Partial Circumference Torsional Guided-Wave Pipe Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for long-range torsional guided-wave inspection of pipes and tubes require full access around the pipe circumference, making it difficult to apply when access is limited, such as in pipelines close to walls or tightly packed tubes.
Innovation Solution
A system using a plate-type magnetostrictive sensor probe positioned beneath a compressible bladder and an inverted U-shaped frame, with a magnetostrictive strip attached to the pipe, allowing for partial excitation and detection around the pipe circumference, secured by a belt that encircles the pipe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full access around the pipe circumference is required for guided-wave inspection, then inspection completeness is improved, but applicability to limited access scenarios deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor assembly is divided into discrete components: a sensor head, a flexible bladder, and a frame structure. This segmentation allows the assembly to be configured for partial circumference inspection while maintaining the ability to detect defects through the pipe wall, resolving the contradiction between inspection completeness and adaptability to limited access scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible bladder component allows the sensor assembly to dynamically adapt to the pipe surface curvature and maintain contact pressure. This dynamic flexibility enables the sensor to effectively inspect pipes in limited access scenarios while still providing reliable guided-wave inspection data, balancing inspection completeness with adaptability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid sensor structure is used for stable positioning, then positioning stability is improved, but adaptability to curved pipe surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder acts as a compliant element between the rigid frame and the pipe surface. It provides the necessary flexibility to conform to curved surfaces while maintaining stable positioning through the frame structure. This resolves the contradiction by combining rigid positioning elements with a flexible intermediary that adapts to surface curvature.
Solution Approach 2:
The bladder provides dynamic compliance that allows the sensor assembly to maintain stable contact with curved pipe surfaces. The flexible element absorbs dimensional variations and surface irregularities, enabling the rigid sensor head to remain stable while adapting to the curved geometry of the pipe.
3Ease of operation
If partial excitation and detection around the pipe circumference is used, then ease of operation in limited access scenarios is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to blind areas
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible bladder serves as an intermediary that transmits mechanical stress and acoustic waves effectively from the pipe surface to the sensor head. This intermediary element ensures that even with partial circumferential coverage, the sensor maintains good coupling with the pipe wall, preserving measurement precision while enabling ease of operation in limited access scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes inspection parameters such as excitation frequency and signal processing to compensate for the partial circumferential coverage. By adjusting these parameters, the system maintains high data quality and measurement precision despite the presence of blind areas, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and measurement precision.
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 effective inspection of pipes and tubes with limited access, providing comparable data quality to fully encircling sensors while accommodating restricted access scenarios, with minor trade-offs in blind areas due to partial excitation.
Implementation Method 1
a thin magnetostrictive strip (preferred material is the iron cobalt alloy disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,917,196) is positioned on the pipe under inspection along the pipe circumference
Implementation Method 2
A curved MsS probe is then placed over the thin magnetostrictive strip in position on the pipe surface... A compressible/expandable bladder and an inverted U-shaped frame that retains and positions the sensor probe against the external wall of the pipe
Data Source
AI summary
Sensor assemblies and methods are described that facilitate the use of a long-range torsional guided-wave inspection system for inspecting pipes, tubes, or other longitudinal cylindrical structures, with a partial excitation and detection around the pipe circumference. The sensor assemblies comprise a plate-type magnetostrictive sensor probe positioned beneath a compressible/expandable bladder and an inverted U-shaped frame that retain and position the sensor probe against the external wall of the pipe under inspection. Preferably, a magnetostrictive strip is positioned in direct contact with the pipe wall over which the plate magnetostrictive sensor probe is positioned. The probe is preferably curved to match the curvature of the external surface of the pipe. A pad may be positioned between the probe and the magnetostrictive strip to improve compliance with irregular pipe surfaces. The frame (and therefore the sensor assembly) is held in place by a belt that encircles the pipe and may be tensioned in order to pull the frame against the pipe, and through the compressive force associated with the bladder, direct the magnetostrictive sensor probe against the surface of the pipe or against the magnetostrictive strip positioned on the surface of the pipe. Methods are described for placement of the magnetostrictive strip and the positioning of the magnetostrictive sensor probe.