s d i f f e r e n c e s i n
I1 - EQUATIONS
ordertoget a b e t t e r knowledge of t h e r e l a t i o n s b e t -
We know t h e p o s i t i o n of t h e c o i l s and t h e c u r r e n t
ween crack and v i s u a l s i g n a l s on s c r e e n s . We had t o
flowingwithin, whose d e n s i t y i s J o . W e havetocalcu-
s o l v et h ef o l l o w i n g problem : knowing J o , c u r r e n t -
l a t e J , inducedcurrentinthetube and i n t h e p l a t e .
densityinthecoils,determinetheinducedcurrent
Knowing J , i t i s s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d t o g e t t h e e . m . f . ' s
density J, in the tube, and t h e n t h e e . m . f . ' s i n t h e
in the coils.
coils.
I - INTRODUCTION See Bossavit [ I ] f o rf u r t h e rd e t a i l s on t h ef o l -
lowing. L e t u sn o t e :
We are concerned here, with a problem of non des-
t r u c t i v e t e s t i n g , we b u i l t a mathematical modelof p : t h e metal's r e s i s t i v i t y
H : the magnetic field
e d d y - c u r r e n t sf o r t h es i m u l a t i o n of s i g n a l s produced by
B : the magnetic induction
a p r o b e .I no r d e rt od e t e c tc r a c k si ns t e a m - g e n e r a t o r
A : the vector potential
t u b e s , a probe, made of two c o i l s i s moved a l o n g i n s i d e
t h et u b e . A l t e r n a t i n gc u r r e n t s of t h e same amount flow
J
Jo
: thecurrentdensity
: the current density in the coils
i nt h ec o i l s ,i n d u c i n ge d d y - c u r r e n t si nt h et u b e .T h u s ,
E : theelectricalfield
oFposing i n i t i a l c u r r e n t s e . m . f . ' s . a p p e a r i n t h e c o i l s .
A s they are t h e same s i z e and c o n c e n t r i c w i t h t h e a x i s 11 : the magnetic permeability
.
of t h e t u b e , t h e induced e.m.f ' s a r e of t h e same ma-
Maxwell'sequation i s solved by :
gnitude. When t h e p r o b e g e t s i n t o t h e v i c i n i t y o f . a
crack,offeringresistancetothe eddy c u r r e n t c i r c u -
lation,e.m.f.'sin.thecoils become no longerequal + curl E = o
( i n so f a r a s t h e c o i l s a r e n o t e q u i d i s t a n t from t h e
at
crack). With O h m ' s law : E = p . J (2)
The c o i l s a r e c o n n e c t e d t o a Wheatstonebridge,
A i s defined by : B = c u r l A (3)
and t h e e . n . f . ' s d i f f e r e n c e , r e p r e s e n t e d by a complex
number i s v i s u a l i z e d o n a c a t h o d i c s c r e e n ( s e e f i g . ( l ) aA
and ( 2 ) ) . A c r a c k i n t h e t u b e s h o u l d be c h a r a c t e r i z e d
Thus w e have : c u r l (-
at + pJ) = 0 (4)
by t h e s i g n a l o n t h e s c r e e n , o b t a i n e d when t h e p r o b e
Now, we must choose between using the variable A
hasbeen moved a l o n g . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e s i g n a l is
o r J, t o s o l v e ( 4 ) . T h i s problem was solved i n terms
d i s t u r b e d when t h e p r o b e g e t s n e a r t h e p l a t e . D i s t u r -
bed :
of A (see Lord and Palanisamy L3] ) Using a f i n i t e .
element method l e a d s t o s o l v i n g a s p a r s e l i n e a r s y s t e m
i ) by t h ep l a t e of equations, but with a g r e a t number of v a r i a b l e s ,
i i ) by t h e r o l l e x p a n s i o n : bucklingofthetube in because A i s d e f i n e d i n t h e wholespace. We c h o s e t o
ordertofittotheplate. s o l v e ( 4 ) i n terms of J , which e x i s t s o n l y i n m e t a l l i c
p a r t s , so w e had t o d e a l w i t h a smaller number of
To g e t a b e t t e r knowledge of t h e s e s i g n a l s , we v a r i a b l e s , b u t a f u l l m a t r i x a s we s h a l l see f u r t h e r
d e c i d e d t o compute theinducede.m.f.'s in the coils. on.

11.1 - Equation i n J

We s h a l lw r i t e :
B = u.H (p constant) (5)
which i s t r u e i n t h e t u b e (made of a n o n m a g n e t i c
m a t e r i a l where p = uo, p e r m e a b i l i t y i n t h e vacuum).
Manuscriptreceived March 15, 1984.
The p l a t e i s made of s t e e l , b u t we w i l l assume t h a t
The author i s w i t h E l e c t r i c i t 6 d e F r a n c e , E t u d e s e t
(5) i s t r u ew i t h p = p r . uo (ur = r e l a t i v e permea-
Recherches, 1 avenue du G6n6raldeGaulle,
bility).Infact,thecurrenthas a frequency of
92141 Clamart,France.
s e v e r a l hundred k i l o h e r t z , s o t h e s k i n d e p t h i s of
t h e same o r d e r of magnitude asthetube'swidth,and H

0018-9464/84/0900-1983$01.00O1984 IEEE
1984

i n t h e p l a t e i s c o n s i d e r e da ss m a l l .N e g l e c t i n gd i s p l a - A s t h e problem i s l i n e a r and time p e r i o d i c , we

cement c u r r e n t s , w e considertheotherMaxwell'sequa- s h a l l u s e complex n o t a t i o n . We s h a l l have
tion : i wt i wt
J(x,t) = j(x) e and Jo ( x , t ) = j o ( x ) e
J = curl H (6) Thus w e have t o s o l v e
Combining ( 3 ) , ( 5 ) and (61, w e g e t A a s a s o l u t i o n iU(Gj)(x) + Pj(x) = - iW (Gjo)(x) $T x DUD'
of : (1 2 )
-AA = Fi.J (7)
11.3 - Operator G
which can be written :
A = G(J)
I n R2, A , v e c t o r p o t e n t i a l is thesolution of a
p o t e n t i a l problem :
The operator G w i l l be d e t a i l e d f u r t h e r on. Combi-
-V2A = P j , whose s o l u t i o n i s
ning(4) and (8) we o b t a i n :

Thus t h e r e e x i s t s a f u n c t i o n 9 s a t i s f y i n g :
This i s t h e e x p r e s s i o n of A = G ( J ) , G b e i n g a n i n t e g r a l
operator.

Thisequation i s a l s o s a t i s f i e d i n t h e c o i l s , Therefore (1 2 ) becomes :

where J is known and e q u a l t o J o . I t canbeprovedthat,
i f we restrict(10)tothetube
b ew r i t t e n( s e eB o s s a v i t

at + p J
[l]

a
) :

= z
and t h e p l a t e , it can

GJo
21(,Dl
2Tr
P(Y) Log / X Y / j (y) dy

I
P(Y) Log lx-y j o b ) dy
+ Pj(x) = -
iwJ D,UD;

(14)
We shallsolvethisequationtoget J inthetube
and i n t h e p l a t e . Let y be a p o i n t of D, and y ' i t s s y m e t r i c r e l a -
tivetotheaxis, we have j ( y ) = - . j ( y ' ) . Thus (14)
11.2 - E.m.f . I s i n t h e c o i l s becomes :

Each c o i l w i l l be considered as a c y l i n d e r , whose

c r o s s s e c t i o n (5) has a vadiusequalto R.

The e .m.f . is equal to :

P

e = - & Os B ds),with B = curl A

So e = - -
aat I- as
A d(aS) = 2.n.R X C-)a A
at
(15) w i l l b e s o l v e d w i t h a n i n t e g r a l
d i v i d e d i n t o N triangles,fortheapproximation.Let
rl1 be a f u n c t i o n e q u a l t o
vanishingelsewhere.
written :
method. D w i l l be

1 on t h e lth t r i a n g l e , and
The approximatedsolution w i l l be

A w i l l be d e f i n e d , u s i n g A = GJ. N
j(x) = C jl.rll(x) (1 6 )
A s w e u s e c y l i n d r i c a lc o o r d i n a t e s ,( r , 0,z) to 1=1
d e s c r i b e t h e domain, we suppose t h a t t h e g i v e n c u r r e n t
The s e t of ( j , , 1 = 1 , N ) w i l l be t h e s o l u t i o n
inthecoil, J o , doesnot depend on 0 . I n f a c t , we
complex l i n e a r systemwritten :
of a
s o l v e d ( l l ) , as a two-dimensionalproblem,instead of
anaxisymmetricone,theradius of thetubebeing much N
l a r g e rt h a nt h et u b e ' sw i d t h . L e t ( P ) , be a plane
C A k l . j l = bk V k E: 111,N] (17)
c o n t a i n i n gt h ea x i s of t h et u b e , we s h a l l s o l v e (11)
1=1
on t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n of (P) and of t h e m e t a l l i c p a r t
DUD'(tube and p l a t e ) . A t f i r s t , we s h a l l t e s t t h e
p r o g r a m ,o n l yw i t ht h et u b e ,t h es t e e l - p l a t eb e i n g Akl i s o b t a i n e di nr e p l a c i n g( 1 6 )i n ( 1 5 ) , then by
t a k e ni n t oa c c o u n tl a t e r on ( s e e f i g u r e s (3) and ( 4 ) ) . multiplying by nk and i n t e g r a t i n g on D.

We g e t :
n I n P

(where Tk i s t h et r i a n g l e number k, and 6k1, t h e

Kronecker'ssymbol).
Inthe same way :

Fig. 3 and 4
 1985

There i s no d i f f i c u l t y i n computing t h e s e c o e f f i -
c i e n t se x c e p tf o rd i a g o n a l 0 3 8 8 , where Tk = T 1 . I n f a c t
t h e r e i s a s i n g u l a r i t y f o r Log ( x - y l , on t h e same t r i -
angle. To s o l v et h i sp r o b l e m ,t h ei n n e ri n t e g r a l is
c a l c u l a t e d a n a l y t i c a l l y , and t h e o u t e r one computed with
a numericalintegrationformula.This i s a sevenpoipts
formula, which canbefound i n [2] .
111 - NUMERICAL
RESULTS
In order to test the program,experimentswere
c a r r i e d o u t . Threetubesweregrooved,eachwithdif-
ferentdepthdefects. The length of t h e t u b e s was 30mm,
t h e i r w i d t h 1.26 m m, and therespectevedepth of t h e
o u t s i d e d e f e c t s were0.3, 0.6 and0.9 mm.
Figures(1)
and (2)represent two photographs of t h e s c r e e n a f t e r
theprobe was moved a l o n g . F i g u r e ( 1 ) r e p r e s e n t s t h e two
signals corresponding to the 0.3 and 0.6 mm d e p t h d e f e c t Fig.8a and8b
s i g n a l s and f i g u r e ( 2 )r e p r e s e n t st h e 0:9 mm depth
d e f e c ts i g n a l s . Comparison between t h e modulus and the phase angles

A f i n i t e element mesh of t h e domain (D), seen LetMbethepoint o f thecurvesuchthat

above, was c r e a t e d . The r e s i s t i v i t y of elementscorres- I6Ml = I I
OP , P b e l s n g i n g , t o t h e c u r v e . We w i l l n o l e M
ponding t o t h e d e f e c t , was f i x e d a t a v e r y l a r g e magni- a s t h e modulus of OM, and a t h e p h a s e a n g l e (dX, OM)
tude.Having t o compute t h e d i f f e r e n c e between two ( s e ef i g .( 6 ) ) . We w i l l n q t e( a 3 , M3) (a6, M6) ( a g , Mg)
q u a n t i t i e s of t h e same o r d e r of magnitude t h e mesh had the phase angles and modulus c o r r e s p o n d i n g t o t h e si-
to be sufficiently refined and regular. gnalsobtainedrespectivelywiththe0.3,0.6and0.9m
d e p t hd e f e c t s . On t a b l e ( I ) , comparisonsbetweenoscil-
Later,modellingtheplates w i l l needaround l o s c o p ea n dn u m e r i c a lr e s u l t sa r e shown. These r e s u l t s
1800 elements. The s y s t e m ' s m a t r i x b e i n g f u l l and com- arephaseanglesdifferences and modulus r a t e s .
p l e x , t h e program was run on a CRAY-1. It shouldbe
noticedthatthe mesh does not depend on t h e c o i l s Table 1
position,thuseachposition of t h e c o i l s o n l y n e e d s
a r i g h t hand s i d e of t h e e q u a t i o n t o b e computed,the, Comparisonsbetween oscilloscope and numerical results
matrixhavingbeeninvertedoncealready.
: Oscilloscope : Computer :
On f i g u r e (5) a n d( 6 ) ,t h en u m e r i c a lr e s u l t sc o r -
r e s p o n d i n gt ot h et h r e ec r a c k sw e r ev i s u a l i z e d . It must 21 O 21
" 9 - "6
b eo b s e r v e dt h a tn u m e r i c a la n se x p e r i m e n tr e s u l t sa r e
i d e n t i c a le x c e p tf o r a symmetry. "6 - "3 22 O 20"
Ag 1 A3 4.37 4.67
?RPwLu(U S W N T S I .> Cl .6 W
: A6 1 A3 2.40 2.47

IV - CONCLUSION
The r e s u l t s seem t o us s a t i s f a c t o r y , though t h e
program i s r e s t r i c t e d t o a x i s y m m e t r i c d e f e c t s . E x p e r i -
mentswere c a r r i e d o u t on tubeshaving same depthde-
fects, but covering go", 180"and360"on the circumfe-
rence. The s i g n a l s we obtained on t h e o s c i l l o s c o p e
screen had d i f f e r e n t a m p l i t u d e s b u t t h e same phase
a n g l e ,c o r r e s p o n d i n gt ot h e common depth of t h et u b e
defects.

REFERENCES
T i m e e v o l u t i o n of t h e s i g n a l
[I] B o s s a v i t A l a i n , Le problgmedescourantsde
Figures(7a).and(7b) show t h er e s p e c t i v e numeri- Foucault, E.D.F., B u l l e t i nd e l a D.E.R., SBrie C ,
c a l andexperimentsignals when t h e p r o b e i s 2 ma Brom 1, 5-14
t h e d e f e c t . We have t h e same comparison on f i g u r e s ( 8 a )
[Z] Stroud, A.H., Approximate c a l c u l a t i o n of m u l t i p l e
and(8b)
9-x"
.
-
-
a t 1 nun fromthecrack,
i n t e g r a l s .P r e n t i c e Hall, 1971
[3] Lord, W. and Palanisamy, R. "Development of
T h e o r e t i c a l Models f o r N o n d e s t r u c t i v e T e s t i n g
Eddy-Current Phenomena", Eddy-CurrentCharacteri-
z a t i o n of Material and S t r u c t u r e s , ASTM STP 722,
George Birnbaum andGeorge F r e e , Eds.American
S o c i e t yf o rT e s t i n g and M a t e r i a l s , 1981,pp. 5-21.

Fig. 7a and 7b