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Wall thickness and flow detection apparatus and method for gas pipelines

  • US 5,587,534 A
  • Filed: 10/28/1994
  • Issued: 12/24/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for determining a pressure vessel wall thickness and detecting a flaw in the pressure vessel wall comprising the steps of:

  • generating a high power electrical pulse with a pulser;

    transmitting the high power electrical pulse through a diplexer and then simultaneously to an ultrasonic transducer which is located inside the pressure vessel, and to an amplifier;

    transmitting an ultrasonic pulse from the ultrasonic transducer through a pressurized gas couplant and then into an inside surface of the pressure vessel;

    receiving through the ultrasonic transducer, the diplexer, and the amplifier a return signal from the inside surface of the pressure vessel and calculating the distance d1 from the transducer to the inside surface;

    receiving through the ultrasonic transducer, the diplexer, and the amplifier a return signal from an outside surface of the pressure vessel;

    calculating a thickness of the pressure vessel wall;

    detecting a flaw in the pressure vessel wall;

    choosing said pressure vessel from a group of gas pipelines having a gas pipeline wall and a composition of metal, plastic, and ceramic;

    said combination of the amplifier and the diplexer forming a circuit having a large dynamic range, a fast response, and a fast recovery; and

    selecting the diplexer to comprise a means for producing a saturation threshold matched to the input voltage limits of the amplifier.

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