Steerable pipe inspection device

Abstract

The present application relates to an apparatus for assessing the condition of a liquid containing pipeline, the apparatus comprising an actuable steering device configured to generate sufficient thrust to move the apparatus along a horizontal plane from one side to another, or along a vertical plane from top to bottom, or any combination thereof, thereby moving the apparatus. The present application also relates to a method for moving an apparatus, the method comprising transmitting an electronic signal, receiving the signal, and based on information from the received electronic signal, actuating a steering device on the apparatus to generate sufficient thrust to change the path of the apparatus to pass through a pipeline component. Further, the method also comprises identifying the pipeline component by positioning one or more of a camera, a sonar sensor, or a time of flight sensor on the apparatus to face the predetermined path.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 107,882, filed October 30, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a controllable liquid pipeline inspection device and its method of use. Background Technology

[0004] Pipeline inspection equipment is inserted into pipelines used to transport liquids such as oil, water, or wastewater to inspect the condition of the pipeline walls. The equipment includes onboard devices for collecting pipeline condition information. These devices store the information collected inside the pipeline until the equipment is removed; at that point, the collected information is downloaded and analyzed to assess the pipeline's condition.

[0005] It is well known that a remotely controlled vehicle that slides along the bottom of a pipe can be used to inspect its condition. Of course, land-based vehicles are not typically placed inside a pipe that is in use and filled with liquid.

[0006] Some pipeline inspection devices are known to be able to be placed in pipelines filled with liquid. These devices typically float in the liquid and move throughout the pipeline with the flow of the liquid. Compared to traditional inspection devices, the advantage of this type of device is that it can be placed and removed from the pipeline without interrupting pipeline operation. When placed in a liquid-filled pipeline, the device is propelled downstream by the liquid, thus moving away from its placement position. For example, installing a cone-shaped tube in front of the device can facilitate its downstream movement. In some cases, this device is not anchored to the ground but flows with the liquid in the pipeline and can pass through components inside the pipe, such as valves, bends, tees, and Y-joints.

[0007] In some cases, these devices are tethered to the ground, allowing operators to place and retrieve them, power any sensors on the devices to operate them, receive and transmit sensing information / data, or perform any other function.

[0008] When the equipment is tethered, the operator can move it downstream by loosening the tether and upstream (i.e., against the flow) by winding up the tether. However, no other active maneuverability is provided. Furthermore, in some working environments, the velocity of the liquid in the pipeline is relatively high, making equipment retrieval complex and potentially requiring additional effort to successfully remove the placed equipment.

[0009] Other pipe inspection equipment includes one or more support arms that extend radially from the equipment to protect the device. In such equipment, the support arms are configured to extend movably from the equipment body to contact the pipe wall and keep the equipment body away from the pipe wall. When the support arms are open, they contact the pipe wall to help maintain the equipment in a generally centered position within the liquid-filled pipe. The support arms can move between open and folded positions relative to the body and are biased towards the open position using springs. The support arms are typically made of durable materials to withstand repeated contact with the pipe wall and can be configured to support one or more inspection devices, allowing these devices to be placed closer to the pipe wall.

[0010] However, in certain working environments, the use of inspection equipment with radially extended support arms may not be desirable.

[0011] First, support arms take up space and can become obstructions to certain types of piping. For example, a support arm may prevent equipment from passing through certain valves in the piping (such as butterfly valves (BFVs), including hump-type or flat-plate butterfly valves). With butterfly valves, difficulties arise when a hump-type butterfly valve is not small enough to partially close the valve, thus tilting it to reduce the chance of equipment contacting the slats as it passes through. In this case, equipment may impact the valve and become stuck on the valve slats of the hump-type butterfly valve. Similarly, the risk of equipment getting stuck increases if there is an unknown hump-type butterfly valve, or if it is inoperable. Problems can also occur with flat-plate butterfly valves, where the front end of the equipment may get stuck against the valve's leading edge, pressing against the sealing ring and wedging itself into the corner plate. At higher flow rates, any impact on the valve can cause equipment to bend and become entangled on the valve plate.

[0012] Secondly, in some cases, the complexity and increased size of the support arm complicate the assembly, disassembly, and transportation of the equipment to and from the work site. Thirdly, in some cases, additional facilities and effort are required to configure the equipment for centered floating. Fourthly, the support arm requires piping with sufficient fluid for it to function optimally.

[0013] Furthermore, it is well known that in fluid-filled pipelines, flexible pipeline inspection equipment moving with the fluid encounters challenging pipeline components that make it difficult to pass. Pipe tees are one such unfavorable component. When the equipment flows along the main section of the pipeline, a portion of the fluid continues to flow in the same general direction, while another portion flows through a bend (such as a sharp turn) into a side branch of the main section. The low drag force acting on the equipment due to one or more of the front modules turning into the side branch, the high inertia entering the tee, the resistance to the bending traction chain and support arms, and the narrow turning radius required to make the bend, can all make it difficult for the equipment to turn into the side branch. Equipment continuing through the tee may come to a standstill or be bent, and in some cases, the rear section may turn into the side branch first. This can lead to pipeline closure, requiring the equipment to be retrieved by personnel or an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) from the nearest pipeline inlet, increasing unnecessary costs and delays. Another unfavorable pipe tee encountered is one where most or all of the fluid flows into the side branch, while little or no fluid continues to flow in the same general direction. This unfavorable pipe tee also makes it difficult for the equipment to turn to the side support due to the equipment's inertia. Summary of the Invention

[0014] Embodiments of the present invention provide a liquid pipeline inspection device and a method for inspecting pipeline conditions using the device.

[0015] In some embodiments, the liquid pipeline inspection device is used to collect information about the condition of the pipeline. The device is placed in a liquid-containing pipeline and includes a module configured to operate the device located within the liquid-containing pipeline.

[0016] In some embodiments, the device is operatively movable within a liquid-containing conduit along a vertically extending X-axis, a horizontally extending Y-axis, an axially extending Z-axis, and any combination thereof.

[0017] In some embodiments, the device includes a control device comprising a radial propulsion system configured to operably move the device along a horizontal plane from one side to the other, and operably move the device along a vertical plane from top to bottom.

[0018] In some embodiments, the radial propulsion device is operably connected to one or more position sensors that collect position information of the device and send the collected information to an electronic controller that processes the information and then activates the radial propulsion device to move the device to a desired position based on the information collected by the sensors.

[0019] In some embodiments, a controllable liquid pipeline inspection device for assessing pipeline condition is disclosed, the device including a control mechanism configured to generate a first thrust in a vertically extending X-axis direction, a second thrust in a horizontally extending Y-axis direction, or any combination thereof, to move the device in a desired direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, a pipe inspection device for assessing the condition of a liquid-containing pipe is disclosed, the device including an actuable control device configured to generate sufficient thrust to move the device from one side to the other along a horizontal plane, to move the device from top to bottom along a vertical plane, or any combination thereof, so as to move the device along a predetermined path past pipe components as the device moves along the length of the pipe with the liquid in the pipe.

[0021] In some embodiments, the control device includes a radial propulsion system for generating a first thrust in a vertically extending X-axis direction and a second thrust in a horizontally extending Y-axis direction.

[0022] In some embodiments, the radial propulsion system includes a first propeller for generating the first thrust and a second propeller for generating the second thrust.

[0023] In some embodiments, the radial propulsion system further includes a propeller housing, the first and second propellers being fixed within the propeller housing, and the first and second propellers being aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the propeller housing.

[0024] In some embodiments, the first and second thrusters are recessed within the thruster housing and located away from the outer edge of the thruster housing.

[0025] In some embodiments, the first and second propellers are propeller-driven propellers, wherein the propeller of the first propeller is configured to rotate about a vertically extending X-axis, and the propeller of the second propeller is configured to rotate about a horizontally extending Y-axis.

[0026] In some embodiments, the control device is fixed to the front end, the rear end, or the front end and the rear end of the device.

[0027] In some embodiments, the control device is fixed to the front end of the device.

[0028] In some embodiments, the control device is detachably fixed to the device.

[0029] In some embodiments, the device further includes an electronic signal receiver for electronic communication with the control device, the electronic signal receiver being configured to receive electronic signals from an external transmitter in order to operatively activate the control device to move the device through the pipe component.

[0030] In some embodiments, the device further includes an electronic control unit, which includes a programmable processor for activating the control device.

[0031] In some embodiments, the device further includes a sensor for obtaining sensing information about the pipe component.

[0032] In some embodiments, the sensor is located at the front end of the device.

[0033] In some embodiments, the sensor is a camera, a sonar sensor, or a time-of-flight sensor.

[0034] In some embodiments, the sensor communicates electronically with the electronic controller, which is configured to receive the sensing information and then operably activate the control device to move the device through the pipeline component.

[0035] In some embodiments, the electronic controller determines whether the pipe component is in the path of the device based on received sensing information. When it is determined that the pipe component is in the path of the device, the electronic controller activates the control device to move the device past the pipe component.

[0036] In some embodiments, the device is operatively connected to ground equipment to allow an operator to activate the control device and move the device.

[0037] In some embodiments, the device includes a weight for fixing the orientation of the device before activating the control device.

[0038] In some embodiments, the device further includes a circumferentially arranged support arm for resiliently moving the device away from the wall of the pipe and keeping the device longitudinally centered in the pipe during the pipe condition assessment.

[0039] In some embodiments, the piping component is a valve or an unfavorable tee connection.

[0040] In some embodiments, the valve is a butterfly valve (BFV), and the unfavorable tee connection is a lateral pipe on the conduit.

[0041] This application provides a system for moving a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline through pipeline components along its predetermined path during a pipeline condition assessment. The system includes:

[0042] A transmitter, positioned near a pipe component, is used to transmit electronic signals; and

[0043] A pipeline inspection device, the device comprising:

[0044] A control device capable of generating sufficient thrust to move the device from one side to the other along a horizontal plane, or from top to bottom along a vertical plane, or any combination thereof; and

[0045] An electronic signal receiver is provided for electronic communication with the control device, the electronic signal receiver being configured to receive electronic signals emitted by the transmitter to activate the control device, thereby enabling the control device to operably move the equipment through the pipeline component.

[0046] This application provides a system for moving a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline through pipeline components along its predetermined path during a pipeline condition assessment. The system includes:

[0047] A transmitter, positioned close to the pipe component, is used to transmit electronic signals;

[0048] A control device capable of generating sufficient thrust to move the pipe inspection equipment horizontally from one side to the other, or vertically from top to bottom, or any combination thereof; and

[0049] An electronic signal receiver is provided for electronic communication with the control device. The electronic signal receiver is configured to receive electronic signals emitted by the transmitter to activate the control device, so that when the pipeline inspection equipment moves along the length of the pipeline as the liquid flows in the pipeline, the control device can operably move the pipeline inspection equipment through the pipeline components in its predetermined path.

[0050] This application provides a method for moving a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline past pipeline components during a pipeline condition assessment, the method comprising:

[0051] Identify a pipe component that, during the evaluation of the pipe, is expected to impede the movement of the device along a predetermined path;

[0052] An external transmitter positioned upstream of and close to the pipe component is used to transmit electronic signals;

[0053] When the device approaches the pipe component, the electronic signal is received using a receiver on the device; and

[0054] Based on the information received from the electronic signals, the control device on the equipment is activated to generate sufficient thrust to change the path of the equipment through the pipeline component.

[0055] In some embodiments, the emitted electronic signal includes at least one frequency selected from a plurality of specific frequencies, each of which can activate the control device to move the device in a specific direction.

[0056] In some embodiments, the emitted electronic signals include one or more specific frequencies for initiating the control device to move the device in different directions.

[0057] In some embodiments, the more than one specific frequency includes a first, second, third, and fourth frequency for initiating the control device to move the device up, down, left, and right, respectively.

[0058] This application provides a method for moving a pipe inspection device propelled by liquid within a pipe past a pipe component, the method comprising:

[0059] An external wireless transmitter is used to transmit electronic signals upstream of and near a pipe component located within the pipe, wherein the pipe component is intended to obstruct the movement of pipe inspection equipment along a predetermined path;

[0060] When the device approaches the pipe component, the electronic signal is received using a receiver on the device; and

[0061] Based on the information received from the electronic signals, the control device on the equipment is activated to generate sufficient thrust, thereby changing the path of the equipment to pass through the pipe component.

[0062] In some embodiments, the method further includes: identifying a pipe component that is expected to obstruct the movement of the device within the pipe along a predetermined path; and placing the external wireless transmitter upstream of and close to the pipe component.

[0063] This application provides a computer-readable medium capable of storing instructions, which are executed by a processing unit to implement a method for moving a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline through pipeline components during a pipeline condition assessment.

[0064] This application provides a method for moving a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline past pipeline components during a pipeline condition assessment, the method comprising:

[0065] The pipeline component that is expected to obstruct the movement of the equipment along a predetermined path is identified by using one or more of a camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor located at the front end of the pipeline inspection equipment.

[0066] Sensing information is acquired from one or more of the camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor;

[0067] Based on the obtained sensing information, determine whether the pipeline component will affect the movement of the equipment along a predetermined path; and

[0068] When it is determined that the movement of the device along the predetermined path is affected, the control device is activated to generate sufficient thrust, thereby moving the device away from the pipe component.

[0069] In some embodiments, the sensing information is obtained by using a camera and a time-of-flight sensor, wherein the time-of-flight sensor obtains the distance between the camera and the pipe component.

[0070] In some embodiments, the determination is performed by a processing unit that receives the sensing information and applies an algorithm to determine the relative positions of the device and the pipe component in space, thereby determining whether the pipe component will affect the flow of the device along a predetermined path.

[0071] In some embodiments, when a pipe component is an obstacle on a predetermined path of the device, it can be determined that the pipe component will affect the predetermined path.

[0072] In some embodiments, the obstacle is a valve.

[0073] In some embodiments, the valve is a butterfly valve (BFV).

[0074] A method is also provided for moving a pipe inspection device propelled by fluid within the pipe past pipe components during a pipe condition assessment, the method comprising:

[0075] Pipe components in the predetermined path of the pipe inspection equipment are identified by one or more of a camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor that are mounted on the pipe inspection equipment and oriented toward the equipment.

[0076] Sensing information is acquired from one or more of the camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor;

[0077] Based on the acquired sensing information, determine whether the pipe component will obstruct the predetermined path of the equipment; and

[0078] When it is determined that the pipe component obstructs the predetermined path of the device, the control device is activated to generate sufficient thrust to move the device away from the pipe component.

[0079] Directional references in this specification and claims, such as "vertical" and "horizontal," are purely for descriptive purposes and refer to the normal direction in which the pipeline inspection equipment moves with the flow of liquid within the pipeline. Three axes are defined as the vertical axis (x) extending up and down, the horizontal axis (y) extending laterally from left to right, and the longitudinal axis (z) extending along the length of the pipeline. The term "forward" refers to a downstream direction in the same direction as the flow of liquid within the pipeline, and "backward" refers to an upstream direction in the opposite direction. The term "radial" refers to movement away from the longitudinal axis toward the pipeline wall / moving away from the pipeline wall toward the longitudinal axis. Attached Figure Description

[0080] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a pipe inspection device including a radial propulsion module according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0081] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The side view of the pipe inspection equipment shown;

[0082] Figure 3 This is a side view of a radial propulsion module of a sensor fixed to a pipeline inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0083] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A perspective view of the radial propulsion module of the sensor fixed to the pipeline inspection equipment;

[0084] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Cross-sectional view along line 5-5;

[0085] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline inspection equipment near the BFV;

[0086] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram showing the pipe inspection equipment approaching the BFV when the radial propulsion device generates thrust;

[0087] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline inspection equipment passing through the BFV;

[0088] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline inspection equipment located near an unfavorable tee.

[0089] Figure 10This is a schematic diagram showing the pipeline inspection device approaching an unfavorable tee when the radial propulsion module generates thrust;

[0090] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the pipeline inspection equipment located at an unfavorable tee crossing.

[0091] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline inspection equipment passing through an unfavorable tee;

[0092] Figure 13 This is a perspective view of a transmitter coil for communicating with a radial propulsion module according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0093] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Where possible, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0094] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The diagram shows a deployable pipe inspection device 2, which can be deployed into a liquid-containing pipe (not shown) to inspect the condition of the pipe walls. The pipe may be partially or completely filled with liquid (such as oil or water), and the liquid may flow from the upstream end of the pipe to the downstream end. The device 2 typically includes a front section 4 and a rear section 6 opposite to the front section 4. As mentioned above, the terms "front" and "rear" are used only for convenience and to establish some directional reference in relation to the direction of movement of the device 2 in the pipe.

[0095] Between the front section 4 and the rear section 6 of the device 2, there is a head 8, a radial propulsion module 10, one or more battery modules 12, a computer and sensor module 14 for collecting pipeline condition information, multiple traction chains 16 arranged between the modules to allow bending between the modules, multiple spring-loaded foldable support arms 18, and weight blocks 20 arranged on the support arms 18. The length of the foldable support arms 18 can be customized and arranged along the length direction of the device 2 to center the device 2 in the pipeline. The weight blocks 20 are used to determine the orientation of the device 2 and / or reduce or eliminate the shaking of the device 2.

[0096] Figures 3 to 5A more detailed view shows the head 8 and radial propulsion module 10 of one embodiment of device 2. The head 8 includes a plurality of circumferentially arranged, freely rotating wheels 22 to allow the head 8 to touch, roll, and then passively guide its front end through pipe components (not shown), such as valves (e.g., butterfly valves (BFV)), bends, Y-junctions, and tees; and one or more components 23 that detect any pipe components to be passed and / or collect information about the condition of the pipe as device 2 moves from the upstream end of a pipe filled with liquid or partially filled with liquid (e.g., oil or water) to the downstream end of the pipe (not shown). Figures 3 to 5 As shown, component 23, used to detect impending pipe components such as valves and crossbeams, includes a navigation sensor 24, which comprises a camera 25, various LEDs 26, and navigation electronics 28. As shown, device 2 is equipped with a camera 25 for optically assessing pipe conditions. Furthermore, the navigation sensor 24 is also suitable for collecting sensor information, including optical, acoustic, time-of-flight, and magnetic information, which can be used to detect impending pipe components such as valves and crossbeams and / or assess pipe conditions. Component 23 can be fixed to the front section 4, around the rear section 6, or at any location on device 2.

[0097] A radial propulsion module 10 or more are provided to manipulate the device 2, which moves with the liquid, through pipe components that would otherwise prevent the device 2 from moving along a predetermined path due to obstruction by the pipe components. The radial propulsion module 10 includes an elongated body 30 containing a buoyancy stabilizer 40, a radial propulsion system 50, and a control unit 60. The radial propulsion system 50 provides thrust to move the device 2 from one side to the other along a horizontal or transverse plane (represented by the y-coordinate along the yz plane), and / or to move the device 2 from top to bottom along a vertical plane (represented by the x-coordinate along the xz plane). As shown, the radial propulsion module 10 is fixed to the front section of the device 2. Additional radial propulsion modules 10 can be configured as needed. For example, another radial propulsion module 10 (not shown) can be fixed to the rear section 6 of the device 2.

[0098] The main body 30 includes a front section 32, which includes a front connecting plate 34 for fixing the support arm 18. The front section 32 flexibly fixes a front connector 36 that allows for a degree of bending between the head and the radial propulsion module 10. The main body 30 also includes a rear section 38 configured to engage another module, such as device 2, via a traction chain 16. One or more stabilizers 40 may be provided, positioned close to the front section 32 and adjacent to the radial propulsion system 50. The stabilizer 40 includes a front spacer 42 (e.g., a plastic spacer, which may be fabricated separately to reduce weight) and a mounting member 44 for balancing a weight 45. A wiring channel 46 allows a communication cable 48 for at least one of electrical power and data to pass through the main body 30 of the radial propulsion module 10.

[0099] As shown in the figure, the radial propulsion system 50 moves the device 2 from one side to the other along the horizontal plane (represented by the y-coordinate) by providing horizontal thrust, moving the device 2 from top to bottom along the vertical plane (represented by the x-coordinate) by providing vertical thrust, or providing a combination of horizontal and vertical thrust, thereby moving the device 2 in the desired direction. Therefore, activating the radial propulsion system 50 typically moves the device 2 away from the pipe wall and toward the pipe center defined by the longitudinal Z-axis of the pipe (represented by the Z-coordinate) (or vice versa).

[0100] like Figures 3 to 5 As shown, the propulsion system 50 includes a propeller housing 52, which has one or more chambers 54. The chambers 54 accommodate and secure a vertical propeller 70 to provide vertical thrust for moving the radial propulsion module 10, thus allowing the device 2 to move from top to bottom along a vertical plane. The chambers 54 also accommodate and secure a horizontal propeller 72 to provide horizontal thrust for moving the radial propulsion module 10, thus allowing the device 2 to move from side to side along a horizontal plane. The propeller housing 52 may be made of a sufficiently durable material (e.g., HDPE) to support and protect the vertical propeller 70 and the horizontal propeller 72.

[0101] As shown in the figure, the thrusters 70 and 72 are aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the housing 52 and recessed away from the outer wall of the thruster housing 52 to protect the thrusters 70 and 72 from impact and increase compactness.

[0102] Thrusters 70 and 72 can be any thruster capable of providing sufficient thrust to move device 2 in the desired direction. Figure 1 and Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, thrusters 70 and 72 are propeller-driven thrusters, each including a propeller 74, 76 operatively connected to a respective motor driver 78. For example, the propeller-driven thruster could be a BlueRobotics T100 ROV thruster (or any other similar type of propeller-driven thruster), or, depending on its size, performance, and weight, other types of thrusters and other types of propeller-driven thrusters could be used.

[0103] exist Figures 1 to 5 In the illustrated embodiment, propellers 70 and 72 are of the same type and aligned along the common longitudinal axis (z). Propellers 70 and 72 are arranged orthogonally to each other to provide motion in different directions, wherein propeller 74 is configured to rotate about a vertically extending X-axis and propeller 76 is configured to rotate about a horizontally extending Y-axis.

[0104] The movement of device 2 is achieved by activating one or more of thrusters 70 and 72, and the overall direction of movement depends on whether one or both of thrusters 70 and 72 are activated (either independently or simultaneously) and the rotational direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) of each propeller 74 and 76. When both thrusters 70 and 72 are activated simultaneously, the resulting direction of movement will have a component extending vertically along the X-axis and a component extending horizontally along the Y-axis. The magnitude of the generated thrust can also be controlled, for example, by changing the speed of propeller 74.

[0105] The radial propulsion system 50 can be any device that can be used to move the device 2 (e.g., the front section 4 and / or the rear section 6) in a desired direction in a liquid-containing pipe. It pushes the liquid in the pipe and / or the pipe wall by generating horizontal thrust, vertical thrust, or a combination of horizontal and vertical thrust, thereby causing the device 2 to move radially away from the longitudinal center (z-axis) of the pipe towards the pipe wall and vice versa.

[0106] Although Figures 1 to 5 The radial propulsion system 50 shown includes two thrusters 70 and 72, but the radial propulsion system 50 may include fewer or more than two thrusters, which is not limited but depends on the application. In one embodiment, the radial propulsion system 50 includes a rotatable thruster to provide rotation about either the vertically extending X-axis or the horizontally extending Y-axis. For example, depending on the practical application, there may be more than one of each type of thruster to increase the magnitude of the generated thrust.

[0107] The control unit 60 includes an electronic control device 62, which includes a control printed circuit board (PCB) 64, video processing electronics 66, a motor driver 78, and trigger electronics 80 and / or other electronics (not shown) for activating the motor driver 78. The control unit 60 includes one or more openings (not shown) for housing one or more cables (not shown) to transmit at least one of electrical energy or data signals between the front-end 4 and the video processing electronics 66, and for housing one or more cables to transmit at least one of electrical energy or data signals from the propulsion system 50 to the electronic control device 62 and the control printed circuit board (PCB) 64. The control unit 60 may also be configured as a stabilizer and to provide additional buoyancy.

[0108] The radial propulsion module 10 may include a single elongated body, or it may include an assembly containing individual components. For example, each of the stabilizer 40, the radial propulsion system 50, and the control unit 60 may be a separate component, which may be fixed together to form the radial propulsion module 10.

[0109] One or more spacers 82 may be included between each individual module and / or unit to provide sufficient space for the connector spacers from the head and the thruster to the rear housing, and one or more support rods 90 extending approximately from the front 32 to the rear 38 may be used to assemble the components of the device 2 from the buoyancy module to the coupling ring 84 together, thereby simplifying assembly and saving weight.

[0110] exist Figures 1 to 5 In the illustrated embodiment, the device 2 includes a spacer 82 between the radial propulsion module 10 and the control unit 60 and four support rods 90 located near the outer periphery of the module 10, extending from the front portion 32 of the module 10 to the rear portion 38, in order to support and secure the module 10.

[0111] In another embodiment, the device 2, from the front section 4 to the rear section 6, includes the component 23, the stabilizer 40, the radial propulsion system 50, the spacer 82, the coupling ring 84, the control unit 60, the support rod 90, and a trigger receiving coil 100 (discussed in further detail below), as well as a tether assembly (not shown) operatively connecting the device 2 to ground equipment (not shown). In other embodiments, the control unit 60 of the module 10 may be omitted, since control functions can be provided by the ground equipment, which is connected to the device 2 via a tether (not shown).

[0112] During operation, device 2 can be moved to the desired location by activating one or both of thrusters 70 and 72. In another embodiment, activation of thrusters 70 and 72 will provide temporary thrust sufficient to overcome any drag forces and / or resistance experienced by support arm 18, and guide the front end of device 2 around pipe components that are expected to obstruct the predetermined path of device 2.

[0113] Reference Figures 6 to 13 This application relates to systems and methods for moving pipeline inspection equipment around pipeline components, such as obstacles that prevent the equipment from moving within a pipeline along a predetermined path, and / or unfavorable tee connections that, during pipeline inspection, guide the equipment to an unintended path to obstruct its predetermined path.

[0114] Figures 6 to 8 A semi-autonomous system and method are shown for controlling the operation of the radial propulsion module 10 when a known obstacle 102 (e.g., a valve passage of pipe 104) is encountered during pipe inspection. In this embodiment, an external trigger transmitter 110 (TX unit) located near the known obstacle is configured to emit electronic signals 112 including one or more frequencies, which are received by a trigger receiving coil 100 on device 2. The trigger electronics 80 on device 2 receives the signal 112 and processes the information, then operably activates a motor driver 78 to generate an appropriate amount of thrust at one or more pre-planned necessary locations to overcome resistance and / or thrust direction (left, right, up, down, or a combination thereof) on the support arm 18, so that device 2 passes through the known obstacle 102 on a predetermined path.

[0115] In particular, such as Figure 6 As shown, when device 2, equipped with a trigger receiving coil 100, approaches an external trigger transmitter 110 located within a certain distance of a known horizontal butterfly valve (BFV) 102, the receiving coil 100 receives electronic signals 112 including one or more frequencies generated by the external trigger transmitter 110. Then, the trigger electronics 80 on device 2 processes the received signals and sends a specific command to the radial propulsion module 10 to activate one or more propellers 70, 72. In this case, the specific command activates the vertical propeller 70, causing the head to point downwards to avoid the horizontal butterfly valve BFV. Figures 7 to 8 As shown, the vertical thruster 70 is activated until the device 2 passes through the horizontal butterfly valve BFV 102, and the head 8 does not come into contact with the horizontal butterfly valve BFV 102.

[0116] Another embodiment provides an autonomous system and method for controlling the operation of the radial propulsion module 10 when it needs to traverse unknown BFVs or crossbeams. This autonomous system and method includes a navigation component 23 for collecting sensing information about approaching pipe components (such as valves and crossbeams), and then processing that information using an algorithm to determine the orientation of the valves and crossbeams.

[0117] The navigation component 23 for detecting pipe components can be implemented using various methods. A first method is to collect visual data using a high-definition camera 25 with white LEDs 26 for pipe illumination. A second method is to use a time-of-flight depth camera. A third method is to use a sonar imaging sensor. Regardless of the method used to collect sensor stream data, the sensor stream data is fed into navigation electronics 80 for processing (e.g., an Nvidia Jetson Nano board) and commands are sent to the motor driver 78 to temporarily activate the vertical thruster 70 (not shown) of the radial propulsion module 10 to move the head up or down (along the xz plane), or temporarily activate the horizontal thruster (not shown) to move the head left or right (along the yz plane), or temporarily activate both to move the head diagonally (along both planes).

[0118] In some embodiments, machine learning and / or data analysis are applied to the sensor data stream to identify valves or levers, their shape and orientation, the largest opening through which they pass, and to provide instructions via communication cable 48 to the motor driver 78 and trigger electronics 80 to temporarily activate one or both thrusters 70, 72, thereby guiding the head to pass left, right, up, down, or diagonally through the obstacle.

[0119] In another embodiment, an autonomous and semi-autonomous system and method are provided for controlling the operation of the radial propulsion module 10 to traverse unknown and known pipe components. For traversing an unknown BFV or crossbar, the autonomous system utilizes navigation sensor 23 to detect the valve or crossbar and its orientation, then sends a signal to the motor driver 78 to drive one or more propellers 70, 72 to avoid the obstacle. For traversing a known vertical valve, as described above, the head 8 can be triggered to face left or right; for traversing a known horizontal valve, the head 8 can be triggered to face upward or downward to align the head 8 with the opening. In areas where the valve position is known, the autonomous function is replaced manually to increase system redundancy.

[0120] In some embodiments, multiple external trigger transmitters 110 may be placed at intervals to create a signal network over a wide area, thereby ensuring that device 2 receives signal 112 as it moves along the pipe. Once a signal is received, the thruster will only be activated for a short period of time, after which it will be deactivated. If device 2 still receives signal 112, the thruster will be activated again and continue for a period of time. If no signal is received, device 2 may have already passed pipe component 102, and then the thruster will be deactivated while the support arm 18 pushes the device back to the longitudinal center of the pipe to continue scanning for pipe defects.

[0121] Figures 9 to 12 A system and method are shown for the operation of moving the radial propulsion module 10 through an unfavorable tee connection during pipeline inspection.

[0122] When the flow direction and the location of the unfavorable tee connection are known from the pipeline layout, an external trigger transmitter 110 is set at a certain distance upstream of the unfavorable tee connection, and is placed as close to the pipeline as possible, preferably directly above the pipeline.

[0123] like Figure 9 As shown, when the device 2 reaches the external trigger transmitter 110 located near the unfavorable tee connection, the device 2 receives an electronic signal 112 from the external trigger transmitter 110. This signal 112 is processed by the trigger electronics 80 on the device 2 and sends a command to the radial propulsion module 10. Upon receiving the command, the radial propulsion module 10 allows the device 2 to continue through the tee connection, or, at the tee connection, moves the device 2 to the right to the side branch 106 of the pipe 104. In the second case, the propulsion is activated for a limited time to orient the head 8 toward the side branch 106. When the head 8 of the device 2 reaches the side branch 106, the radial propulsion module 10 aligns to an optimal position so that the device 2 can match the highest flow rate and thus guide the head 8 toward the side branch 106, as shown. Figure 10 and 11 As shown. As device 2 continues to advance, the head 8 will contact the distal side of the side branch 106 and begin to roll to guide the remainder of device 2 through the unfavorable tee connection, such as... Figure 12 As shown.

[0124] In some embodiments, the external trigger transmitter 110 is configured to turn on only when the device 2 passes an upstream tracking receiver (not shown). The upstream tracking receiver can be positioned at one or more locations along the pipeline and synchronized with GPS time, while also being configured to receive pings from the device 2 to calculate the distance between the tracking receiver and the device 2. In some other embodiments, if the tee's position is inaccurate, multiple external trigger transmitters 110 can be spaced out to create a wide signal network over a broad area, ensuring that the device 2 receives the signal 112. Similarly, this approach can be applied to unfavorable reducing tees, i.e., side sidings with smaller diameters (than the main siding), provided there is sufficient spacing for the device 2 to turn into the side siding. In some embodiments, the fluid flow rate is another factor in determining how long before the tee and how much thrust is required to turn the device 2 into the side siding 106.

[0125] like Figure 13 As shown, the external trigger transmitter 110 can be a standalone unit, comprising a transmitting coil 111, driving electronics 114, a rechargeable lithium-ion battery 116, and a command selector 118, all housed within a robust, waterproof housing 120. The external interface of the external trigger transmitter 110 includes a switch, a charging port, and a mode selector 118 for selecting up, down, left, or right movement commands to pass through any obstacle. Depending on the selection, different electromagnetic signals (e.g., low-frequency signals required to penetrate concrete-encased pipes), or f1, f2, f3, or f4, will be emitted, which will respectively command the radial propulsion module 10 to tilt the head of device 2 up, down, left, or right.

[0126] The external trigger transmitter 110 should be placed as close as possible to the pipe 104. In a preferred embodiment, the external trigger transmitter 110 is placed directly above the pipe 104 and at a distance upstream from a valve, crossbar, or unfavorable tee. In some embodiments, the magnitude of this distance will depend on the depth and range of the generated transmission signal 112, and the response time of the receiving coil 100 on the device 2 in receiving the signal 112, activating the thruster, and positioning the head in the desired correct position.

[0127] The embodiments described above in this application are intended to be illustrative only. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, and variations to specific embodiments without departing from the intended scope of this application. In particular, features from one or more of the above embodiments can be selected to form alternative embodiments consisting of sub-combinations of features that may not be explicitly described above. Furthermore, features from one or more of the above embodiments can be selected and combined to form alternative embodiments consisting of combinations of features that may not be explicitly described above. Features suitable for such combinations and sub-combinations will be apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the application as a whole. Any dimensions provided in the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The subject matter described herein and in the claims is intended to cover and encompass all suitable variations in the art.

Claims

1. A pipe inspection device for assessing the condition of a liquid-containing pipe, the device comprising an actuable control device configured to generate sufficient thrust to move the device from one side to the other along a horizontal plane, or to move the device from top to bottom along a vertical plane, or any combination thereof, so as to move the device through pipe components in a predetermined path as the device moves along the length of the pipe with liquid in the pipe. The device also includes a circumferentially arranged support arm configured to resiliently move the device away from the wall of the pipe and to keep the device at the longitudinal center of the pipe during the pipe condition assessment.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control device includes a radial propulsion system for generating a first thrust in the vertically extending X-axis direction and a second thrust in the horizontally extending Y-axis direction.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The radial propulsion system includes a first thruster for generating the first thrust and a second thruster for generating the second thrust.

4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The radial propulsion system also includes a propeller housing, in which first and second propellers are fixed, and the first and second propellers are aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the propeller housing.

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first and second thrusters are recessed into the thruster housing and located away from the outer edge of the thruster housing.

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first and second thrusters are propeller-driven thrusters, with the propeller of the first thruster configured to rotate about a vertically extending X-axis and the propeller of the second thruster configured to rotate about a horizontally extending Y-axis.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control device is fixed to the front end, rear end, or both of the front and rear ends of the device.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control device is fixed to the front end of the equipment.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The control device is detachably fixed to the equipment.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The device also includes an electronic signal receiver for electronic communication with the control device. The electronic signal receiver is configured to receive electronic signals from an external transmitter in order to operatively activate the control device to move the device through the pipe component.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The device also includes an electronic control unit, which includes a programmable processor for activating the control device.

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that, The device also includes a sensor for obtaining sensing information about the pipe component.

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that, The sensor is located at the front end of the device.

14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that, The sensor is a camera, a sonar sensor, or a time-of-flight sensor.

15. The device according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that, The sensor communicates electronically with the electronic controller, which is configured to receive the sensing information and then operably activate the control device to move the equipment around the pipeline component.

16. The device according to claim 15, characterized in that, The electronic controller determines whether the pipe component is in the path of the device based on the received sensing information. When it is determined that the pipe component is in the path of the device, the electronic controller activates the control device to move the device past the pipe component.

17. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The device is operatively connected to ground equipment to allow an operator to activate the control device and move the device.

18. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The device includes a weight for fixing the orientation of the device before the control device is activated.

19. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The piping component is a valve or an unfavorable tee connection.

20. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that, The valve is a butterfly valve (BFV), and the unfavorable tee is a one-way pipe on the pipeline.

21. A system for assessing the condition of a liquid-containing pipeline, wherein during the assessment of the pipeline condition, a pipeline inspection device propelled by liquid within the pipeline is moved through pipeline components along its predetermined path, the system comprising: A transmitter, positioned near the pipe component, is used to transmit electronic signals; A control device capable of generating sufficient thrust to move the device from one side to the other along a horizontal plane, or to move the device from top to bottom along a vertical plane, or any combination thereof. and An electronic signal receiver is provided for electronic communication with the control device. The electronic signal receiver is configured to receive electronic signals emitted by the transmitter to activate the control device. As the device moves along the length of the pipe with the flow of liquid in the pipe, the control device can operably move the device through pipe components in its predetermined path. The device includes a circumferentially arranged support arm configured to resiliently provide a force that moves the device away from the wall of the pipe and, during the pipe condition assessment, keeps the device at the longitudinal center of the pipe until the force is overcome by a force generated by the control device.

22. The system according to claim 21, characterized in that, The control device includes a radial propulsion system for generating a first thrust in the vertically extending X-axis direction and a second thrust in the horizontally extending Y-axis direction.

23. The system according to claim 22, characterized in that, The radial propulsion system includes a first thruster for generating the first thrust and a second thruster for generating the second thrust.

24. The system according to claim 23, characterized in that, The radial propulsion system also includes a propeller housing, in which first and second propellers are fixed, and the first and second propellers are aligned along a common longitudinal axis of the propeller housing.

25. The system according to claim 24, characterized in that, The first and second thrusters are recessed into the thruster housing and located away from the outer edge of the thruster housing.

26. The system according to claim 25, characterized in that, The first and second thrusters are propeller-driven thrusters, with the propeller of the first thruster configured to rotate about a vertically extending X-axis and the propeller of the second thruster configured to rotate about a horizontally extending Y-axis.

27. The system according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that, The control device is fixed to the front and rear ends of the device, or the front and rear ends of the device.

28. The system according to claim 27, characterized in that, The control device is fixed to the front end of the equipment.

29. The system according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that, The control device is detachably fixed to the equipment.

30. The system according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that, The system also includes an electronic controller configured to process received electronic signals and send instructions to activate the control device.

31. The system according to claim 30, characterized in that, The system also includes a sensor for obtaining sensing information about the pipe components.

32. The system according to claim 31, characterized in that, The sensor is located at the front end of the device.

33. The system according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that, The sensor is a camera, a sonar sensor, or a time-of-flight sensor.

34. The system according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that, The sensor communicates electronically with the electronic controller, which is configured to receive the sensing information and then operably activate the control device to move the equipment through the pipeline component.

35. The system according to claim 34, characterized in that, The electronic controller determines whether the pipe component is in the path of the device based on the received sensing information. When it is determined that the pipe component is in the path of the device, the electronic controller activates the control device to move the device past the pipe component.

36. The system according to claim 34, characterized in that, The electronic control device includes a processing unit configured to receive the sensing information and apply an algorithm to determine the relative positions of the device and the pipeline component in space, so as to determine whether the pipeline component will affect the predetermined path of the device.

37. The system according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that, The system also includes a weight for fixing the orientation of the device before the control device is activated.

38. The system according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterized in that, The piping component is a valve or an unfavorable tee connection.

39. The system according to claim 38, characterized in that, The valve is a butterfly valve (BFV), and the unfavorable tee is a one-way pipe on the pipeline.

40. A method for assessing the condition of a liquid-containing pipeline, comprising moving a pipeline inspection device as claimed in claim 1, the pipeline inspection device being propelled by liquid within the pipeline around the pipeline components, the method comprising: An external wireless transmitter is used to transmit electronic signals upstream of and near a pipe component located within the pipe, wherein the pipe component is determined to obstruct a predetermined path of the pipe inspection equipment. When the device approaches the pipe component, a receiver on the device receives the electronic signal; and Based on the information received from the electronic signals, the control device on the equipment is activated to generate sufficient thrust, changing the path of the equipment to pass through the pipeline component.

41. The method according to claim 40, characterized in that, The method further includes: identifying a pipe component that is expected to obstruct a predetermined path of the device within the pipe; and placing the external wireless transmitter upstream of and close to the pipe component.

42. The method according to claim 40 or 41, characterized in that, The emitted electronic signal includes at least one frequency selected from a plurality of specific frequencies, each of which activates the control device to move the device in a specific direction.

43. The method according to claim 42, characterized in that, The emitted electronic signals include one or more specific frequencies, which are used to activate the control device to move the device in different directions.

44. The method according to claim 42, characterized in that, The plurality of specific frequencies include a first, second, third, and fourth frequency for activating the control device, thereby causing the device to move up, down, left, and right, respectively.

45. The method according to claim 40 or 41, characterized in that, The piping component is a valve or an unfavorable tee connection.

46. ​​The method according to claim 45, characterized in that, The valve is a butterfly valve (BFV), and the unfavorable tee is a one-way pipe on the pipeline.

47. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, characterized in that: When the processing unit executes the instructions, the processing unit performs the method of any one of claims 40 to 46.

48. A method for assessing the condition of a liquid-containing pipeline, wherein during the assessment of the pipeline condition, a pipeline inspection device of claim 1 is moved, the pipeline inspection device being propelled by liquid within the pipeline to pass through the pipeline components, the method comprising: One or more of a camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor located at the front end of the pipeline inspection equipment are used to identify pipeline components that obstruct a predetermined path of the pipeline inspection equipment. Sensing information is acquired from one or more of the camera, sonar sensor, or time-of-flight sensor; Based on the obtained sensing information, determine whether the pipeline component will affect the predetermined path of the equipment; and When it is determined that the predetermined path of the device is affected, the control device is activated to generate sufficient thrust to move the device away from the pipe component.

49. The method according to claim 48, characterized in that, The sensing information is obtained using a camera and a time-of-flight sensor, wherein the time-of-flight sensor is used to obtain the distance between the camera and the pipe component.

50. The method according to claim 48 or 49, characterized in that, The method is determined to be executed by a processing unit configured to receive the sensing information and apply an algorithm to determine the relative positions of the device and the pipe component in space, thereby determining whether the pipe component will affect the predetermined path of the device.

51. The method according to claim 48 or 49, characterized in that, The intended path is obstructed when a pipe component is an obstacle or an unfavorable tee connection in the path of the device.

52. The method according to claim 51, characterized in that, The obstacle is a valve.

53. The method according to claim 52, characterized in that, The valve is a butterfly valve (BFV).

54. A computer-readable medium storing instructions, characterized in that, When the processing unit executes the instructions, the processing unit performs the method of any one of claims 48 to 53.

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