U.S. patent number 3,636,759 [Application Number 04/856,462] was granted by the patent office on 1972-01-25 for process of penetrant inspection.
Invention is credited to James R. Alburger.
United States Patent |
3,636,759 |
Alburger |
January 25, 1972 |
PROCESS OF PENETRANT INSPECTION
Abstract
Compositions and processes for providing a selective increase in
wash-removability of surface penetrant and entrapments of penetrant
in shallow surface discontinuities, as compared with penetrant
entrapments in deeper cracks. Water-washable gel-forming inspection
penetrants are constructed using a balanced combination of
hydrophylic surfactant and relatively volatile lipophylic synergist
constituents. Thin layers of penetrant coated on test surfaces and
allowed to drain and dry for a suitable period of time will tend to
selectively lose part or most of the synergist constituent in
surface layers, while considerably less loss will occur in
penetrant contained in deep cracks. The selective loss of synergist
from surface layers or shallow entrapments, will permit such
penetrant layers to lose much of their gel-forming capability, and
thus become more readily removable in a water wash, thereby
providing an improved contrast of crack indications against an
unwanted background of fine surface indications.
Inventors: |
Alburger; James R. (La Canada,
CA) |
Family
ID: |
25323692 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/856,462 |
Filed: |
September 9, 1969 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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804200 |
Mar 4, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
73/104; 252/960;
516/76; 252/301.19 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N
21/91 (20130101); Y10S 252/96 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G01N
21/88 (20060101); G01N 21/91 (20060101); G01n
021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;252/408,312
;73/104 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Welsh; John D.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application, Ser. No. 804,200, filed Mar. 4, 1969, for "Oil-Water
Compatible Compositions Employing Non-Surface-Active Constituents."
The present invention relates to gel-forming or emulsion-forming
water-washable inspection penetrants and emulsifiers, and methods
for using same. More particularly, the invention relates to
water-washable penetrant compositions which have an improved
capability for detecting surface cracks in test bodies in the
presence of conditions of surface roughness or surface porosity.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a process of penetrant inspection of test parts for surface
discontinuities, comprising the steps of applying a water-washable
dye penetrant to test surfaces, treating said test surfaces by
washing with water to effect removal of excess surface penetrant,
and inspecting said surfaces for the presence of penetrant
entrapment indications, the improvement consisting of the steps of
adding a volatile synergist constituent to said penetrant prior to
application of said penetrant to said test surfaces, and draining
and drying said test parts, prior to washing with water, for a time
sufficient to evaporate said volatile synergist from surface
penetrant without substantial evaporation from penetrant
entrapments in crack defects, said volatile synergist constituent
being at least one member selected from the group consisting of
Methylene chloride,
1. 1,1-methyl chloroform,
1,1,2-trichloroethane,
Trichloroethylene,
Perchloroethylene,
Carbon tetrachloride,
Monochlorobenzene,
Dichlorodiethyl ether,
Orthodichlorobenzene,
1,2,3-trichloropropane,
Trichloro-trifluor ethane,
Isooctanol,
2-ethylhexanol,
1-hexanol,
Benzene,
Xylene,
Gasoline,
Diethyl benzene,
Ethylbenzene,
Dimethyl naphthalene,
Cyclohexane,
Turpentine.
Description
RELATED PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS
U.S. Pat. No. 3,164,006 Evaluation Performance of Liquid Penetrant
Tracer Materials U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,843 Emulsifier Compositions
U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,642 Method for Changing and Restoring the
Sensitivity Characteristic of Diluted Penetrants U.S. Pat. No.
3,349,041 Gel-Forming Inspection Penetrant and Emulsifier
Compositions and Processes U.S. Pat. No. 3,429,826 Gel-Forming
Inspection Penetrant and Emulsifier Compositions Employing
Hydrophylic and Lipophylic Surfactants U.S. Pat. No. 3,530,295
Tracer Processes Employing Ultraviolet Absorber Materials
application Ser. No. 787,381 now abandoned Oil-Water Compatible
Compositions and Methods of Preparing Same application Ser. No.
804,200 Oil-Water Compatible Compositions Employing
Non-Surface-Active Constituents Re. application Ser. No. 830,903
now U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,920 Process for Fluorescence Detection of
Extremely Thin Tracer Films
In the inspection penetrant method, there has been a continuing
need for improvements in water-washable penetrant compositions and
techniques of usage, whereby the detection of surface cracks in
test parts may be facilitated, even though the test parts may
exhibit surface roughness or surface porosity to the extent where,
under usual processing conditions, the crack defects tend to be
obscured. Previous single-step penetrant processes have been
largely incapable of distinguishing extremely small surface cracks
in the presence of severe surface porosity or roughness conditions,
at least to a sufficient degree of flaw detection contrast.
It will be understood that actual crack defects in test parts and
surface porosity and roughness conditions are quite similar in
nature, in that both will act to form entrapments of an inspection
penetrant material. However, these conditions differ to the extent
that actual cracks in test parts usually extend more deeply into
the part than do porosity or roughness conditions.
The problem of crack detection in the presence of a background
porosity condition becomes increasingly severe as the flaw
detection sensitivity of the penetrant composition is increased.
Also, in the case of the modern gel-forming water-washable
inspection penetrants, the enhanced flaw entrapment efficiencies
which are characteristic of these penetrants serve to aggravate the
difficulty in differentiating actual crack indications from
background indications.
I have found that it is possible to design a water-washable
gel-forming inspection penetrant composition in such a way that it
may be employed in a usage mode which acts to selectively diminish
indications of surface porosity without any material loss of actual
crack indications. The result of employing such compositions, in
the proper usage mode, is to greatly enhance the effective contrast
of actual crack indications with respect to background indications
on test surfaces.
The principle object of the invention, therefore, is to provide
improved gel-forming inspection penetrants which permit the
selective reduction of background indications on test bodies.
Another object of the invention is to provide an improved process
of penetrant inspection, in which there is provided an improved
contrast of crack indications with respect to background
indications.
Other and incidental objects of the invention will in part be
obvious and will in part become apparent from the following
description thereof.
This invention contemplates a process of selective evaporation of a
critical ingredient of a water-washable penetrant composition, such
that extremely small deposits of penetrant (or emulsifier) on
surfaces or in shallow surface discontinuities become diminished in
their gel-forming properties with the result that they become more
readily and more rapidly washable in water, as compared with
penetrant entrapments in relatively deep surface cracks. In order
to implement this process, it is necessary to provide suitable
penetrant or emulsifier compositions which are characterized by an
appropriate volatility relationship between the essential
gel-forming constituents.
In my now issued U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,282,843, 3,349,041, and
3,429,826, I have described and claimed various gel-forming
emulsifier compositions which are employable as water-washable
inspection penetrants or as emulsifiers for oily
postemulsifier-type penetrants. The compositions described in the
aforesaid patents all utilize mixtures of water-soluble
(hydrophylic) and oil-soluble (lipophylic) surfactant materials,
these constituents being "balanced" with respect to each other so
as to provide "gel-forming" compositions. When the thus-described
gel-forming composition (containing an indicator dye) is applied to
a test surface having cracks open to the surface, the penetrant
composition enters any surface cracks by capillary attraction. When
excess surface penetrant is removed by a water wash, the
entrapments of penetrant in surface cracks tend to resist removal
due to the feature of gel formation.
In order to properly understand the objectives and scope of the
present invention, it is necessary to understand the effect of
"gel-formation." In the various water-washable penetrant
compositions of this invention and the oil-water compatible
compositions of my above-mentioned copending applications and
issued patents, a gel-forming feature is found which can be
analyzed and measured as follows: As incremental amounts of water
are added to a test specimen of the gel-forming composition, and as
the mixture is stirred thoroughly after each addition of water, it
is found that the viscosity of the mixture tends to gradually
increase up to a point, usually at about 15 to 25 percent added
water, where there is a sharp, steep rise in viscosity as more
water is added. In many cases, this viscosity increase results in
the mixture becoming practically solid, or like a stiff, immobile,
pasty mass.
As still more water is added, a point is eventually reached where
the mixture "inverts" and "breaks" into an emulsion. At this point,
which may be anywhere from about 50 percent added water up to more
than 1,000 percent added water, the viscosity of the mixture drops
sharply upon the addition of more water, and the mixture then
exhibits the normally expected feature of viscosity reduction with
dilution by water.
In accordance with my discoveries relative to this feature of gel
formation, and the definitions which I have applied thereto, it has
become customary to define "gel range" as the percent added water
to provide a "gel break" where the viscosity of the mixture drops
from a gelled condition to below 100 centistokes. The maximum
viscosity which may be achieved within the gel range may differ in
different compositions, but such differences are usually of little
significance so long as the maximum viscosity rises to a point well
above a few hundred centistokes, such that the mixture becomes
relatively immobile.
Inasmuch as wash-removal of a water-washable penetrant from a
surface crack can only proceed through a process of progressive
dilution and diffusion of water into the penetrant and penetrant
into the wash water, it is apparent that any tendency of the
penetrant to form a gel, or to become thickened or increased in
viscosity on contact with water, will serve to cause the formation
of "plugs" of gelled penetrant in the openings of the surface
cracks, and these plugs, although they may eventually dissolve
completely in water, tend to retard the wash removal of entrapped
penetrant. Accordingly, in penetrant compositions of the
gel-forming type, the flaw entrapment efficiency is greatly
enhanced.
Emulsifiers, as used for emulsifying postemulsifier-type
penetrants, are chemically similar to water-washable penetrants,
except that they contain no indicator dye. However, when an
emulsifier is applied to a test surface which has previously been
treated with an oily postemulsifier-type penetrant, the emulsifier
and penetrant compositions become blended together so as to form a
composition which is essentially equivalent to a water-washable
penetrant. Accordingly, it will be understood that the compositions
of the invention, with or without an indicator dye, may be used as
an emulsifier for postemulsifier-type penetrants, and similar
effects of selective evaporation and alteration of surface
penetrant washability may be obtained as are obtained with
compositions which are constructed as water-washable
penetrants.
In my copending applications, Ser. No. 787,381, filed Dec. 27,
1968, for "Oil-Water Compatible Compositions and Methods of
Preparing Same," and Ser. No. 804,200, filed Mar. 9, 1969, for
"Oil-Water Compatible Compositions Employing Non-Surface-Active
Constituents," of which latter application, this present
application is a continuation-in-part, I have disclosed a wide
variety of emulsion-forming and gel-forming compositions which
utilize not only the known and recognized hydrophylic and
lipophylic surfactant substances, but also a number of substances
which are not normally considered to have any "surfactant"
properties whatsoever. In view of the fact that a large number of
chemical compounds have been found which act in the nature of
lipophylic surfactants but which are not really surface active in
the accepted sense of the term, I have introduced the term
"synergist" to identify the general class of oil-compatible
materials which are capable of combining with water-soluble
"surfactants" to form oil-water compatible mixture, emulsions, or
gel-forming compositions as desired. It will be understood, of
course, that the exact balance condition, or range of conditions,
required for a gel-forming or emulsion-forming composition, would
depend on the synergistic strength of the particular synergist
substance employed, as well as the surfactant strength of the
surfactant constituent which is employed. Likewise, it will be
understood that the gel-forming or emulsion-forming properties of a
given surfactant/synergist combination may be altered (usually
reduced) by the addition of certain coupler or extender
ingredients, as is described in detail in the aforesaid patents and
patent applications.
The normal procedures which are employed in the water-washable
inspection penetrant process involve steps as follows:
1. Test parts are dipped into the penetrant, or in the case of
large parts, the penetrant is applied by spray to the test
surfaces.
2. The parts are withdrawn from the penetrant and are allowed to
drain. This step is in reality a dwell step which is employed to
allow a period of time, usually about 5 or 10 minutes, so as to
permit the penetrant liquid to enter any surface cracks and to
displace air present in the cracks. A secondary effect of this
dwell step is to allow as much penetrant as possible to drain back
into the dip tank, so as to minimize dragout or depletion of the
penetrant reservoir.
3. The parts are washed, usually with a pressure spray of water, so
as to remove surface penetrant, leaving entrapments of penetrant in
crack defects. This washing step is usually made as short as
possible so as to minimize the effect of leaching out of entrapped
penetrant.
4. The parts are finally inspected for the presence of entrapment
indications. If the penetrant contains a visible-color indicator
dye, inspection is carried out under white light. If the indicator
dye is fluorescent in character, the inspection is carried out
under black light. This inspection step may be carried out with the
assistance of a developer, and/or the test parts may be heated to
assist in bringing out entrapped penetrant so that it may be
observed as defect indications.
Heretofore, it has been desirable to minimize any effects of
evaporation in penetrant compositions. Actually, all materials are
volatile to at least some degree, and where the penetrant liquid
has a low viscosity, and where the drain/dwell step allows the
penetrant to run off test surfaces, leaving extremely thin residual
layers of liquid, then any effects of evaporation may become
relatively quite pronounced. Thus, even with low-volatility
ingredients in a penetrant composition, it is possible to realize a
drastic change in the chemical balance of a thin layer of surface
penetrant within a few minutes of drain time. Usually, such changes
occur in the direction of decreasing the solubility of the
penetrant and enhancing the sensitivity for surface porosity or
roughness indications. This is because the constituents which
evaporate most rapidly may be a glycol-ether coupler or a mineral
thinner diluent, and the removal of either or both of these
ingredients, by evaporation, usually serves to augment the
gel-forming feature of the penetrant composition, or to increase
its viscosity, thus serving to retard the rate of solution in water
or wash removal.
I have found that many gel-forming compositions suitable for
inspection penetrant usage may be constructed by adding an
appropriate proportional amount of a synergist constituent to a
surfactant constituent. As is set forth in my above-mentioned
copending applications, Ser. Nos. 787,381 and 804,200, there is
usually found an optimum proportional ratio of synergist with
respect to surfactant, such as a maximum gel range or gel viscosity
may be obtained. Many of the known surfactant materials, such as
ethoxylated alkylphenols, for example, tend to exhibit a small
degree of gel formation, upon the addition of water, even when used
alone. However, the addition of a synergist substance, having an
appropriate synergistic strength, may act to materially enhance the
effect of gel formation.
It, of course, becomes apparent that if we start with a gel-forming
composition consisting of a balanced mixture of synergist and
surfactant constituents, and if the synergist constituent could be
partially or completely removed, selectively, then the effect of
gel formation would be diminished. I have found that it is possible
to design and construct a gel-forming emulsifier or penetrant
composition such that the synergist constituent is relatively
volatile. When such a penetrant composition is employed in an
appropriate drain/dry step, a sufficient amount of synergist may be
removed by evaporation from the thin layer of surface penetrant so
that its gel-forming feature is substantially diminished.
It will be understood, of course, that in order for the
compositions of this invention to be useful for practical
applications, it is necessary that the degree of volatility of the
synergist constituent shall fall within a range such that a change
in gel-forming characteristic may take place within a reasonably
short drain/dry time. On the other hand, the volatility of the
synergist material should not be so great that it becomes
completely removed, even from deep crack entrapments, in an
excessively short drain/dry time.
Inasmuch as the usage conditions for a given water-washable
inspection penetrant may vary greatly, the range of useful
volatility characteristics for the synergist ingredient may vary
greatly. For example, where a high-speed, automated penetrant
process is employed, it might be possible to employ drain/dry times
on the order of a few seconds, in which case an extremely volatile
synergist substance such as trichloroethane or methylene chloride
might be employed. On the other hand, where longer drain/dry times
must be employed, and where large, massive, and hot parts must be
penetrant inspected, the volatility of the synergist constituent
must be relatively low. In any case, the selection of the volatile
synergist depends on the usage mode of the penetrant composition,
the duration of the drain/dry period, the temperature of the test
parts, and other conditions which might affect the rate of
synergist evaporation.
For most practical purposes, I have found that the vapor pressure
at room temperature of the volatile synergist materials, useful in
the compositions of the invention, may fall within the range of
from about 0.1 mm. Hg to about 500 mm. Hg. Of course, the vapor
pressure of a given synergist substance may become increased or
decreased as the temperature is raised or lowered. The essential
requirements, at least for the compositions of this invention, are
that the synergist used must be more volatile than the surfactant
constituent, and the volatility of the synergist must be
sufficiently great to yield a satisfactory degree of evaporation
from a thin layer of penetrant on a test surface within a practical
drain/dry time interval, ranging from a few seconds to about an
hour or more.
In the conventional drain/dwell step of water-washable penetrant
usage, an effect of evaporation often occurs, but this is, as
explained above, usually an evaporation of a coupler or extender
constituent, resulting in an enhancement of any gel formation
effect which may be present. In a usage of the compositions of the
present invention, the drain step, if prolonged, becomes a
drain/dry step in which a synergist constituent tends to evaporate
more rapidly than other essential constituents. It will be
understood, therefore, that for the purpose of this specification,
the term "drain/dry" refers to an operation or process step in
which a synergist constituent is allowed to selectively evaporate.
Accordingly, although both the drain/dry method of the present
invention and the drain/dwell method as used with conventional
penetrant compositions may both involve effects of evaporation, the
two method steps are distinctly different in that distinctly
different constituents are involved in the evaporative process.
Many chemical substances can be shown to have synergistic
properties and suitable volatility, that is for the purpose of this
invention. I, therefore, do not limit the specification or the
appended claims to the specific synergist materials which are given
by way of example. Among the various synergist substances which I
have found to be sufficiently volatile for the purpose of this
invention are the following:
Synergistic chlorinated hydrocarbons
Methylene chloride
Methyl chloroform (1,1,1)
Trichloroethane (1,1,2)
Trichloroethylene
Perchloroethylene
Carbon tetrachloride
Monochlorobenzene
Dichlorodiethyl ether
Orthodichlorobenzene
1,2,3-trichloropropane
Synergistic fluorinated hydrocarbons
Trichloro-trifluoro ethane
Tetrachloro-difluoro ethane
Synergistic alcohols
isooctanol
2-ethyl hexanol
1-hexanol
Synergistic hydrocarbons
Benzene
Toluene
Ethylbenzene
Xylene
Gasoline
Diethyl benzene
n-heptane
n-hexane
Mixed hexanes (isomers)
Dimethyl naphthalene
Dimethyl naphthalene (mixed isomers)
Cyclohexane
Refined kerosene (JP-4 fuel)
Refined Diesel Fuel (Chevron No. 1)
Diesel fuel (Chevron No. 2)
Kerosene blends
Aromatic mineral solvent blends
Dipentene
Turpentine
As I have explained in detail in my above-mentioned copending
application, Ser. No. 787,381, synergist materials may vary
considerably in their so-called synergistic strengths. Also,
certain synergists may exhibit gel-forming or emulsion-forming
action in the presence of some surfactants and not in the presence
of other "weaker" surfactants. Still further, certain synergist
substances, when employed with "weak" surfactant systems, or with
other balanced surfactant/synergist mixtures, may act in the nature
of extenders or diluents. For example, in the case of a refined
kerosene having low aromatic content, such material may provide a
pronounced synergistic action, to yield good gels (upon the
addition of water), when in combination with a 10-mol ethoxylated
nonylphenol surfactant. As the surfactant strength of the
ethoxylated nonylphenol is weakened by the addition of a
glycol-ether coupler, the synergistic action of the kerosene
diminishes to a point where gels are no longer formed upon the
addition of water, and the kerosene then behaves as though it is
merely a diluent. On the other hand, a kerosene blend, containing a
relatively large amount of aromatic fractions, such as xylene, will
exhibit a pronounced synergistic effect even in the presence of a
greatly "weakened" surfactant.
It is pointed out and emphasized that certain of the relatively
volatile synergist substances which may be employed in the
compositions of this invention have been utilized in the past in
inspection penetrant compositions. However, they have been employed
in different modes of usage and for different purposes. For
example, mineral thinner fractions have been utilized in the past
as extender diluents in penetrant compositions employing mixtures
of relatively high-strength synergist and surfactant substances, as
is set forth in my copending application, Ser. No. 787,381. Under
these previously described conditions of usage, the mineral thinner
fraction normally does not exhibit any discernible synergistic
characteristics, since it does not contribute to the gel-forming or
emulsion-forming feature of the composition.
Accordingly, it will be understood that ordinary prior usages of
certain of the volatile materials described herein, or any similar
materials, would not provide the desired volatile-synergist feature
of the invention as a natural consequence of such usage. It is only
when the substances are employed in a manner which is adapted to
provide a gel-forming effect when in combination with an
appropriate relatively nonvolatile and active surfactant, that the
objectives of the invention are satisfied.
Thus, for the design of a gel-forming water-washable penetrant
formulation, the selection and use of a given synergist substance
must be carried out with due consideration of the particular
surfactant constituent and the degree of alteration in its
surfactant feature due to the presence of other coupler or diluent
constituents. Procedures for making such selections are set forth
in the above-identified application, Ser. No. 787,381.
The various synergist substances which are useful in the
compositions of this invention may be employed in combination with
virtually any surfactant substance of the types which are set forth
in the above-mentioned application, Ser. No. 787,381. This is
because most of the known surfactant materials are relatively
nonvolatile.
Although any one or a combination of many surfactant substances may
be employed in compositions of this invention, I have found it
convenient to employ an ethoxylated nonylphenol surfactant for the
purpose of providing examples of the compositions and processes of
the invention. The surfactant substance thus employed is
nonylphenol which has been reacted with about 9 to 10 mols of
ethylene oxide per mol of nonylphenol. This material is readily
available commercially. It is liquid in form at normal room
temperatures, and it provides a suitable gel formation feature
which is reasonably typical of the various useful and available
surfactants.
In the examples to be given below, fluorescent indicator dyes are
employed. Although the two dyes C.I. Fluorescent Brightening Agent
No. 68 (sensitizer) and C.I. Solvent Yellow 43 (color former) are
used in the formulations of the examples, it will be understood
that any compatible dye, visible color or fluorescent, may be
substituted in the formulations. Such indicator dyes might include
certain of the oil-soluble visible color dyes, or any one or a
combination of oil-soluble dyes which are set forth in my now
issued U.S. Pat. No. 3,386,920. Such indicator dyes might also
include any of the oil-soluble ultraviolet absorber dyes such as
are set forth in my copending application, Ser. No. 731,225, filed
May 22, 1968, for "Tracer Processes Employing Ultraviolet Absorber
Materials."
EXAMPLE I
A water-washable gel-forming inspection penetrant composition was
prepared as follows:
Ethoxylated nonylphenol (10 mols ethylene oxide) 500 ml. Dimethyl
naphthalene 200 ml. Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether 50 ml.
Fluorescent sensitizer (C.I. B/A No. 68) 5 grams Fluorescent
color-former (C.I. Solvent Yellow No. 43) 1 gram
In the foregoing formulation, the diethylene glycol monobutyl ether
was included for the purpose of adjusting the viscosity feature of
the composition. The formulation was tested using a Ceramic Test
Block of the type described and claimed in my U.S. Pat. No.
3,164,006. The Ceramic Test Blocks used have unglazed surfaces
which contain many thousands of very small cracks and fissures of
various sizes in which entrapments of penetrant can form. The
ceramic material, itself, is glassy and transparent in character,
so that the presence of any entrapments of penetrant can be readily
seen; that is, of course, provided that the effective film
thickness of an entrapment is greater than the critical value for
the particular penetrant used, below which color or fluorescence
response tends to diminish.
To one-half of the surface of a clean Ceramic Block, a smear of the
above penetrant composition was applied by means of a small
spoonula. The surface of the block was then blotted gently with
paper toweling, and wiped so as to remove most of the penetrant
coating, leaving a very thin layer of penetrant on the surface of
the block. The test block was then allowed to stand on its edge in
a drain/dry step, for a period of 1 hour. This drain/dry exposure
was conducted under ambient conditions of normal room temperature
and air circulation.
After completion of the above drain/dry period, the other half of
the test block surface was coated with the penetrant composition.
Again, the excess penetrant was wiped from the surface, to prevent
migration of the penetrant smears into each other, and the test
block was allowed to stand for a few minutes so as to permit
penetration of the fresh penetrant into any surface discontinuities
which were present. The entire surface of the Ceramic Block was
then washed with a spray of water at room temperature. During and
following the various penetration, drying, and washing operations,
the Ceramic Block was observed continuously under black light.
During and after washing with water, the "evaporated" half of the
test block showed a much cleaner wash-removal of fine surface
porosity indications than did the other half of the block surface.
On the other hand, the brighter indications on the test block,
which resulted from larger and deeper cracks or fissures in the
block surface, appeared to have about the same degree of brightness
on both halves of the block. It was, therefore, concluded that the
penetrant composition of this example provided an effect of
selective evaporation such that surface penetrant and entrapments
of penetrant in shallow surface discontinuities are rendered more
readily washable, as compared with entrapments in deep cracks in
the test surface.
The above test was repeated using a jet engine turbine bucket
having a heat-resistant coating on its surface. Half of the porous
surface of this test part was treated with the penetrant in its
drain/dry mode, while the other half of the surface was treated
with the penetrant in its freshly applied mode. After washing with
a spray of water, it was noted that a considerably cleaner
background, or porosity indications, was obtained on the portion of
the part which had been treated in the drain/dry mode. At the same
time, the penetrant retained its ability to reveal the presence of
actual cracks and deep pinholes in the turbine bucket.
EXAMPLE II
A penetrant composition was prepared similar to that of example I,
except that 1,1,1-trichloroethane was substituted for the dimethyl
naphthalene, and the diethylene glycol monobutyl ether was omitted.
Similar steps of penetrant application were carried out on the
Ceramic Test Block, and on the turbine bucket test part, except
that in this case, the drain/dry time was limited to about 2
minutes, and the freshly applied mode of application was limited to
a few seconds dwell time.
As before, washing in a spray of water resulted in a considerably
cleaner and more rapid removal of surface penetrant from the
"evaporated" portions of the test surfaces, as compared with the
areas of freshly applied penetrant. Again, there appeared to be
little or no differences in the indications for deep cracks.
It was concluded from this experiment that a satisfactory selective
evaporation of a volatile synergist could be achieved, even with an
extremely volatile synergist substance, such that a selective
removal of background porosity indications could be provided
without loss of indications of deep cracks.
It will be understood that the selection of a particular "volatile"
synergist for use in a composition and process of the invention may
depend on various conditions of usage. In addition, it will be
understood that various constituents may be added to the
formulations of the invention for purposes which are not germane to
the actual gel-forming feature of the compositions. As indicated in
the examples given above, a low-volatility glycol-ether might be
found useful for adjusting certain viscosity features of the
composition, or, if preferred, this constituent might be deleted.
Also, any one or a combination of extender or diluent liquids might
be included in the composition. Such liquids might include glycols,
nonsynergistic mineral thinners, esters, nonsynergistic alcohols,
and the like. Such liquids might also include certain volatile
extender liquids to provide a mode of usage in accordance with my
U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,642.
EXAMPLE III
A water-washable inspection penetrant similar to that of example I
was prepared as follows:
Ethoxylated nonylphenol (10 mols ethylene oxide) 5 gallons Dimethyl
naphthalene 2 gallons Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether 0.5 gallon
Fluorescent sensitizer (C.I. B/A No. 68) 7 oz. Fluorescent
color-former (C.I. Solvent Yellow 43) 1.5 oz.
The above formulation was diluted with 75 gallons of
perchloroethylene to form a low-viscosity penetrant fluid. This
dilution was carried out in accordance with the disclosures of my
U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,642. A deep dip tank was arranged so that the
level of the liquid in the tank was about a foot or so below the
lip of the tank. In this manner, the rate of evaporation of the
perchloroethylene diluent from the liquid in the dip tank was
minimized.
A basketful of turbine bucket parts having rough surfaces was
dipped in the diluted penetrant and allowed to dwell in the
penetrant bath for about 2 minutes. The parts were then withdrawn
and were suspended over the dip tank for a drain/dry time of 60
minutes. About 7 minutes before completion of the 60-minute
drain/dry period, a second lot of parts was dipped in the penetrant
for 2 minutes, and were suspended above the dip tank for about 5
minutes. Both lots of parts were washed simultaneously in a spray
of water at room temperature. They were then dried in an oven and a
dry powder developer was applied.
Upon inspection of the parts under black light, it was found that
the initial design sensitivity of the undiluted penetrant had been
restored by evaporation of the perchloroethylene from the coating
of penetrant on the test parts. Thus, in this example, the
perchloroethylene constituent was employed primarily as a volatile
diluent to permit the changing and restoring of the sensitivity
characteristic of the penetrant in accordance with the method of
the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,642.
It was further observed that the parts which had been suspended for
a drain/dry time of 60 minutes showed considerably less background
porosity indications than did the lot of parts which had not been
allowed to drain/dry. Thus, actual crack indications showed on
"evaporated" parts with an improved contrast against a clean
background.
Although the invention has been described with reference to
particular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various
changes and modifications may be made therein without departing
from the spirit of the invention nor the scope of the appended
claim.
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