Ultrasonic inspection equipment for inner surface of pipeline

Abstract

The invention discloses ultrasonic inspection equipment for the inner surface of a pipeline. The ultrasonic probe mechanism is mounted on the frame and is used for carrying out scanning detection on the inner surface of the pipeline; the driving mechanism is mounted on the frame and used for driving the frame to step in the axial direction and / or the circumferential direction in the pipeline; the traveling mechanism travels in the pipeline in the axial direction or the circumferential direction, so that the ultrasonic probe mechanism can perform all-directional detection on the inner surface of the pipeline, manual inspection is not needed, the detection efficiency is high, and the practicability is high.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of pipeline detection, and in particular to an ultrasonic inspection device for the inner surface of a pipeline. Background Art

[0002] Carbon steel and stainless steel pipelines are widely used in nuclear power, chemical industry, petroleum, natural gas and other industries. After processing and manufacturing, these pipelines usually need to serve for more than ten to several decades, and they are always in a complex environment of high temperature and high pressure during their service. In this case, it is necessary to regularly check the health of the pipeline to evaluate whether it meets the requirements for continued service. At present, the safety assessment of pipelines usually adopts non-destructive testing. Ultrasonic testing, as one of the important methods of non-destructive testing, plays an irreplaceable role in pipeline testing. Limited by technology and testing environment, pipeline ultrasonic testing usually adopts the method of external surface testing. Affected by the attenuation characteristics of ultrasonic waves, if only the external surface ultrasonic testing is used as a single testing method for thick-walled pipelines, the test results may have defects that are missed, affecting the accuracy of safety assessment. Especially for high-standard industries such as nuclear power, the phenomenon of missed defects will bring hidden dangers to nuclear safety. However, the internal space of the pipeline is small, and it contains radioactive substances during service, which cannot be manually inspected. This requires an automated robot that can realize internal surface ultrasonic testing to complete the relevant work. Summary of the invention

[0003] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic inspection device for the inner surface of a pipeline.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is: to provide an ultrasonic inspection device for the inner surface of a pipeline, comprising:

[0005] frame;

[0006] an ultrasonic probe mechanism, the ultrasonic probe mechanism being mounted on the frame and being used for scanning and detecting the inner surface of the pipe; and

[0007] A traveling mechanism is installed on the frame and is used to drive the frame to step axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline.

[0008] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment, the ultrasonic probe mechanism preferably includes a vertical adjustment component for elastically adjusting the height along the vertical direction of the frame, and the vertical adjustment component includes a connecting plate, a fixing plate, a first elastic member and an ultrasonic probe;

[0009] The connecting plate is installed on the frame, the fixing plate is slidably installed on the connecting plate along the vertical direction of the frame, the first elastic member is elastically supported and installed between the connecting plate and the fixing plate along the vertical direction of the frame, and the ultrasonic probe is installed on the top of the fixing plate.

[0010] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device, the ultrasonic probe mechanism preferably also includes an arc adjustment component for elastically adjusting the ultrasonic probe to adaptively fit the arc of the pipeline inner wall, and the arc adjustment component includes a fixed block, a plurality of rollers and an arc-shaped slide rail;

[0011] The fixed block is installed on the top of the fixed plate, the multiple rollers are installed on the fixed block in the form of two semicircular tracks, the arc slide rail is slidably installed between the two semicircular tracks formed by the multiple rollers, and the ultrasonic probe is installed between the two ends of the arc slide rail.

[0012] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment, the ultrasonic probe mechanism preferably also includes a rotating shaft rotatably mounted on both ends of the arc-shaped slide rail, and the ultrasonic probe is mounted on the rotating shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment, the traveling mechanism preferably includes a plurality of wheel assemblies respectively installed on both sides of the frame, for driving the frame to step axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline.

[0014] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment, preferably each set of the wheel assembly comprises a support arm, a motor, and a wheel;

[0015] One end of the support arm is mounted on the frame, the motor is mounted on the support arm, the wheel is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support arm, and the motor output shaft is matched with the wheel.

[0016] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment, the wheel is preferably a Mecanum wheel.

[0017] Furthermore, in the ultrasonic inspection equipment for the inner surface of a pipeline, the traveling mechanism preferably also includes an elastic adjustment component, and the middle part of the support arm and the frame are connected through the elastic adjustment component for adaptively elastically adjusting the rotation angle of the support arm on the frame.

[0018] Furthermore, in the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device, the elastic adjustment component preferably includes a connecting member, a sliding member, a second elastic member, and a connecting rod;

[0019] One end of the connecting member is mounted on the frame, the sliding member is slidably mounted on the connecting member, the second elastic member is sleeved on the periphery of the connecting member, and the two ends of the second elastic member are respectively mounted on the other end of the connecting member and the sliding member, providing elastic stretching between the connecting member and the sliding member, the support arm is rotatably mounted on the frame, one end of the connecting rod is rotatably mounted on the sliding member, and the other end of the connecting rod is rotatably mounted on the middle part of the support arm.

[0020] The implementation of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: the present invention can use the traveling mechanism to travel axially or circumferentially in the pipeline, so that the ultrasonic probe mechanism can perform all-round detection of the inner surface of the pipeline, without the need for manual inspection, with high detection efficiency and strong practicality. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device from a first perspective in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 is a schematic structural diagram of a frame and a travel mechanism of a pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the structure of an ultrasonic probe mechanism of a pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 is a clockwise schematic diagram of a wheel of a pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection device in some embodiments of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the counterclockwise state of the wheel of the pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment in some embodiments of the present invention.

[0027] Explanation of the symbols in the schematic diagram:

[0028] 1. Framework;

[0029] 2. Ultrasonic probe mechanism; 21. Connecting plate; 22. Fixing plate; 23. First elastic member; 24. Ultrasonic probe; 25. Fixing block; 26. Roller; 27. Arc slide rail; 28. Rotating shaft;

[0030] 3. Traveling mechanism; 31. Support arm; 32. Motor; 33. Wheel;

[0031] 4. Connecting member; 41. Sliding member; 42. Second elastic member; 43. Connecting rod. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] In order to have a clearer understanding of the technical features, purposes and effects of the present invention, the specific embodiments of the present invention are now described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, it should be understood that the directions or positional relationships indicated by "front", "back", "up", "down", "left", "right", "longitudinal", "horizontal", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "head", "tail", etc. are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are constructed and operated in a specific direction, and are only for the convenience of describing the present technical solution, rather than indicating that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation to the present invention.

[0033] It should also be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms such as "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed", "set" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral one; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. When an element is referred to as being "on" or "under" another element, the element can be "directly" or "indirectly" located on the other element, or there may be one or more intermediate elements. The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are only for the convenience of describing the present technical solution, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, the features defined as "first", "second", "third", etc. can explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In the following description, specific details such as specific system structures, technologies, etc. are provided for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, so as to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other cases, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, devices, circuits, and methods are omitted to prevent unnecessary details from obstructing the description of the present invention.

[0035] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0036] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, some embodiments of the present invention disclose an ultrasonic inspection device for the inner surface of a pipeline, which may include a frame 1, an ultrasonic probe mechanism 2, and a travel mechanism 3; the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 is mounted on the frame 1 to scan and inspect the inner surface of the pipeline; the travel mechanism 3 is mounted on the frame 1 to drive the frame 1 to step axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline. The ultrasonic inspection device for the inner surface of a pipeline travels axially or circumferentially in the pipeline through the travel mechanism 3, so that the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 can perform all-round inspection on the inner surface of the pipeline, and no manual inspection is required, with high inspection efficiency and strong practicality.

[0037] In some embodiments, the device may be composed of a frame 1, two sets of ultrasonic probe mechanisms 2 and a travel mechanism 3, wherein the frame 1 may be a cubic structure. The main function of the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 is to carry the ultrasonic probe 24 and provide the probe with a constant pressing force and a certain degree of freedom to scan and detect the inner wall of the pipeline. The travel mechanism 3 provides power for the movement and selection of the device, and travels or rotates inside the pipeline. The device can automatically perform all-round detection of the inner surface of the pipeline.

[0038] For example Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 may include a vertical adjustment component for elastically adjusting the height along the vertical direction of the frame 1, and the vertical adjustment component may include a connecting plate 21, a fixing plate 22, a first elastic member 23, and an ultrasonic probe 24. The connecting plate 21 is mounted on the frame 1, the fixing plate 22 is slidably mounted on the connecting plate 21 along the vertical direction of the frame 1, the first elastic member 23 elastically supports the fixing plate 22 along the vertical direction of the frame 1 and is mounted between the connecting plate 21 and the fixing plate 22, and the ultrasonic probe 24 is mounted on the top of the fixing plate 22.

[0039] In some embodiments, the connecting plate 21 can be installed on the frame 1 by means of bolts or the like, and the connecting plate 21 and the fixed plate 22 are slidably installed with each other through guide rails and sliders, and the two ends of the first elastic member 23 are respectively installed on the connecting plate 21 and the fixed plate 22 to provide elastic contraction for them. The ultrasonic probe 24 is installed on the top of the fixed plate 22. When not affected by external forces, the constant force spring is tightened at the end of the fixed plate 22, and is at the farthest distance from the probe installed at the beginning of the fixed plate 22. When the ultrasonic probe 24 is close to the surface of the workpiece, it is subjected to the compression force, and the ultrasonic probe 24 slides relative to the slider together with the fixed plate 22 and the guide rail, and the distance between the ultrasonic probe 24 and the connecting plate 21 is shortened, and the connecting plate 21 is fixed on the equipment frame, and the effect displayed is that the ultrasonic probe 24 is pressed down.

[0040] In some embodiments, the first elastic member 23 may be a constant force spring to provide a constant pressing force.

[0041] In some embodiments, during detection, the pipe needs to be immersed in water, or a water pump is added to keep the inner wall of the pipe moist. Water is used as a coupling fluid to increase the transmission of ultrasonic waves during detection by the ultrasonic probe 24.

[0042] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 may further include an arc adjustment component that elastically adjusts the ultrasonic probe 24 to adaptively fit the curvature of the inner wall of the pipeline, and the arc adjustment component includes a fixed block 25, a plurality of rollers 26, and an arc slide 27. The fixed block 25 is mounted on the top of the fixed plate 22, the plurality of rollers 26 are mounted on the fixed block 25 in the form of two semicircular tracks, the arc slide 27 is slidably mounted between the two semicircular tracks formed by the plurality of rollers 26, and the ultrasonic probe 24 is mounted between the two ends of the arc slide 27.

[0043] In some embodiments, three rollers 26 may be provided, and the three rollers 26 are installed on the side of the fixing block 25 in a herringbone structure, and grooves may be provided on the rim surfaces of the three rollers 26, and the arc-shaped slide rail 27 is installed between the herringbone structures. In addition, a convex strip may be provided on one side of the arc-shaped slide rail 27, and the convex block is slidably installed in the groove for limiting, and the arc-shaped slide rail 27 slides in an arc on the three rollers 26, and the rotational freedom relative to the sliding of the rollers 26 ensures that the ultrasonic probe 24 can fully fit the complex pipe surface.

[0044] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 may further include a rotating shaft 28 rotatably mounted at both ends of the arc-shaped slide rail 27 , and the ultrasonic probe 24 is mounted on the rotating shaft 28 so that the ultrasonic probe 24 can swing.

[0045] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic probe 24 can rotate along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 28 to ensure that the ultrasonic probe 24 can better fit the complex inner surface of the pipe.

[0046] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic probe mechanism 2 realizes the multi-directional rotation angle and adaptive elastic height adjustment of the ultrasonic probe 24, so that the ultrasonic probe 24 can be pushed against the inner surface of the pipe, and can follow the rotation when rotating, so that the ultrasonic probe 24 can fully fit the pipe surface. In this way, when the inner wall of the pipe is uneven, it is also ensured that the ultrasonic probe 24 fits the pipe surface, and when the pipe is at an angle, the ultrasonic probe 24 can rotate and fit the inner surface of the pipe.

[0047] For example Figure 1 to Figure 2 As shown, in some embodiments, the running mechanism 3 may include multiple sets of wheel assemblies respectively installed on both sides of the frame 1, which are used to drive the frame 1 to step axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline. The running mechanism 3 can drive the frame 1 to travel and rotate in the pipeline by moving the wheel assemblies in different directions on the inner surface of the pipeline.

[0048] In some embodiments, the wheel assemblies can be arranged in eight groups, and the eight groups of wheel assemblies can be respectively installed at the four corners of the upper and lower end surfaces of the frame 1 to support the frame 1 from multiple directions, and the ends of the eight groups of wheel assemblies away from the frame 1 are all abutted against the inner surface of the pipe.

[0049] In some embodiments, each wheel assembly includes a support arm 31, a motor 32, and a wheel 33. One end of the support arm 31 is mounted on the frame 1, the motor 32 is mounted on the support arm 31, the wheel 33 is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support arm 31, and the output shaft of the motor 32 cooperates with the wheel 33.

[0050] In some embodiments, the support arm 31 can be hingedly mounted on the frame 1, and the output end of the motor 32 can be connected to the wheel 33 through a bevel gear set. The motor 32 can drive the wheel 33 to rotate through the bevel gear set, so that it can travel on the inner wall of the pipe.

[0051] In some embodiments, the wheel 33 is a Mecanum wheel to provide better multi-directional mobility. Specifically, the Mecanum wheel assembly can achieve forward and rotation movements through different control methods. The Mecanum wheel assembly installation method. If four Mecanum wheels on one side rotate clockwise at the same time, their speeds and sub-speed directions, all speeds along the radial direction of the pipeline cancel each other out, leaving only the axial direction speed, and the device moves forward along the axial direction of the pipeline. Figure 4 As shown. As the four Mecanum wheel directions on one side, Figure 5 As shown, the axial velocities cancel each other out, leaving only the radial velocity component, and the equipment rotates along the pipe wall.

[0052] In some embodiments, the travel mechanism 3 may further include an elastic adjustment component, and the middle portion of the support arm 31 is connected to the frame 1 through the elastic adjustment component, which is used to adaptively elastically adjust the rotation angle of the support arm 31 on the frame 1. The elastic adjustment component allows the support arm 31 to be retractable and can enter a variety of different types of pipelines.

[0053] In some embodiments, the elastic adjustment assembly may include a connector 4, a sliding member 41, a second elastic member 42, and a connecting rod 43. One end of the connector 4 is mounted on the frame 1, the sliding member 41 is slidably mounted on the connector 4, the second elastic member 42 is sleeved on the periphery of the connector 4, and the two ends of the second elastic member 42 are respectively mounted on the other end of the connector 4 and the sliding member 41, providing elastic stretching between the connector 4 and the sliding member 41, the support arm 31 is rotatably mounted on the frame 1, one end of the connecting rod 43 is rotatably mounted on the sliding member 41, and the other end of the connecting rod 43 is rotatably mounted on the middle of the support arm 31.

[0054] In some embodiments, the frame 1 mainly plays the role of supporting various components of the equipment. In addition to the supporting function, the frame 1 also provides a certain contraction ability for the support arm 31 to adapt to the problems such as pits, deformation, and diameter change that may exist on the inner wall of the pipeline. When the equipment enters the pipeline and starts scanning, the second elastic member 42 is usually compressed to a certain amount to ensure that the roller 26 on the support arm 31 has sufficient friction with the inner wall. If a support arm 31 encounters a pit, it is equivalent to the inner diameter of the pipeline becoming larger, and the second elastic member 42 rebounds, pushing the support arm 31 outward to maintain continuous contact with the inner wall. If the inner diameter is reduced, the support arm 31 will shrink, push the sliding member 41 outward, and continue to compress the second elastic member 42. This design can ensure the practicality of the equipment in terms of pipeline diameter.

[0055] In some embodiments, the connecting member 4 is a round rod structure, and the second elastic member 42 is a spring.

[0056] The pipe inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment is further explained below in conjunction with the usage process.

[0057] When the ultrasonic inspection equipment for the inner surface of a pipeline is in use: after the motor 32 is powered on, the wheel 33 is driven to rotate, and the wheel 33 drives the frame 1 to travel in the pipeline, and the ultrasonic probe 24 on the frame 1 scans and detects the inner surface of the pipeline. At this time, four of the eight Mecanum wheel assemblies can rotate clockwise at the same time, and their speeds and sub-speed directions, all speeds along the radial direction of the pipeline cancel each other out, leaving only the axial speed, and the equipment can move forward in the axial direction of the pipeline, and then perform an axial scan of the pipeline. In addition, in the directions of the four Mecanum wheel assemblies on the same surface, the axial speeds cancel each other out, leaving only the radial speed component, and the equipment can rotate along the pipe wall, and the ultrasonic probe 24 performs a circumferential scan and detection of the pipeline.

[0058] It can be understood that the above embodiments only express the preferred implementation modes of the present invention, and the description thereof is relatively specific and detailed, but it cannot be understood as limiting the patent scope of the present invention. It should be pointed out that, for ordinary technicians in this field, without departing from the concept of the present invention, the above technical features can be freely combined, and several deformations and improvements can be made, which all belong to the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent changes and modifications made to the scope of the claims of the present invention should belong to the scope covered by the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic inspection device for inner surface of a pipeline, characterized in that: include: Framework (1); an ultrasonic probe mechanism (2), the ultrasonic probe mechanism (2) being mounted on the frame (1) and being used for scanning and detecting the inner surface of the pipe; and A running mechanism (3), the running mechanism (3) is mounted on the frame (1) and is used to drive the frame (1) to move axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline.

2. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ultrasonic probe mechanism (2) comprises a vertical adjustment component for adjusting the height along the vertical direction of the frame (1), and the vertical adjustment component comprises a connecting plate (21), a fixing plate (22), a first elastic member (23) and an ultrasonic probe (24); The connecting plate (21) is mounted on the frame (1); the fixing plate (22) is slidably mounted on the connecting plate (21) along the vertical direction of the frame (1); the first elastic member (23) is elastically supported between the connecting plate (21) and the fixing plate (22) along the vertical direction of the frame (1); and the ultrasonic probe (24) is mounted on the top of the fixing plate (22).

3. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ultrasonic probe mechanism (2) further comprises an arc adjustment component for adjusting the arc of the ultrasonic probe (24) to adaptively fit the inner wall of the pipeline, the arc adjustment component comprising a fixed block (25), a plurality of rollers (26) and an arc-shaped slide rail (27); The fixed block (25) is mounted on the top of the fixed plate (22); the plurality of rollers (26) are mounted on the fixed block (25) in the form of two semicircular tracks; the arc-shaped slide rail (27) is slidably mounted between the two semicircular tracks formed by the plurality of rollers (26); and the ultrasonic probe (24) is mounted between the two ends of the arc-shaped slide rail (27).

4. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The ultrasonic probe mechanism (2) further comprises a rotating shaft (28) rotatably mounted at both ends of the arc-shaped slide rail (27), and the ultrasonic probe (24) is mounted on the rotating shaft (28).

5. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The travel mechanism comprises a plurality of groups of wheel assemblies respectively mounted on both sides of the frame (1) and used to drive the frame (1) to step axially and / or circumferentially in the pipeline.

6. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 5, characterized in that: Each set of the wheel assemblies comprises a support arm (31), a motor (32) and a wheel (33); One end of the support arm (31) is mounted on the frame (1), the motor (32) is mounted on the support arm (31), the wheel (33) is rotatably mounted on the other end of the support arm (31), and the output shaft of the motor (32) cooperates with the wheel (33).

7. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The wheel (33) comprises a Mecanum wheel.

8. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that: The travel mechanism further comprises an elastic adjustment component, through which the middle portion of the support arm (31) is connected to the frame (1), and is used for adaptively elastically adjusting the rotation angle of the support arm (31) on the frame (1).

9. The pipeline inner surface ultrasonic inspection equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that: The elastic adjustment component comprises a connecting member (4), a sliding member (41), a second elastic member (42) and a connecting rod (43); One end of the connecting member (4) is mounted on the frame (1), the sliding member (41) is slidably mounted on the connecting member (4), the second elastic member (42) is sleeved on the periphery of the connecting member (4), and the two ends of the second elastic member (42) are respectively mounted on the other end of the connecting member (4) and the sliding member (41), providing elastic stretching between the connecting member (4) and the sliding member (41), the supporting arm (31) is rotatably mounted on the frame (1), one end of the connecting rod (43) is rotatably mounted on the sliding member (41), and the other end of the connecting rod (43) is rotatably mounted on the middle part of the supporting arm (31).

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