Hose Wall Damage Detection via Embedded Transponders
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dredging hoses used for transporting abrasive materials like rock and sand suffer from internal wear and erosion, leading to unpredictable and costly visual inspections, which are time-consuming and cannot be performed effectively underwater due to existing damage detection methods.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system within the hose featuring embedded transponders and an antenna for electromagnetic coupling, where the signal strength or quality indicates the extent of hose wall damage, allowing for continuous monitoring from the outside during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If visual inspections are performed by personnel to detect hose wall wear, then the extent of abrasion can be detected, but the conveying process is interrupted and the hose must be emptied and laid out on land, causing large expenditure and time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual visual inspection with an automated electromagnetic detection system. Transponders embedded in the hose wall at different depths are detected by a reading device using electromagnetic fields, automatically determining wall thickness without requiring personnel to physically inspect the hose. This substitution eliminates the need to interrupt the conveying process or empty the hose.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose incorporates self-monitoring capabilities through embedded transponders that continuously provide information about their own wall thickness. The reading device automatically queries these transponders during operation, allowing the hose to self-diagnose wear conditions without external intervention or process interruption.
2Measurement precision
If transponders are introduced into the hose wall for detection, then wall thickness can be determined, but the method cannot be applied when the hose is in water because electromagnetic fields cannot propagate in water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces air or gas-filled cavities within the hose wall structure as an intermediary medium. The electromagnetic fields propagate through these air-filled spaces rather than through water, enabling detection to function in underwater environments. The air cavities act as a transmission medium that is transparent to electromagnetic waves.
Solution Approach 2:
The hose wall is designed with a multi-layer structure including thin film elements that are permeable to electromagnetic waves. These flexible thin films allow electromagnetic fields to pass through the hose wall material itself, enabling the reading device to detect transponders embedded within the wall even when the hose is submerged in water.
3Reliability
If an electrically conductive path is introduced into the hose wall for monitoring, then electrical properties can be monitored to detect damage, but only unreliable information about abrasion is provided and the position of critical abrasion can only be determined very imprecisely
Solution Approach 1:
The hose wall is divided into multiple discrete segments, each containing individual transponders at specific locations and depths. Rather than using a single continuous conductive path, the system uses multiple discrete transponder elements that can be independently detected. This segmentation allows precise localization of wear at specific positions along the hose.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a radial dimension to the detection system by embedding transponders at different depths within the hose wall thickness. This creates a three-dimensional detection network where transponders are positioned not only along the length of the hose but also at varying radial distances from the inner surface, enabling precise determination of both location and wall thickness.
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
Enables precise and continuous detection of hose wall thickness and wear from the outside, reducing downtime and costs by allowing for real-time monitoring and predicting maximum abrasion levels, thus ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
An antenna (12) is also embedded in the hose wall (2, 4) so that electromagnetic coupling (10) can take place between the antenna (12) and the transponder (8)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a hose (7) featuring an integrated system for detecting damage and comprising a hose wall (2, 4) in which at least one transponder (8) is embedded. The hose (7) is characterized in that an antenna (12) is also embedded in the hose wall (2, 4) so that an electromagnetic coupling (10) can be established between the antenna (12) and the transponder (8), the magnitude and/or quality of the electromagnetic coupling (10) being a measure of the degree of damage to the hose wall (2, 4).