Crude oil storage tank bottom plate corrosion acoustic emission internal monitoring device based on probe

Abstract

The invention discloses a probe-based crude oil storage tank bottom plate corrosion acoustic emission internal monitoring device, and belongs to the technical field of petroleum storage tank monitoring. Comprising a shell, an acoustic emission sensor and a balance floating plate, the acoustic emission sensor is mounted at the bottom of the shell, and a probe of the acoustic emission sensor protrudes out of the shell and extends downwards; the plurality of balance floating plates are uniformly arranged in the circumferential direction of the shell, and each balance floating plate horizontally extends outwards in the radial direction of the shell and floats at an oil-water boundary position in the oil storage tank, so that the shell is kept in a vertical state in the oil storage tank, and a probe of the acoustic emission sensor is in contact with a bottom plate of the oil storage tank; the oil-water interface in the oil storage tank is used as a support, so that the sensor is arranged in the oil storage tank, the influence of the external environment can be isolated, the bottom plate of the oil storage tank can be directly monitored, and the technical problem that the monitoring efficiency of the bottom plate of the oil storage tank is insufficient in the prior art is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of oil storage tank monitoring technology, and in particular to a probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of the bottom plate of crude oil storage tanks. Background Technology

[0002] Atmospheric pressure vertical storage tanks (hereinafter referred to as tanks) are important storage containers widely used in the petrochemical industry for the storage of reaction media, refined oil products, and crude oil. With the continuous and rapid development of my country's economy, the demand for petroleum is constantly increasing. At the same time, to avoid national security risks related to energy supply, the size of storage tanks is also increasing, and in recent years, several large tank clusters have been built as strategic reserves. However, during the use of vertical atmospheric pressure oil storage tanks, changes in the operating environment and bottom plate production conditions can cause corrosion damage to the bottom plate, even severe pitting and perforation. This leads to damage to the tank bottom plate structure, leakage of the internal media causing pollution, and in severe cases, disasters, resulting in irreversible damage to safety and the environment. Therefore, the safe operation of in-service storage tanks is a crucial engineering issue.

[0003] Currently, most tank bottom plate monitoring solutions couple sensors to the outer wall of the tank to receive damage sound signals from the tank bottom plate. This solution has two drawbacks: first, it cannot filter environmental signals, resulting in poor monitoring accuracy; second, it has a limited monitoring range, making it less effective for monitoring the bottom plate of large vertical tanks. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a probe-based acoustic emission internal monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plates, in order to solve the technical problem of insufficient monitoring efficiency of oil storage tank bottom plates in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: This invention provides a probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of the bottom plate of crude oil storage tanks, comprising: Housing, acoustic emission sensor, and balance float; The acoustic emission sensor is mounted at the bottom of the housing, and the probe of the acoustic emission sensor protrudes from the housing and extends downward to capture the sound signal of damage to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. Multiple balance floats are provided and are evenly arranged along the circumference of the shell. Each balance float extends horizontally outward along the radial direction of the shell and floats at the oil-water boundary position inside the oil storage tank, so that the shell remains vertical inside the oil storage tank and the probe of the acoustic emission sensor contacts the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

[0006] Furthermore, the housing includes a detachably connected upper housing and a lower housing, the bottom of the lower housing is provided with a base, and the base is provided with mounting holes for mounting the acoustic emission sensor; The acoustic emission sensor is provided in multiple ways, and the number of mounting holes is the same as the number of acoustic emission sensors, and the multiple mounting holes are arranged circumferentially around the axis of the base.

[0007] Furthermore, the base is made of a flexible material so that the probe of the acoustic emission sensor is adjustable in the height direction, thereby adapting to the distance between the bottom plate of the oil storage tank and the oil-water interface, so that the probe of the acoustic emission sensor contacts the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

[0008] Furthermore, the bottom of the upper housing is provided with a support plate for separating the inner cavity of the upper housing and the inner cavity of the lower housing; It also includes an attitude adjustment assembly for adjusting the acoustic emission sensor relative to the lower housing. The adjustment assembly is located inside the lower housing. The adjustment assembly includes a drive unit, a support plate, and a flexible connector. The drive unit is mounted on the lower surface of the support plate. One end of the support plate is connected to the output end of the drive unit. The other end of the support plate is located directly above the acoustic emission sensor and is connected to the support plate through the flexible connector.

[0009] Furthermore, the drive unit includes a linear motor mounted on the lower surface of the support plate, the linear motor being used to drive the support plate to reciprocate up and down along the axis of the housing.

[0010] Furthermore, at least three exhaust holes are evenly provided on the side wall of the housing along the circumference of the housing, and the exhaust holes are arranged at the same height; It also includes a jet assembly located in the inner cavity of the upper housing, the jet assembly being in communication with the exhaust port, and jetting air in different directions through the exhaust port, thereby changing the position of the acoustic emission sensor relative to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

[0011] Furthermore, the jet assembly includes an air tank, a flow control valve, an air supply pipe, and a control unit; the flow control valve is installed on the air supply pipe, one end of the air supply pipe is connected to the air tank, the other end of the air supply pipe is connected to the exhaust port, and the control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve.

[0012] Furthermore, the jet assembly includes a compressor, a filter, an intake pipe, an exhaust pipe, a flow control valve, and a control unit. The compressor is connected to the outside air through the intake pipe, and the filter is installed at the end of the intake pipe away from the compressor to filter impurities in the air. The compressor is connected to the exhaust port through the exhaust pipe, the flow control valve is installed on the exhaust pipe, and the control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve.

[0013] Furthermore, the housing is also provided with through holes for signal lines to pass through.

[0014] Furthermore, the probe of the acoustic emission sensor is made of stainless steel.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the technical solution disclosed in this invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention utilizes a balancing float to keep the shell buoyant at the oil-water boundary within the oil storage tank, thus maintaining the shell's vertical position within the tank. Based on this, an acoustic emission sensor is installed at the bottom of the shell, with its probe contacting the tank's bottom plate. This captures sound signals indicating damage to the tank's bottom plate, improving the accuracy of locating the acoustic emission source of damage and enhancing monitoring reliability. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the acoustic emission internal monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate based on probe in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the jet assembly in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 for Figure 2 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment component in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 for Figure 4 A structural diagram from another perspective; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the base structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a structure with an explosion-proof and waterproof flexible metal pipe installed in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The components include: 1. Acoustic emission sensor; 2. Balance float; 3. Probe; 4. Upper housing; 5. Lower housing; 6. Base; 7. Mounting hole; 8. Support plate; 9. Drive unit; 10. Support plate; 11. Flexible connector; 12. Exhaust port; 13. Jet assembly; 14. Through hole; 15. Explosion-proof and waterproof flexible metal tube; and 16. Signal line. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] To make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0021] This invention provides a probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plates, which can solve the technical problem of insufficient monitoring efficiency of oil storage tank bottom plates in the prior art.

[0022] refer to Figures 1 to 7 The present invention discloses a probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate, comprising a housing, an acoustic emission sensor 1, and a balance float 2. The acoustic emission sensor 1 is installed at the bottom of the housing, and the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 protrudes from the housing and extends downward to capture the sound signal of damage to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. Multiple balance floats 2 are provided and are evenly arranged along the circumference of the housing. Each balance float 2 extends horizontally outward along the radial direction of the housing and floats at the oil-water boundary position inside the oil storage tank, so that the housing remains vertical inside the oil storage tank and the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 contacts the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

[0023] It is important to clarify that for large oil storage tanks, residual water will form inside the tank due to factors such as crude oil carryover, atmospheric condensation, and cleaning residue. Furthermore, due to the different densities of water and oil (water > oil), under the influence of gravity, oil and water will naturally separate into layers within the tank, forming a relatively clear oil-water interface. Based on this, the balancing float 2 is preferably made of polypropylene, as its density is between that of water and oil. This allows the device to sink in the oil layer and experience upward buoyancy in the water layer. By controlling the balance between the overall weight and buoyancy of the device, it can be suspended at the oil-water interface. Furthermore, by evenly arranging the balancing float 2 around the circumference of the shell, the device remains vertical while suspended. Once the height and vertical attitude of the device are determined, by setting the probe 3 of an appropriate length, the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 can contact the bottom plate of the oil storage tank, thereby capturing the sound signal of damage to the bottom plate.

[0024] The housing is preferably a cylindrical structure, and the acoustic emission sensor 1 is detachably installed at the bottom of the housing. In specific application scenarios, operators need to select a probe 3 of appropriate size to cooperate with the sensor based on the thickness of the water layer inside the oil storage tank, so that the probe 3 can maintain contact with the bottom plate of the oil storage tank while the housing is in a suspended state. For large oil storage tanks, those skilled in the art can set up multiple detection devices for simultaneous monitoring to improve detection accuracy and response time. Those skilled in the art will understand that the specific number and shape of the balance float 2 can be reasonably set according to the size of the oil storage tank's vent valve and the weight of the device, as long as it can pass through the vent valve and keep the device in a suspended state at the oil-water interface.

[0025] This embodiment's housing includes a detachably connected upper housing 4 and a lower housing 5. A base 6 is provided at the bottom of the lower housing 5, and mounting holes 7 are provided on the base 6 for installing acoustic emission sensors 1. Multiple acoustic emission sensors 1 are provided, and the number of mounting holes 7 is the same as the number of acoustic emission sensors 1, with the multiple mounting holes 7 arranged circumferentially around the axis of the base 6. By providing multiple acoustic emission sensors 1, the device can be provided with bottom support to a certain extent, reducing and improving its resistance to oil and water impacts. Simultaneously, providing multiple acoustic emission sensors 1 allows for more accurate identification of the sound source location, thereby improving monitoring accuracy. Regarding the fit between the acoustic emission sensors 1 and the mounting holes 7, between the base 6 and the housing, and between the upper housing 4 and the lower housing 5, those skilled in the art can choose threaded sealing connections or adhesive bonding, as long as the strength and sealing requirements are met; no specific limitation is made here.

[0026] In this embodiment, the base 6 is made of a flexible material so that the probe of the acoustic emission sensor 1 can be adjusted in the height direction, thereby adapting to the distance between the bottom plate of the oil storage tank and the oil-water interface, so that the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 can contact the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. The base 6 can be made of rubber composite material, which has a certain deformation capability. When the length of the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 is insufficient to contact the bottom plate of the oil storage tank, the deformation characteristics of the base 6 are used to make the acoustic emission sensor 1 deform the base 6 by gravity, thereby extending downward a certain distance and contacting the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

[0027] In this embodiment, the bottom of the upper housing 4 is provided with a support plate 8 for separating the inner cavity of the upper housing 4 and the inner cavity of the lower housing 5; it also includes an attitude adjustment assembly for adjusting the acoustic emission sensor 1 relative to the lower housing 5. The adjustment assembly is located in the inner cavity of the lower housing 5 and includes a drive unit 9, a support plate 10 and a flexible connector 11. The drive unit 9 is mounted on the lower surface of the support plate 8. One end of the support plate 10 is connected to the output end of the drive unit 9, and the other end of the support plate 10 is located directly above the acoustic emission sensor 1 and is connected to the support plate 10 through the flexible connector 11. It should be noted that the thickness of the base 6 increases from the center of the base 6 towards the lower housing 5. The base 6 gradually increases in size in all directions to make the central area of ​​the base 6 easily deformable and the edges of the base 6 less deformable. Based on this, the drive unit 9 presses down on the support plate 10, and the support plate 10 applies downward pressure to the top of the acoustic emission sensor 1 through the flexible connector 11. Combined with the characteristic that the edge area of ​​the base 6 is not easily deformable, when multiple sensors are set, the acoustic emission sensor 1 can be tilted outward along the radial direction of the base 6, thereby increasing the distance between the tips of adjacent probes 3. This improves the monitoring range of the acoustic emission sensor 1 on the one hand, and improves the support stability of the oil tank bottom plate for the device on the other hand.

[0028] The drive unit 9 includes a linear motor mounted on the lower surface of the support plate 8. The linear motor drives the support plate 10 to reciprocate up and down along the axis of the housing. The support plate 10 can be configured as a radial structure with multiple support plates, the specific number of which is the same as the number of acoustic emission sensors 1. Meanwhile, the flexible connector 11 can be made of a flexible material to connect the support plate 10 and the acoustic emission sensors 1, maintaining the connection throughout the movement of the acoustic emission sensors 1. For those skilled in the art, the specific shape of the support plate 10 and the material of the flexible connector 11 can be set as needed, as long as the usage requirements are met.

[0029] In this embodiment, at least three exhaust holes 12 are evenly distributed along the circumference of the shell sidewall, and the exhaust holes are arranged at the same height. It also includes a jetting assembly 13 located within the inner cavity of the upper shell 4. The jetting assembly 13 communicates with the exhaust holes 12 and jets gas in different directions through the exhaust holes 12, thereby changing the position of the acoustic emission sensor 1 relative to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. The jetting assembly 13 ejects gas radially from the shell through the exhaust holes 12, causing the shell, which is in a suspended state, to move to the opposite side of the jetting direction under the reaction force of the gas. By providing multiple exhaust holes 12, a combined jetting scheme is formed, thereby meeting the usage requirements of the shell moving in different directions in the horizontal direction.

[0030] As a specific example, the jet assembly 13 includes an air tank, a flow control valve, an air supply pipe, and a control unit. The flow control valve is installed on the air supply pipe, one end of which is connected to the air tank, and the other end of which is connected to the exhaust port 12. The control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve. This solution does not require an external input gas.

[0031] As another specific example, the jet assembly 13 includes a compressor, a filter, an intake pipe, an exhaust pipe, a flow control valve, and a control unit. The compressor is connected to the outside air through the intake pipe, and the filter is installed at the end of the intake pipe away from the compressor to filter impurities in the air. The compressor is connected to the exhaust port 12 through the exhaust pipe, and the flow control valve is installed on the exhaust pipe. The control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve. This scheme introduces outside gas as the output gas of the jet assembly 13. The two schemes can be selected according to the specific application.

[0032] In this embodiment, the housing is also provided with a through hole 14 for the signal line to pass through, and a sealing ring is provided at the position of the through hole 14 to seal it and prevent the infiltration of oil or water; at the same time, the probe 3 of the acoustic emission sensor 1 is made of stainless steel to avoid rust problems and extend the service life.

[0033] This embodiment also discloses a method for monitoring the bottom plate of an oil storage tank, including the following steps: Step 1: Apply coupling agent to the monitoring surface of acoustic emission sensor 1, and then fix probe 3 to acoustic emission sensor 1; install explosion-proof and waterproof flexible metal tube on the top of acoustic emission sensor 1, and pass the signal line of the monitoring device through the explosion-proof and waterproof flexible metal tube; Step 2: Open the valve cover of the oil storage tank, and then put the monitoring device into the oil storage tank through the valve cover. The monitoring device descends from the oil layer to the water layer and is suspended at the oil-water interface. By controlling the jet assembly 13 to spray, the monitoring device reaches the preset position. Step 3: Start the drive unit 9 to make the acoustic emission sensor 1 swing outward along the radial direction of the base 6, so that the probe 3 forms multi-point contact with the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. Step 4: Close the valve cover of the oil storage tank and let it stand for 24 hours before turning on the acoustic emission sensor 1 for testing. During the test, keep the valve cover closed and keep the liquid level in the oil storage tank stable. After the test, if all indicators are normal, turn on the monitoring.

[0034] It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, it is obvious that the present invention is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and that the present invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention, and no reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of the bottom plate of a crude oil storage tank, characterized in that, include: Housing, acoustic emission sensor, and balance float; The acoustic emission sensor is mounted at the bottom of the housing, and the probe of the acoustic emission sensor protrudes from the housing and extends downward to capture the sound signal of damage to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank. Multiple balance floats are provided and are evenly arranged along the circumference of the shell. Each balance float extends horizontally outward along the radial direction of the shell and floats at the oil-water boundary position inside the oil storage tank, so that the shell remains vertical inside the oil storage tank and the probe of the acoustic emission sensor contacts the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

2. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a detachably connected upper housing and a lower housing. A base is provided at the bottom of the lower housing, and the base has mounting holes for mounting the acoustic emission sensor. The acoustic emission sensor is provided in multiple ways, and the number of mounting holes is the same as the number of acoustic emission sensors, and the multiple mounting holes are arranged circumferentially around the axis of the base.

3. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, The base is made of a flexible material, allowing the probe of the acoustic emission sensor to be adjusted in the height direction.

4. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 3, characterized in that, The bottom of the upper housing is provided with a support plate for separating the inner cavity of the upper housing and the inner cavity of the lower housing; It also includes an attitude adjustment assembly for adjusting the acoustic emission sensor relative to the lower housing. The adjustment assembly is located inside the lower housing. The adjustment assembly includes a drive unit, a support plate, and a flexible connector. The drive unit is mounted on the lower surface of the support plate. One end of the support plate is connected to the output end of the drive unit. The other end of the support plate is located directly above the acoustic emission sensor and is connected to the support plate through the flexible connector.

5. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 4, characterized in that, The drive unit includes a linear motor mounted on the lower surface of the support plate, which drives the support plate to move up and down reciprocally along the axis of the housing.

6. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 2, characterized in that, At least three exhaust holes are evenly provided on the side wall of the housing along the circumference of the housing, and the exhaust holes are arranged at the same height; It also includes a jet assembly located in the inner cavity of the upper housing, the jet assembly being in communication with the exhaust port, and jetting air in different directions through the exhaust port, thereby changing the position of the acoustic emission sensor relative to the bottom plate of the oil storage tank.

7. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The jet assembly includes an air tank, a flow control valve, an air supply pipe, and a control unit; the flow control valve is installed on the air supply pipe, one end of the air supply pipe is connected to the air tank, and the other end of the air supply pipe is connected to the exhaust port; the control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve.

8. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 6, characterized in that, The jet assembly includes a compressor, a filter, an intake pipe, an exhaust pipe, a flow control valve, and a control unit. The compressor is connected to the outside air through the intake pipe. The filter is installed at the end of the intake pipe away from the compressor and is used to filter impurities in the air. The compressor is connected to the exhaust port through the exhaust pipe. The flow control valve is installed on the exhaust pipe, and the control unit is used to adjust the output flow of the flow control valve.

9. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing is also provided with through holes for signal lines to pass through.

10. The probe-based acoustic emission monitoring device for corrosion of crude oil storage tank bottom plate according to claim 1, characterized in that, The probe of the acoustic emission sensor is made of stainless steel.

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