US3981185A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Postemulsifiable dye penetrant system and method for using same
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1974-12-23
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Granted: 1976-09-21
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Expires: 1994-12-23
Abstract
Abstract Postemulsifiable dye penetrant inspection system and method employing substantially biodegradable dye penetrant compositions and emulsifiers, for use in non-destructive testing of objects to locate voids and defects therein, the dye penetrant composition consisting essentially of an organic dye, preferably a fluorescent dye, and a carrier or solvent for said dye, in the form of certain straight chain, primary, aliphatic oxyalkylated alcohols, particularly biodegradable surfactants comprised of the nonionic condensation products of linear primary aliphatic alcohols having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, with ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, preferably in the form of a mixture thereof, or in the form of certain ethoxylated secondary alcohols, particularly the biodegradable nonionic surfactants comprised of ethoxylates of a mixture of secondary alcohols having linear alkyl chains of from 11 to 15 carbon atoms, such surfactants and the resultant dye penetrants having limited water solubility and normally requiring large amounts of water at high pressure for removal of excess dye penetrant from the object surface. An emulsifier is thus employed to treat the penetrant covered object surface and to remove excess dye penetrant, such emulsifier also comprised of the above noted classes of biodegradable nonionic surfactants, but of a composition or nature which are highly soluble and which facilitate removal of the resulting emulsified dye penetrant with water as by spraying. In the method of application of the posemulsifiable dye penetrant system of the invention, the dye penetrant composition is applied to the surface of an object containing cracks and flaws, the object is contacted, as by immersion, with the emulsifier noted above, and water is applied, as by spraying, to the emulsified penetrant on the surface of the object, without removing dye penetrant from the cracks and defects, and with or without a developer, the surface of the object is viewed under suitable lighting conditions, e.g., ultraviolet or black light when the dye in the penetrant is a fluorescent dye, to locate any cracks or defects in the surface of the body as indicated by colored traces from the dye penetrant remaining in the cracks and flaws.
Inventors
- 👤 Orlando G. Molina
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:19
CPC Classifications
C; C09; C09K; C09K11/00; C09K11/06; C09B; C09B67/00; C09B67/0071; G; G01; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/88; G01N21/91
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
296 words
A postemulsifieable dye penetrant inspection method for detecting cracks and flaws in the surface of an object, which comprises applying to said surface a biodegradable liquid dye penetrant composition which consists essentially of (1) a first biodegradable nonionic surfactant consisting essentially of an oxyalkylated alcohol, or a mixture thereof, and (2) a small amount of a dye soluble in said first surfactant, said first surfactant having limited water solubility and rendering the dye penetrant difficult to wash away with water, contacting the dye penetrant covered surface of said object with an emulsifier containing as essential component a second biodegradable nonionic surfactant consisting of an oxyalkylated alcohol, or a mixture thereof, said second surfactant being essentially water soluble, and rendering the emulsified penetrant water washable, said first and second biodegradable nonionic surfactants being of the group consisting of (a) straight chain, primary, aliphatic oxyalkylated alcohols, wherein said alcohols can contain from 8 to 20 carbon atoms and the oxyalkyl groups are a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide groups, and (b) ethoxylates of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols, with the hydroxyl groups randomly distributed, the linear aliphatic portion of said alcohols being a mixture of alkyl chains containing in the range from 10 to 17 carbon atoms, and containing an average of from 3 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide, said second surfactant in the emulsifier having a higher number of oxyalkyl groups in the hydrophilic portion than said first surfactant, contacting the emulsified penetrant on the surface of said object with water and removing said dye penetrant from said surface without removing said dye penetrant composition from said cracks and flaws in said surface, and viewing the surface of said object under lighting conditions to obtain colored traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
296 words
A postemulsifieable dye penetrant inspection method for detecting cracks and flaws in the surface of an object, which comprises applying to said surface a biodegradable liquid dye penetrant composition which consists essentially of (1) a first biodegradable nonionic surfactant consisting essentially of an oxyalkylated alcohol, or a mixture thereof, and (2) a small amount of a dye soluble in said first surfactant, said first surfactant having limited water solubility and rendering the dye penetrant difficult to wash away with water, contacting the dye penetrant covered surface of said object with an emulsifier containing as essential component a second biodegradable nonionic surfactant consisting of an oxyalkylated alcohol, or a mixture thereof, said second surfactant being essentially water soluble, and rendering the emulsified penetrant water washable, said first and second biodegradable nonionic surfactants being of the group consisting of (a) straight chain, primary, aliphatic oxyalkylated alcohols, wherein said alcohols can contain from 8 to 20 carbon atoms and the oxyalkyl groups are a mixture of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide groups, and (b) ethoxylates of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols, with the hydroxyl groups randomly distributed, the linear aliphatic portion of said alcohols being a mixture of alkyl chains containing in the range from 10 to 17 carbon atoms, and containing an average of from 3 to 12 moles of ethylene oxide, said second surfactant in the emulsifier having a higher number of oxyalkyl groups in the hydrophilic portion than said first surfactant, contacting the emulsified penetrant on the surface of said object with water and removing said dye penetrant from said surface without removing said dye penetrant composition from said cracks and flaws in said surface, and viewing the surface of said object under lighting conditions to obtain colored traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said first nonionic surfactant in the dye penetrant composition is the sole liquid carrier for the dye therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
165 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said surfactant (a) is a mixture of compounds having the formula: R -- O(A)H wherein R is an essentially linear alkyl group having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, at least 70 weight percent of said compounds in said mixture having an R of from 12 to 16 carbon atoms, and A is a mixture of oxypropylene and oxyethylene groups, said oxypropylene and oxyethylene groups being from 55 to 80% of the total weight of said compounds, the oxypropylene to oxyethylene ratio of said total weight being from 0.85:1 to 2.75:1; and wherein said surfactant (b) are ethoxylates of a mixture of alcohols having the formula: ##STR2## where n is in the range from 9 to 13 and m is an average of 3 to 12; and said dye is present in said composition in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to 15 parts, per 100 parts, by weight, of said surfactant, said composition being substantially non-flammable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
121 words
A method as defined in claim 3, wherein R in said surfactant (a) can have from 12 to 18 carbon atoms, and the total number of A groups can range from about 4 to about 14; and wherein in surfactant (b) the linear alkyl hydrophobic portion of said surfactant is a mixture of C 11 to C 15 linear chains, and the hydrophilic portion of said surfactant is a polyoxyethylene chain randomly attached to the linear alkyl hydrophobic chains through an ether linkage, and wherein said surfactant (b) is selected from the group consisting of said ethoxylates of said mixture of alcohols, wherein n ranges from 9 to 13, and m is an average of 3, 5, 7, 9 or 12.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said first surfactant in said dye penetrant composition is said surfactant (a), the total number of said oxyethylene and oxypropylene groups A ranging from about 4 to about 8, and wherein said second surfactant in said emulsifier is said surfactant (a), the total number of said oxyethylene and oxypropylene groups A in said last mentioned surfactant ranging from about 9 to about 14.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said first surfactant in said dye penetrant composition is said surfactant (b), and wherein m is an average of 3 to 4, and wherein said surfactant in said emulsifier is said surfactant (b), wherein m is an average of about 5 to 12.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 6, wherein m in said first surfactant is an average of 3, and m in said second surfactant is an average of 5, 7, 9 or 12.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as defined in claim 7, wherein said second surfactant (b) in said emulsifier is a combination of two or more said ethoxylates.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as defined in claim 8, wherein said surfactant (b) in said emulsifier is a combination of said ethoxylates wherein m is 5 and m is 9.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said dye is a fluorescent dye and said surface of said object is viewed under fluorescigenous light to obtain colored fluorescent traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 7, wherein said dye is a fluorescent dye and said surface of said object is viewed under fluorescigenous light to obtain colored fluorescent traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 1, including applying a developer to said surface after removing said dye penetrant composition from said surface and prior to said viewing the surface of said object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 6, including applying a developer to said surface after removing said dye penetrant composition from said surface and prior to said viewing the surface of said object.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
240 words
A postemulsifiable dye penetrant inspection method for detecting cracks and flaws in the surface of an object which comprises applying to said surface a biodegradable liquid dye penetrant composition which consists essentially of (1) a first nonionic biodegradable surfactant in the form of ethoxylates of a mixture of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols having the formula: ##STR3## where n is in the range from 9 to 13 and m is an average of 3, the hydrophilic portion of said surfactant being a polyoxyethylene chain randomly attached to the linear alkyl hyrophobic chains through an ether linkage, and (2) a small amount of a fluorescent dye soluble in said surfactant, contacting the surface of said object covered with said dye penetrant with an emulsifier containing as essential component a second nonionic biodegradable surfactant in the form of ethoxylates of a mixture of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols having the general formula set forth above, and where n is in the range from 9 to 13 and m is an average of 5, 7, 9 or 12, and rendering the resulting emulsified dye penetrant composition water soluble, contacting the emulsified penetrant on the surface of said object with water and washing said dye penetrant from said surface without removing said dye penetrant composition from said cracks and flaws in said surface, and viewing the surface of said object under fluorescigenous light to obtain colored fluorescent traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
240 words
A postemulsifiable dye penetrant inspection method for detecting cracks and flaws in the surface of an object which comprises applying to said surface a biodegradable liquid dye penetrant composition which consists essentially of (1) a first nonionic biodegradable surfactant in the form of ethoxylates of a mixture of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols having the formula: ##STR3## where n is in the range from 9 to 13 and m is an average of 3, the hydrophilic portion of said surfactant being a polyoxyethylene chain randomly attached to the linear alkyl hyrophobic chains through an ether linkage, and (2) a small amount of a fluorescent dye soluble in said surfactant, contacting the surface of said object covered with said dye penetrant with an emulsifier containing as essential component a second nonionic biodegradable surfactant in the form of ethoxylates of a mixture of linear secondary aliphatic alcohols having the general formula set forth above, and where n is in the range from 9 to 13 and m is an average of 5, 7, 9 or 12, and rendering the resulting emulsified dye penetrant composition water soluble, contacting the emulsified penetrant on the surface of said object with water and washing said dye penetrant from said surface without removing said dye penetrant composition from said cracks and flaws in said surface, and viewing the surface of said object under fluorescigenous light to obtain colored fluorescent traces from the dye in said cracks and flaws.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as defined in claim 14, said dye being present in said dye penetrant composition in an amount ranging from about 0.1 to 15 parts per 100 parts, by weight, of said first surfactant.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method as defined in claim 15, wherein said dye penetrant covered surface of said object is immersed in said emulsifier for a short period, and wherein the emulsified penetrant is sprayed with water for removal thereof, and the object surface dried by air blasting.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method as defined in claim 15, including applying a developer to said object surface after removing said emulsified dye penetrant composition from said surface and prior to said viewing the surface of said object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 16, including applying a developer to said object surface after removing said emulsified dye penetrant composition from said surface, and removing excess developer, prior to said viewing the surface of said object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as defined in claim 15, wherein said fluorescent dye in said dye penetrant composition is present in an amount ranging from about 0.5 to about 10 parts, per 100 parts, by weight, of said first surfactant.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-09-21 | 1980-03-22 | 1980-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-21 | 1984-03-22 | 1984-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-21 | 1988-03-22 | 1988-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |