SK Innovation has become the first company in South Korea to receive government certification for an artificial intelligence-based flaw detection system tailored to heat exchangers, signaling a major advancement in the country’s industrial non-destructive testing (NDT) capabilities.
The solution—developed jointly with Ulsan-based AI startup Deep AI—has earned recognition from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy under its New Excellent Technology (NET) program, which acknowledges market-ready, high-potential innovations across emerging technology sectors.
Leveraging ultrasound data integrated with AI-driven analytics, the system detects internal defects in heat exchanger tubes with over 95% accuracy. Notably, it reduces inspection times by more than 90% compared to conventional manual analysis methods. This positions the technology as a significant breakthrough in predictive maintenance and safety assurance for industrial operations.
Heat exchangers are vital to refining and petrochemical processes, controlling thermal conditions during high-stakes production. According to industry data, more than 80% of equipment failures originate from tube-level defects, making reliable and efficient inspection technologies essential.
The AI inspection platform was developed using field data, infrastructure, and operational support from SK Innovation’s Ulsan Complex, while Deep AI contributed its proprietary machine learning algorithms. The initiative also received backing from Ulsan Metropolitan City and the Ulsan Information Industry Promotion Agency, highlighting a broader public-private push to integrate AI into core industrial processes.
The certification marks a pivotal moment in applying advanced diagnostics to equipment health monitoring in Korea’s heavy industry landscape. Both companies plan to extend the solution to sectors such as power generation, steel manufacturing, and battery production.
Deep AI, supported by Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power, is also eyeing future applications in small modular reactor (SMR) technology, indicating the broader strategic potential of AI-based NDT tools in next-generation energy systems.
“We will continue to collaborate with Deep AI to enhance industrial safety and competitiveness through AI and data-driven innovation,” said an SK Innovation official.
Reference: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10509484
