ID-OD discrimination sensor

• US 20070022830A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mandziuk, Michael, Gies, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,256,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/865.800
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2101/30 Inspecting, measuring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/40 of the body
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/902 by moving the sensors

Abstract

A sensor body for use in a pig for determining characteristics of a pipeline wall though which the pig passes includes a circuit board and a single coil wrapped around the circuit board. A microcontroller is mounted to the circuit board and connected to the single coil and configured to induce a waveform on the coil to thereby create an eddy current in the pipeline wall adjacent the sensor body. The microcontroller is also configured to measure changes in a characteristic of the induced waveform on the single coil that correspond to the presence of anomalies on an inside diameter of the pipeline wall. The sensor body also includes a sensor body cover molded about the circuit board, the microcontroller and the single coil. The sensor body cover consists essentially of a wear resistant, non-conductive material that includes a polymer material.

Claims

1. A sensor body for use in a pig for determining characteristics of a pipeline wall though which the pig passes, the sensor body comprising:

a circuit board;

a single coil wrapped around the circuit board;

a microcontroller mounted to the circuit board and connected with the single coil for inducing a waveform on the coil to thereby create an eddy current in the pipeline wall adjacent the sensor body, and the microcontroller measuring changes in a characteristic of the induced waveform on the single coil that correspond to the presence of anomalies on an inside diameter of the pipeline wall, and

a sensor body cover molded about the circuit board, the microcontroller and the single coil, and the sensor body cover consisting essentially of a wear resistant, non-conductive material that includes a polymer material.

2. The sensor body of claim 1 wherein the characteristic measured by microcontroller is changes in peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced waveform.

3. The sensor body of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of magnetic flux leakage measuring devices mounted on the circuit board and connected with the microcontroller for detecting flux leakage in the pipeline wall and the magnetic flux leakage devices each comprise a Hall effect sensing device.

4. The sensor body of claim 1 wherein the wear resistant material comprises a polyurethane material filled with wear resistant particles.

5. The sensor body of claim 4 wherein the wear resistant particles comprise nonconductive particles.

6. The sensor body of claim 5 wherein the nonconductive particles comprise silicon carbide.

7. The sensor body of claim 3 wherein the characteristic measured by microcontroller is changes in peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced waveform.

8. The sensor body of claim 7 wherein the wear resistant material comprises a polyurethane material filled with wear resistant particles.

9. The sensor body of claim 8 wherein the wear resistant particles comprise nonconductive particles.

10. The sensor body of claim 9 wherein the nonconductive particles comprise silicon carbide.

11. An instrument pig for analyzing anomalies in a wall of a pipeline, the pig comprising:

a tow portion for moving the pig through the pipeline;

an instrument portion for measuring the anomalies in the pipeline wall comprising;

a plurality of arms disposed circumferentially around the instrument portion, each arm flexibly mounted on the instrument portion to allow the arm to move radially inwardly and radially outwardly to provide clearance for the pig in the event that it encounters obstructions as it travels through the pipeline;

a sensor body mounted to each arm and comprising a circuit board, a single coil wrapped around the circuit board and a microcontroller mounted to the circuit board and connected with the single coil for inducing a waveform on the coil to thereby create an eddy current in the pipeline wall adjacent the sensor body, and the microcontroller measuring changes in a characteristic of the induced waveform on the single coil that correspond to the presence of anomalies on an inside diameter of the pipeline wall, and the sensor body comprising a sensor body cover molded about the circuit board, the microcontroller and the single coil, the sensor body cover consisting essentially of a wear resistant, non-conductive material including a polymer material, and

magnets mounted on the arms for generating and transmitting a magnetic field through portions of the pipeline wall adjacent the sensor body; and

,

a data storage portion for storing data measured by the microcontroller.

12. The pig of claim 11 wherein the characteristic measured by the microcontroller is changes in peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced waveform.

13. The pig of claim 11 wherein the sensor body further comprises a plurality of magnetic flux leakage measuring devices mounted on the circuit board and connected with the microcontroller for detecting flux leakage in the pipeline wall.

14. The pig of claim 11 wherein the wear resistant material comprises a polyurethane material filled with wear resistant particles.

15. The pig of claim 14 wherein the wear resistant particles comprise nonconductive particles.

16. The pig of claim 15 wherein the wear resistant particles comprise silicon carbide particles.

17. The pig of claim 13 wherein the characteristic measured by the microcontroller is changes in peak-to-peak amplitude of the induced waveform and the magnetic flux leakage devices each comprise a Hall effect sensing device.

18. The pig of claim 17 wherein the wear resistant material comprises a polyurethane material filled with wear resistant particles.

19. The pig of claim 18 wherein the wear resistant particles comprise nonconductive particles.

20. The pig of claim 19 wherein the nonconductive particles comprise silicon carbide particles.