Titanium alloy pressure vessels are often used in aerospace applications by virtue of their higher strength to weigth ratio and non corrossive behaviour which is ideally suited for storing propellants. Again Titanium alloy vessels are used as liner material for composite pressure vessels. This paper covers the Acoustic Emission (AE) studies carried out on a number of pressure bottles of various sizes made of Titanium alloy Ti 6 Al 4V. The bottles are made either through formed plate route or through forging route as the case may be. The AE response of the bottles using appropriate instrumentation chain are presented in the paper. The philosophy followed in the qualitative grading of the bottles is discussed. The governing AE parameters viz. High amplitude events and long duration events at different pressure holds and load phases are studied and evaluation of the hardware carried out. The paper also includes the AE response of Titanium bottles when they are taken to burst. Appropriate comparisons are attempted with respect to the studies done elsewhere on similar bottles/hardware. Based on the limited AE studies carried out inhouse pertinent recommendations are brought out to refine the methodology for the effective evaluation of Titanium pressure vessels.
Publication Source: Trends in NDE Science & Technology; Proceedings of the 14th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, New Delhi, 8-13 December 1996.full paper not received Publisher:Ashgate Publishing Company
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