Inline Inspection System and Method for Calibration of Mounted Acoustic Monitoring System

• US 20110161037A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PII Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PII Incorporated
• Inventors: Sutherland, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 8,311,759 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/103
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/48 Indicating the position of the pig or mole in the pipe or conduit
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/007 Leak detector calibration, standard leaks G01M3/207 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2481 Wireless probes, e.g. with transponders or radio links
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/34 Generating the ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves , e.g. electronic circuits specially adapted therefor

Abstract

An inline inspection system and method for calibrating an acoustic monitoring structure installed along a pipe. The system includes a pipe inspection vehicle; a microprocessor configured to attach a time stamp to a measured distance traveled by the pipe inspection vehicle; an acoustic source attached to the pipe inspection vehicle and configured to generate sound waves inside the pipe, the sound waves having predetermined frequencies and predetermined amplitudes; plural sensors disposed along the pipe and configured to record time of arrivals and intensities of the sound waves generated by the acoustic source; and a processing unit configured to communicate with the plural sensors and receive the time of arrivals, intensities and frequencies of the sound waves from the plural sensors. The processing unit calibrates the acoustic monitoring structure by calculating a distance between the acoustic source and a first sensor of the plural sensors.

Claims

1. An inline inspection system for calibrating an acoustic monitoring structure installed along a pipe, the system comprising:

a pipe inspection vehicle configured to fit inside the pipe and move through the pipe along with a fluid passing through the pipe;

a microprocessor attached to the pipe inspection vehicle and configured to attach a time stamp to a measured distance traveled by the pipe inspection vehicle;

an acoustic source attached to the pipe inspection vehicle and configured to generate sound waves inside the pipe, the sound waves having predetermined frequencies and predetermined amplitudes;

plural sensors disposed along the pipe and configured to record time of arrivals, intensities and frequencies of the sound waves generated by the acoustic source; and

a processing unit configured to communicate with the plural sensors and receive the time of arrivals, intensities and frequencies of the sound waves from the plural sensors and to receive the time stamped measured distance travelled by the pipe inspection vehicle and to calibrate the acoustic monitoring structure by calculating a distance between the acoustic source and a first sensor of the plural sensors based on (i) the received time of arrivals of the sound waves at the first sensor, and (ii) data stored in a memory of the processing unit.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an odometer device attached to the pipe inspection device and configured to measure the distance between the acoustic source and the first sensor and to provide the measured distance to the microprocessor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the time stamped measured distance and adjust one or more of D, c, and Δ

t based on the measured distance and the calculated distance between the acoustic source and the first sensor, wherein D is a distance between the first sensor and a second sensor, c is a speed of the fluid passing through the pipe, and Δ

t is a time difference between detected times of arrivals of the sound waves at the first and second sensors.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals of constant energy in time.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals at regular time intervals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals having a predetermined frequency content.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured to determine distances between the plural sensors and the acoustic source as the pipe inspection vehicle travels through the pipe.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured to generate a specific and customized acoustic wave profile of sound propagation in the pipe for each segment of the pipe based on the time stamped measured distance and the calculated corresponding distance, each segment having similar acoustic properties along its length.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor unit is configured to determine an acoustical attenuation of acoustic energy emitted by the acoustic source through the pipe based on measured distances between the acoustic source and various sensors.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating further comprises:

transmitting the sound waves having constant energy in time;

transmitting the sound waves at regular time intervals; and

generating the sound waves to have a predetermined frequency content.

10. An inline inspection device for calibrating an acoustic monitoring system installed along a pipe, the device comprising:

a pipe inspection vehicle configured to fit inside the pipe and move through the pipe along with a fluid passing through the pipe;

a microprocessor attached to the pipe inspection vehicle and configured to attach a time stamp to a measured distance traveled by the pipe inspection vehicle; and

an acoustic source attached to the pipe inspection vehicle and configured to generate sound waves inside the pipe, the sound waves having predetermined frequencies and predetermined amplitudes such that plural sensors disposed along the pipe record time of arrivals and intensities of the sound waves generated by the acoustic source and communicate to a processing unit the time of arrivals and intensities of the sound waves from the plural sensors,

wherein the processor receives the time stamped measured distance travelled by the pipe inspection vehicle and calibrates the acoustic monitoring system by calculating a distance between the acoustic source and a first sensor of the plural sensors based on (i) the received time of arrivals of the sound waves at the first sensor, and (ii) data stored in a memory of the processing unit.

11. The device of claim 10, further comprising:

an odometer device attached to the pipe inspection device and configured to measure the distance between the acoustic source and the first sensor and to provide the measured distance to the microprocessor.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the time stamped measured distance and to adjust one or more of D, c, and Δ

t based on the time stamped measured distance and the calculated distance between the acoustic source and the first sensor, wherein D is a distance between the first sensor and a second sensor, c is a speed of the fluid passing through the pipe, and Δ

t is a time difference between detected times of arrivals of the sound waves at the first and second sensors.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals of constant energy in time.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals at regular time intervals.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit signals having a predetermined frequency content.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the acoustic source is configured to generate a specific and customized acoustic wave content in the pipe for each segment defined by two adjacent sensors.

17. A method for calibrating an acoustic monitoring structure installed along a pipe with an inline inspection system, the method comprising:

sending a pipe inspection vehicle inside the pipe to travel through the pipe along with a fluid passing through the pipe;

generating sound waves inside the pipe with an acoustic source attached to the pipe inspection vehicle, the sound waves having predetermined frequencies and predetermined amplitudes;

attaching time stamps to measured distances between the pipe inspection vehicle and a sensor;

recording with plural sensors disposed along the pipe time of arrivals, intensities and frequencies of the sound waves generated by the acoustic source;

receiving at a processing unit the time of arrivals, intensities and frequencies of the sound waves from the plural sensors and the time stamped measured distances; and

calibrating the acoustic monitoring structure by calculating a distance between the acoustic source and a first sensor of the plural sensors based on (i) the received time of arrivals of the sound waves at the first sensor, and (ii) measured frequencies and amplitudes of the sound waves received at the plural sensors.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

measuring with an odometer device attached to the pipe inspection device the distance between the acoustic source and the first sensor.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

adjusting one or more of D, c, and Δ

t based on the time stamped measured distances and calculated distances between the acoustic source and the first sensor, wherein D is a distance between the first sensor and a second sensor, c is a speed of the fluid passing through the pipe, and Δ

t is a time difference between detected times of arrivals of the sound waves at the first and second sensors.