Dr. Sean Sullivan is a research scientist in the Engineering Services Department of R/D Tech. He performs research and development of eddy current testing techniques for the Canadian nuclear industry. He is currently an adjunct professor at Queen's University and is a Canadian Level II qualified eddy current inspector. He has published several papers on transmit-receive eddy current techniques, including through-transmission and remote field electromagnetic testing.
Dr. Sullivan has developed computer modelling codes that have been the basis for the development of transmit-receive eddy current array probes that have been used successfully in inspections in Canada, the United States, Japan, Belgium and Sweden. As the computer simulations predicted, these transmit-receive probes have proven to be about 5 to 10 times more sensitive to detecting small flaws than conventional impedance eddy current probes that had been used previously. In addition to developing and using the computer modelling codes for improved probe design, the simulations have also demonstrated a proven track record of facilitating new improved signal analysis techniques enabling engineers and scientists to gain more accurate assessments of their inspected components.
Selected Publications
S.P. Sullivan (1992), "Computer Simulation of Partial Saturation Eddy Current Testing in Ferromagnetic Tubes", Materials Evaluation, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 64-67.
Atherton,D.L., Mackintosh,D., Sullivan, S., Dubois, J.M.S. and Schmidt,T.R. (1993) "Remote Field Eddy Current Signal Representation", Materials Evaluation, Vol. 51, No. 7, Jul./93, 782-789.
Obrutsky L.S., Cecco V.S., Sullivan S.P. and Humphrey D. (1996) "Transmit-Receive Eddy Current Probes for Circumferential Cracks in Heat Exchanger Tubes", Materials Evaluation, Vol. 54, No. 1, Jan./96, 93-98.
Sullivan S.P., Cecco V.S., Obrutsky L.S., Humphrey D., Smith S.P. and Emde K.A., "Computer Modelling of Eddy Current Transmit-Receive Probes for Tube Inspection", Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol. 17A, Plenum Press, New York, 1998, pp. 283-289.
Sullivan S.P., Cecco V.S., Carter J.R., Spanner M., McElvanney M., Krause T.W. and Tkaczyk R., "Applying Computer Modeling to Eddy Current Signal Analysis", Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol. 19A, American Institute of Physics, Melville, New York, pp. 401-408.
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Created by Sean Sullivan and Pat Weyman
Last revised August 2002
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