Anomaly Detector for Pipelines

• US 20080204008A1
• Filed: 02/07/2006
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Technologies Limited (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pure Technologies Limited (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paulson, Peter O.
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/220
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 2101/30 Inspecting, measuring or testing
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/38 driven by fluid pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/46 Launching or retrieval of pigs or moles
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/48 Indicating the position of the pig or mole in the pipe or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/08 for liquids or viscous products water-main or service pipe systems E03B7/04; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/00 Arrangements for supervising or controlling working operations
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/01 for controlling, signalling, or supervising the conveyance of a product
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 3/08 the different products being separated by "go-devils", e.g. spheres cleaning devices moved along inside a pipe-lines by fluid pressure B08B9/04; pigs or moles per se, their launching and detection F16L55/26
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/00 Protection or supervision of installations arrangements for protecting foundations E02D31/00; protecting pipes from damage or internal or external wear F16L57/00, against corrosion and scale F16L58/00; investigation of the fluid-tightness of structures G01M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/06 using electric or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/005 using pigs or moles G01M3/246, G01M3/2823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/246 using pigs or probes travelling in the pipe
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/82 for investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/28 Oils , i.e. hydrocarbon liquidsgaseous fuels G01N33/225; edible oils or edible fats G01N33/03
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/383 Concrete, cement

Abstract

A sensor unit for use in sensing conditions in a pipeline comprises an untethered a ball-shaped surround adapted to roll along the interior surface of a pipeline, and instrument package within the ball-shaped surround. The package contains at least one magnetometer or accelerometer. Preferably, three magnetometers, arranged orthogonally, are present. Other sensors can also be present as required, such as an acoustic sensor to detect leaks and a temperature or chemical sensor. Recording means record the data acquired by the magnetometer(s) or accelerometer and the sensors, and optionally also record a timing trace.

Claims

1. A tether-free sensor unit for use in sensing conditions in a pipeline, which comprises:

a package containing a sensor selected from at least one magnetic sensor and at least one accelerometer, and

means for recording data sensed by said sensor.

2. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said sensor is a magnetometer.

3. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said sensor is two magnetometers, arranged with an angular separation of other than 180 degrees.

4. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said sensor is three magnetometers, arranged orthogonally to one another.

5. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a ball-shaped outer surround which surrounds and protects the sensor package.

6. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, in which the ball-shaped outer surround is spherical.

7. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, in which the ball-shaped outer surround is ellipsoidal.

8. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensor unit, as a whole, has a density less than the density of the liquid in the pipeline with which it is intended to be used.

9. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensor unit, as a whole, has a density greater than the density of the liquid in the pipeline with which it is intended to be used.

10. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball-shaped outer surround comprises open-cell polyurethane foam.

11. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which the ball-shaped outer surround comprises reticulated polyurethane foam.

12. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, in which said means for recording data comprises a removable memory device.

13. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a battery to power the recording device and to supply any needed power to sensors.

14. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising an acoustic sensor.

15. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein the acoustic sensor is a hydrophone.

16. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a piezoelectric sensor.

17. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a temperature sensor to sense the temperature of liquid surrounding the sensor unit.

18. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising an acoustic transmitter or transponder.

19. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 18, in which the transmitter or transponder transmits a range of frequencies.

20. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a chemical sensor.

21. A sensor unit as claimed in claim 5, in which the surrounds are provided with cut-out areas to increase their compressibility and to increase their penetration by sound.

22. A method of inspecting a pipeline containing liquid, comprising,

providing a sensor unit according to claim 1, said sensor unit being of greater density that the liquid in the pipeline to be inspected,

allowing the sensor unit to roll along the bottom of the pipeline, inside the pipeline, while recording a signal representative of the number of revolutions that the surface of the sensor unit has made.

23. A method of inspecting a pipeline which is filled with liquid, comprising,

providing a sensor unit according to claim 1, said sensor unit being of greater density that the liquid in the pipeline to be inspected,

allowing the sensor unit to roll along the top of the pipeline, inside the pipeline, while recording a signal representative of the number of revolutions that the surface of the sensor unit has made.