Method and apparatus for ultrasonic pipeline inspection
US5460046A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 24, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/2636
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and an apparatus are provided for measuring the wall thickness of a pipeline through which a fluid flows, the pipeline having an interior and exterior surface. The apparatus has a pig body supported by elastomeric cups to thereby cause the pig body to move by fluid flow through the pipeline. The pig body supports a plurality of multi-element transducers. Each transducer is made up of a large number of independent elongated rod-like crystal elements separated by a polymer, each having side walls, a front face and a bottom face. The rod-like elements are arranged so that the side walls are adjacent but mechanically isolated from each other, such as by an epoxy, with the front faces and bottom faces providing transducer front and bottom surfaces. A front metallic film and a bottom metallic film are applied to the front and the bottom surfaces. Each transducer is configured to have an impedance that closely matches the impedance of the pipeline fluid. Each transducer is activated by periodic electrical pulses to cause transmission of an acoustic signal in the pipeline fluid that are reflected by the pipeline interior and exterior walls. A plurality of multiple ultrasonic refle…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.