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    Patent 7402999

    Uploaded by

    Alejandro Ibañez Cortés

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    US0070299982 2) United States Patent 20) Patent No. US 7,402,999 B2 Plotnikov et al (45) Date of Patent: Sul, 22, 2008 (4). PULSED EDDY CURRENT PIPELINE 14488 BL 72002 Natnetal mare INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD 429789 BL 82002 Schl ea 33516 (73) avers: Yur Pletatay, Nbkayuna, NY (US) oe “Andrew May, Schenetaly, NY (US) aan a) sao aes soa Sinner Noth, Nake NYU ae ee Changing Wang, Niko, NY (US) are ae a eer aa (13) Assignee: General Hlctele Company, Nsayuna, {6812607 WD L130O4 Makara oo 32426 nyu ‘e207 BL 12008 Vexchera 202% (*) Notice: Sobjctto my detainee thetemmofiit Saris pl Sam Benetton mona patent i extend or ated under 38 DISC. 15k by 90 days 2) Appl. Nos MAINSI6 —— (22) Filed: Nov. 30,2005 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS « Prior Publication Data be Wor4sit AL 41999 on (2) 68) 66) US 200710120559 A1 ‘May 31,2007 (2006.01) s24n20 lon Search... $24/219-221, 324228, 257,238, 240-243, 260 See application fle for complete search istry References Cited US. PATENT DOCUMENTS: (Continves) Primary Examiner ay M Paid (74) Ationmes, gem, or Brn Feber Youor “ ABSTRACT A pulsed ey current pipelineinspecton devices provided. Thepulsededdy euren pipeline inspectiondevice comprises 4 pray of sages Tongtdially spiced apt from each ‘ther ad adapted to move between a contacted positon and an expanded position, and a plurality of sensors disposed around at ast a potion of a Gtcumference of each of the plurality of stapes inthe contracted position with at least one {zp between sesors in each of the plurality of tages in the ‘expanded position, the plurality of sensors being aranged Such thatthe at east one gap in fist ne ofthe plurality of Stages isalgned witha portionof second aneof the plurality ‘of stages that has sensors disposed theron, 22 Claims, § Drawing Sheets 2» 2 6 US 7,402,999 B2 Page2 US. PATENT DOCUMENTS 2080057247 AL 2005 Ratrnge et mae 911826 82 62005 Potikow eta sas FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 20090193351 AL 10/2005. Nathet ‘sm2a EP 26ri6t A? 122002 ooso024675 AL 2.2008 Berkean ct al roarz WO Wosstori0 195 MNOOSEHSG AL 3.2004 MeKnigittal 328262 cited by examiner US. Patent Jul, 22, 2008 Sheet 1 of S US 7,402,999 B2 SB oi 16 US. Patent Jul, 22, 2008 Sheet 2 of S US 7,402,999 B2 US. Patent Jul, 22, 2008 Sheet 3 of S US 7,402,999 B2 82 bec MEASUREMENT 0 |} => INDUCTION CURRENT (mA) 0.01 O1 50 78 TIME (ms) 92 7 ~-77 PARAMETERIZED CURV fn = ‘, FIT EQUATION: yit)=a tat tat... +a,t7 Bes}, Opel eee Be 90 t +L normaUZaTiON PARAMETER =a P DC OFFSET PARAMETER (DISCARDED) aS . a? | W2s% % Ye 2 TOGARITRMICALLY SANPLED, PARAMETERIZED CURVE VALUES /” TIME (ms) FIG. 5 US 7,402,999 B2 Sheet 4 of S Jul, 22, 2008 US. Patent ONILLS TWINONATOd WALSAS NOILISINDOW viva ONILLIS TWIWONATOd ONILLIS WINONATOd FINGOW TOULNOD erl vIT US. Patent Jul, 22, 2008 Sheet 5 of S US 7,402,999 B2 132 134 x DRIVE A PULSED EDDY CURRENT MEASURING DEVICE THROUGH A PIPELINE, THE PULSED EDDY CURRENT MEASURING DEVICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF STAGES, EACH OF THE PLURALITY OF STAGES ADAPTED TO MOVE BETWEEN A CONTRACTED POSITION IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF SENSORS ARE DISPOSED AROUND AT LEAST A PORTION OF A CIRCUMFERENCE OF EACH OF THE PLURALITY OF STAGES WITH NO GAP THEREBETWEEN AND AN EXPANDED POSITION IN WHICH AT LEAST ONE GAP EXISTS BETWEEN SENSORS DISPOSED ON EACH OF THE PLURALITY OF STAGES, THE PLURALITY OF SENSORS BEING ARRANGED SUCH THAT THE GAP BETWEEN SENSORS DISPOSED AROUND A FIRST ONE OF THE PLURALITY OF STAGES IN THE EXPANDED POSITION IS COINCIDENT WITH AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED APART FROM A LOCATION OF AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE PLURALITY OF SENSORS AROUND AT LEAST A SECOND ONE OF THE PLURALITY OF STAGES PLACE THE PULSED EDDY CURRENT MEASURING DEVICE IN THE CONTRACTED POSITION TO NAVIGATE A CONSTRICTED PORTION OF THE PIPELINE 140 END FIG. 7 US 7,402,999 B2 PULSED EDDY CURRENT PIPELINE INSPECTION SYSTEM AND METHOD BACKGROUND This invention relates generally te non-destructive evalu tion of pipelines and more particularly toa method and app ratus fo inspecting elecrcally conducive strictures using Posed ey cure Pipeline are wiely used ina variety of industries, alla ing # large amount of material to be transporte from one place to another. variety of fds such sil abd gas are transported cheaply and elliiently using pipelines. Patcu- Tate mate, and othe smal solids spendin Mids may abo be wansportod though pipelines. Underground and ‘underwater (deep se) pipelines typically cary enonnous ‘quantities of land gas product that are important to energy ‘elated industves, often under igh pressure and at extreme temperatures and at high Now rate. laws in constituent pipes may’ cause pipeline integrity degradations the pipetine infrastructure ages Corson ofa Pipeline can be eatsed by stall spots of weakness, subside nee ofthe sel, local construction projects, seismic activity ‘weather ar simply wear and lear essed by nora seid an ado defets and anomalies in the pipeline. Thus laws fr defects and anomalies can appear in the surice ofthe Pipeline in the form of corrosion, mechanical_damage, Tate, cack, ses, corrosion cracks, hydmgen inde smacks, oF distortion abate to dents oF wrinkles, “Maintaining and protcting existing pipoline newovks is proving to bea challenge. Curent state-of-art line inspox- tion systems employ devices known a pipeline inspection tages (PIG) to traverse sections of pipe i it and provide ‘ata that may be exalted to deny sical defects. Sch PIGs acquire data thom multiple sensors while traveling inside the pipeline. typical single un forthe PIG may be ‘more than 100 km long. The use of PIGsallows evalation of the integrity ofa pipeline section without costly excavation and insulation removal to get access to the outer wall and ‘conduct nndestmctive inspection ofthe pipeline section, PIGs may employ a wide range of sensor technology 10 collet information shout pipelines. Examples of technolo- es that may be used include magnctic Mux leakage (MEL), ‘ltraound (UT) oF eddy curent (EC), Each of these meth fndlogies has it limitation. Fo instance, MPL systets oly ‘om igh eld permanent magnets, which are bulk, heavy and hve significant degging force. As esl, PIGs employing MPL technology at stale for inspecting pipelines that have relatively smooth bends. The UT method requires ‘mechanical coupling with pipe walls and isnot suitable for fn pipes or contaminated alls. Existing EC pgs are fyp- Elly employed to inspect nonmagnetic metal piping 1c bon tet pipes, the dap of penetration i of ey currents is relatively small because of magnetic permeability. which Jeads 108 low frequency solution using lange inductive coils Jordeep penetration and lage area integration to prevent local ‘artions of magnetic prmeability. The noe fo deep mag- ‘sie penetration and aie area negation makes pgs not ‘tale for restrictive pipeline enironments that have tively sharp bends, Remote field EC and trnsient BC technologies hve been developed 10 overcome some of the aforementioned prod: Jems, However, remot field EC and ransent BC technolo- ies do no facilitate the inspection of lange diet, thick arom sel pipelines wth high spatial resolution to detect feds of piting eomion with moving PIG, Since remote BC systems use a spatial seperation between exciting and 2 seasng elements, lage ares adjacent to sharp turns and ‘alves rele uninspocted. Additionally remotefield BC and transont BC technologies do ot facilitate low power con- stimption for automate PIG. A PIG adapted to fcitate internal inspection of pipelines tat have sharp tus and valves with raced clearance is deirable BRIEF DESCRIPTION ie in accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present invention. a pulsed eddycurrent pipeline inspec- tion device is provide. The pulsed eddy current pipeline inspection dovice comprises a plurality of stags longivud- nally spaced part fom each ler sal adapted to move between aconttacted poston and an expanded position and 4 plurality of sensors disposed around atleast a portion of ‘teumforence of each ofthe plait of stage in the con ‘wscod position witha leas one gap tween sensor in cach ‘ofthe plurality of sts inthe expands poston, the p= ity of sensors being arranged stch tha the atleast one gp in ‘histone ol the plurality of tages ialignod with potion of 4 sevand one ofthe plrality of sages that as sensors dis posed thereon, ‘A method of evaluating a pipeline is als disclosed. An ‘exemplary embodiment of tht method comprises diving 3 pulsed ey current measuring device through the pipeline the pulsed edly current measuring device comprising a pi- ralityof stages, ech of theplrality of stages adapted to move betwen contorted poston in which a plurality of snsoes are disposed around at least a portion ofa circumference of ‘ach of the plurality of stages with no gap therebetween and “anexpandet position in whieh a est one gapensishetween, Sass disposed on cach ofthe plurality of stages the pli rally of sensors being arranged! such that the gap between Sensors disposed around fist one ofthe plurality af stages ia the expanded position je coincident with ae ongitadinally spaced apa from a location of at least a portion of the Play of sensors around at lest a second one of the ph tality of stages, and placing the pulsed ey curet measur ing device in the contracted positon tonavigate constricted potion ofthe pipeline DRAWINGS ‘These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will hcome beter understood when the following detailed deserption is ead with reference w the ‘accompanying drawings in which like characters represent Tike parts throughout the drawings, where: FIG iss block diagram showing pipeline inspection system aeconing oan exemplary embodiment ofthe present FIG. 2 isa cross-sectional view of pipeline insposton ‘wage (PIG) according to an exemplary embodiment of the PTFIG. 3 a diagram ofa multitage PIG aconting 10 a ‘exemplary embodieat of the present invention FIG. isa digram ofa sensor sector ofa moli-stage PIG according to an exemplary embodiment of the pesent inven IG. $s a grphical representation of pulsed eddy current (@£C) signals useful in explaining the Operation of « PIG according tn exemplary embodiment of the present inven FIG. 6s block diggram of sn exemplary embodiment of retry that nay’ be used o process deta obtained by a PIG. according tan exemplary embodiment of the present inven Tio and US 7,402,999 B2 3 F1G.7 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps for operat. ing a PEC sensor according oan exeapary embodiment of the present invention br AILED DESCRIPTION Exomplary embodiments ofthe present invention late the examination ofthe efcacy of pipetines. In parila, a Pipeline inspection gage(PIG) comprises plurality ofsensor Sages, cach of which comprises upluraliy of seasor secon. The PIG employs pulsed eddy current (PEC) technology to obtain information fom the sensors about possible defects in br degradation of the wallofthepieline. Asexplainod below. the we of PEC technology allows the sensors wo be disposed Jn such « manpor that the PIG inay be placed in eithr a contracted position oran expanded poston. Inthecontaeted Postion the PIG may be able to averse eestively sharp ends inthe pipeline. FIG. | is 2 diagrammatic representation of a pipeline Inspection systom, designated” generally by numeral 10. The pipeline inspection system 10, which is ‘Maptedo inspet a pipeline 12, comprises pipeline nspos= tion gage (P1G) 14, The PIG 14 is «scanning device placed Inside the pipeline and is use wo gather data about the walls Of the pipeline 12. The data may be analyzed to identify potential fas suchas weak spots andthe ik in the pipeline tral The PIG 14 may be transported through the eng of the pipeline ids the fui fw in the pipeline Inte exem- plary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the PIG 14 employs pulsed eddy curt (PEC) sensors or probes o obain data shout the walls of the pipeline 12 The PIG 14 comprises afr sensor stage 16 anda second sensor stage 18. The frst sensor stage 16 andthe second Sensor stage 18 are consiucied seh that each as an expands postion and contracted position. Inthecontacted position, the fist sensor stage 16 an the second sensor stage 18 may be suficielly smal in diameter to allow the PIG 14 to averse relatively sharp bens within the pipeline 12 eom- pated to pipeline obstacles that may be traversed when the ensor stages 16, 1Ware inthe expand poston. Tn the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the PIG 14 a= tionally comprises a positional component (POC) 20, which determines the position and orientation of PIG 14 ja the Pipeline 12. The PIG 14 fier incids a data sequin system (DAS) 22 for receiving the data aeguired by the first ensor stage 16 and the second sensor stage 18. A power ource (PS) 24 proves powerto the ist sensor stage 1, the second sensor stage 1, the POC 20 andthe DAS 2225 Well 25 olber associated componenls of the PIG 14. Those of ordinary skill inthe ar will aprosiate that the PIG 14 may diionally comprise additonal components such as an ‘nour clock for time stamping each eeord as acquired by the DAS 22 or the like. Similarly, the pipeline inspetion system 10 may include ational componcats like magnc- tometer or magloggers, edometers apc an oF board lock to ‘cond poston andthe overall stance traveled by the PIG 1. FIG. isa cross-sectional view through central axis 6 of the PIG 14 illite in FIG. 1. Tho figure is generly refered to by the reference numeral 26. The cross-section ‘ew illustrated in FIG. 2 shows the operation of one ofthe eotor stages lustrte in FIG. 1. For purposes of sta tion, the ist sensor stage 16 (FIG. 1) is Mastatedin FIG. 2 The fist sensor stage 16 comprises platy of senor sectoes 28,30, 32, and M4 The sensor sectors 28,90, 32 and $4 are illustrated in PIG. 2 in phantom lines in a contacted positon, The same sensor sectors ae respectively labeled 3s reference 3 4 128, 130, 132 and 134, which are shown in an expanded Postion lative to the conta axis 36 ach ofthe plurality f sensor sectors 28,30, 32 and 34 is need wn expansion mechanism 38, which may comprise ‘spring, aiydaulc system or the ike, to dive tho respective Sensor sector between the contracted position and. the ‘expanded postin Inthe convactd sition, thePIG 14 may hve diameter af aout 66-70% its vale relative othe ‘expanded position. By moving the sensor stages 16,1810 the ‘contracted positon, the PIG 14 may be able to efsctively travel through relatively sharp beads or otber obstacles in Pipeline the pipeline 12 FIG. 3a diagram showing the sensor sages 16,18 of rlstage PIG 14, as ilotated in FIG. 1. The figure is -enorally refered w by the voference numeral 40. The fist. Sensor sige 16 and te sesond sense sage TB are shown ia FIG. 3 in dash lies, The firt sensor stage 16 comprises Sensor sectors 30, 32, and 34. Each ofthe seasor sectors 30 32, and 34 comprises a plurality of sensors 42, which may also be roered ose receivers herein, Similarly, the second Sensor sage IB compritesa sensors anda sem ste 46. The sensor stages 44, 46 cach comprise a plurality of receivers 42. In an exemplary embodiment, the Sensors are

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