Scientists and engineers from a consortium organised by UK technical services company Pera are developing ultrasonic automated analysis methods to inspect milk silos, product tanks and road tankers.
The two year Ultrasub project aims to use ultrasonic techniques to detect cracks and other flaws in the tanks. At present, dairies bring in engineers at huge annual costs to carry out maintenance on their silos and tanks.
Tanks have to be emptied and cleaned and the interior surface is coated with a fluorescent penetrative dye. When this is wiped off, dye is left inside any cracks and the engineer assesses whether they need treatment, normally by welding, or if the tank needs replacing.
Ultrasub will cause much less disruption to production, says Pera, as its use will not interfere with the normal operation of the dairy. This could mean big savings in dairy companies’ maintenance costs.
The largest silos in the dairy industry can hold 270,000 litres. The stresses on these structures are immense. If a silo bursts open, the loss of milk can be disastrous, either economically or, if the flood is not contained, for local river systems.
Staff at Pera are working with the universities of Bath and Bristol and are being supported by RTS Advanced Robotics, Monitor NDT, A&R Electronic Developments and Express Dairies. The project is part funded by the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs under its Link scheme, which supports industrial research.