Pipeline gauging vehicles
First Claim
1. A pipeline gauging vehicle comprising:
- (a) an axially extending support structure;
(b) at least one resilient driving cup mounted around the support structure so as to contact the interior wall of the pipeline and thus provide a pressure differential across the driving cup which will propel the vehicle along the pipeline;
(c) at least two first monitoring arrangements located at axially spaced positions on the support structure;
(d) each first monitoring arrangement consisting of at least three detecting elements located at circumferentially spaced positions around the support structure and at a predetermined radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;
(e) the axial spacing of the first monitoring arrangements and the radial location of their individual detecting elements being commensurate with a minimum radius of curvature of bends in the pipeline which the vehicle needs to negotiate when travelling through the pipeline; and
(f) a plurality of second monitoring arrangements mounted at axially spaced positions along the support structure;
(g) each second monitoring arrangement having detecting portions radially spaced from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle by a distance commensurate with a predetermined minimum radial distance from the interior surface of the pipeline which must be clear when the vehicle is travelling through the pipeline;
(h) whereby the detecting portions engage the interior surface of the pipeline and provide an indication when said minimum radial distance is exceeded.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A pipeline gauging vehicle has two resilient driving cups arranged to contact the interior surface of the pipeline to create a pressure differential which will propel the vehicle along the pipeline. A plurality of first monitoring arrangements, each consisting of six detecting elements located at circumferentially spaced positions, are axially spaced on a support structure, their orientation being commensurate with a minimum radius of curvature of bends in the pipeline which the vehicle needs to negotiate. A plurality of second monitoring arrangements axially spaced on the support structure have detecting tabs radially spaced from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle by a distance commensurate with a desired minimum radial clearance are arranged to provide an indication when the minimum clearance is exceeded. The vehicle can monitor pipelines having complex three-dimensional geometry involving a succession of bends in different directions.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A pipeline gauging vehicle comprising:
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(a) an axially extending support structure; (b) at least one resilient driving cup mounted around the support structure so as to contact the interior wall of the pipeline and thus provide a pressure differential across the driving cup which will propel the vehicle along the pipeline; (c) at least two first monitoring arrangements located at axially spaced positions on the support structure; (d) each first monitoring arrangement consisting of at least three detecting elements located at circumferentially spaced positions around the support structure and at a predetermined radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle; (e) the axial spacing of the first monitoring arrangements and the radial location of their individual detecting elements being commensurate with a minimum radius of curvature of bends in the pipeline which the vehicle needs to negotiate when travelling through the pipeline; and (f) a plurality of second monitoring arrangements mounted at axially spaced positions along the support structure; (g) each second monitoring arrangement having detecting portions radially spaced from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle by a distance commensurate with a predetermined minimum radial distance from the interior surface of the pipeline which must be clear when the vehicle is travelling through the pipeline; (h) whereby the detecting portions engage the interior surface of the pipeline and provide an indication when said minimum radial distance is exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification