Method and apparatus for simulating electrical characteristics of a coated segment of a pipeline
First Claim
1. A method for fabricating pipeline coating samples containing synthetic disbonds to be used in estimating a condition of a coating of an underground pipeline, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a section of a pipe having a predetermined diameter and length;
installing end caps on opposing ends of the pipe section, each end cap having an electrical connection extending therefrom;
applying a material having a low dielectric coefficient around said pipe segment between the end caps to simulate an air-filled disbond;
varying the coverage area of material to simulate various disbond sizes; and
wrapping the pipe segment and end caps with tape to cover the material having a low dielectric coefficient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for simulating electrical pipe-to-soil impedance of a coated segment of a pipeline includes simulating a current injection point to a buried pipe section, simulating a first output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a first location over the buried pipe section, simulating a second output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a second location over the buried pipe section, simulating bonding of pipe coating of the pipe section, and simulating soil resistance of a soil environment surrounding the buried pipe section. The invention includes both field-test simulation with calibration pipe samples, and bench-test simulation using electronic simulation of the pipe coating. The simulations may be used for test and general calibration of MEIS pipeline coating inspection systems.
24 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating pipeline coating samples containing synthetic disbonds to be used in estimating a condition of a coating of an underground pipeline, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a section of a pipe having a predetermined diameter and length; installing end caps on opposing ends of the pipe section, each end cap having an electrical connection extending therefrom; applying a material having a low dielectric coefficient around said pipe segment between the end caps to simulate an air-filled disbond; varying the coverage area of material to simulate various disbond sizes; and wrapping the pipe segment and end caps with tape to cover the material having a low dielectric coefficient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for estimating a condition of a coating of a pipeline buried in the soil using pipeline coating samples containing synthetic disbonds, the pipeline coating samples comprising an elongated section of pipe having a predetermined diameter and length, an end cap disposed over each end of the pipe section, a low dielectric material wrapped around the pipe section between the end caps to simulate various sizes of disbonds, and a sealing tape wrapped over the low dielectric material, the balance of the pipe, and end caps, the method comprising the steps of:
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burying the pipe section in the soil at a predetermined depth; applying current at varying frequencies between each end of the pipe section; and measuring input and output currents from the sample pipe. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A pipeline simulator for simulating electrical pipe-to-soil impedance of a coated segment of a pipeline, comprising:
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a current injection point for providing current to a first test point representing an up-pipe location along the segment of pipeline where a first magnetometer measurement is taken between the up-pipe location and ground; a leakage current circuit electrically coupled to the current injection point and ground, the leakage current circuit comprising; a first RC circuit coupled to the current injection point and including a first capacitor in parallel with one of a plurality of resistive elements, each of the resistive elements being selectable by an operator and having values representing bond conditions of the coated segment of the pipeline; a soil condition resistive element coupled to the first RC circuit and ground, the soil condition resistive element comprising a plurality of resistive values that are selectable by the operator, each resistive value representing a soil environment interfacing with the coated segment of a pipeline, wherein first RC circuit and the soil condition resistive element simulate a leakage current from the coated segment of a pipeline to ground; and a second test point representing a down-pipe location along the segment of pipeline where a second magnetometer measurement is taken between the pipeline segment and ground. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. Apparatus for simulating electrical pipe-to-soil impedance of a coated segment of a pipeline, comprising:
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means for simulating a current injection point to a buried pipe section; means for simulating a first output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a first location over the buried pipe section; means for simulating a second output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a second location over the buried pipe section; means for simulating bonding of pipe coating of the pipe section; and means for simulating soil resistance of a soil environment surrounding the buried pipe section.
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13. Method for simulating electrical pipe-to-soil impedance of a coated segment of a pipeline, comprising:
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simulating a current injection point to a buried pipe section; simulating a first output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a first location over the buried pipe section; simulating a second output signal from a magnetometer positioned at a second location over the buried pipe section; simulating bonding of pipe coating of the pipe section; and simulating soil resistance of a soil environment surrounding the buried pipe section.
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Specification