Collapsible Pipeline Inspection Centralizer for Manway Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inspecting water and wastewater pipelines are inefficient due to the lack of advanced access systems, leading to high costs and time consumption in deploying in-line inspection tools, and significant corrosion and leakage issues result in water loss and environmental contamination.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible centralizer system that includes an inflatable toroid superstructure and tethering lines, allowing for the deployment of guide wheels, signal generators, and signal detectors within pipelines, enabling efficient positioning and operation of in-line inspection tools without the need for extensive assembly or disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional ILI tools are used in water and wastewater pipelines, then corrosion and leaks can be detected, but the tools cannot fit through manways without complete disassembly and reassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The ILI tool is divided into multiple modular sections that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each section contains specific detection components, allowing the tool to be broken down into smaller pieces that can pass through manways and then reassembled inside the pipeline for operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The collapsible centralizer and detection components are designed to nest within each other during transport and assembly. The tool sections can be collapsed into compact configurations that fit through access points, then expanded and assembled into the full inspection device inside the pipeline.
2Ease of operation
If traditional ILI tools are disassembled and reassembled through manways, then access is possible, but the process takes a full day for assembly and another day for disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The ILI tool sections are pre-assembled with connection interfaces and alignment features that enable rapid coupling. The modular design with standardized connectors allows workers to quickly assemble the tool inside the pipeline without extensive fabrication or alignment work, significantly reducing the assembly and disassembly time from days to hours.
3Productivity
If pig launchers and receivers are installed on water and wastewater pipelines, then ILI tools can be deployed efficiently, but installation is very costly after the pipe has been in service for many years
Solution Approach 1:
The modular ILI tool sections are designed with universal interfaces that can be deployed through existing manways without requiring specialized pig launchers or receivers. The same basic section design can be used for different pipeline sizes and inspection requirements, eliminating the need for costly custom infrastructure installation while maintaining efficient deployment capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces the time and cost associated with deploying inspection tools, enhances the ability to detect corrosion and leaks, and minimizes water loss and environmental impact by allowing for more effective pipeline inspections.
Implementation Method 1
an inflatable toroid superstructure encircling the hub portion
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of tethering lines radiating from the hub portion to the collapsible superstructure to inter-connect the superstructure relative to the hub portion
Data Source
AI summary
An in-line inspection (ILI) tool 20 for use inspecting pipelines includes a plurality of collapsible guide centralizers 100 configured and sized to correspond to the inside diameter of the pipeline being inspected. The guide centralizes 100 include wheels 102 roll along the inside wall of the pipeline being inspected to maintain the guide centralizers “centered” within the pipeline. A collapsible exciter unit centralizer 200 is positioned between collapsible guide centralizers 100 to “center” the exciter unit centralizer relative to the interior of the pipeline. The exciter unit centralizer 200 generates signals in the form of an alternating magnetic field that travel along the wall of the pipeline which in turn generates eddy current signals. The eddy current signals undergo a change if a discontinuity in the pipeline is encountered by the inspection tool 20, which signal change or deviation is detected by a collapsible detector unit centralizer 300 positioned between the collapsible guide centralizers 100.