Ultrasonic detection of flaws in tubular members

• US 6,578,422 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Clive Chemo, Kemper, Joseph Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US09/930,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 736/02, 736/20, 736/22, 736/23, 736/27
• US Class Current: 73/622
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/011 Velocity or travel time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0427 Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/051 Perpendicular incidence, perpendicular propagation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/105 two or more emitters, two or more receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2636 cylindrical from inside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/0609 Display arrangements, e.g. colour displays indicating or recording in connection with measuring in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/225 Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/265 by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/38 by time filtering, e.g. using time gates

Abstract

A method for ultrasonically inspecting a tubular member, the tubular member having an inner surface, an outer surface, and two spaced-apart ends including a first end of the tubular member, the method including transmitting sonic beams to the tubular member with transducers such that sonic beams are reflected from: the first end and the inner and outer surface of the tubular member, completing inspection of the outer surface of the tubular member while continuing to inspect the inner surface of the tubular member, and sensing a distance from the transducers to the first end of the tubular member, continuing to transmit sonic beams for the inspection of the inner surface of the tubular member until the transducers are near its first end; and, in one aspect, detecting an inner surface defect near the first end of the tubular member after the outer surface inspection has ceased.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonically inspecting a tubular member, the tubular member having an inner surface, an outer surface, and two spaced-apart ends including a first end of the tubular member, the method comprising

transmitting sonic beams to the tubular member with transducers such that sonic beams are reflected from:

the inner surface of the tubular member, the outer surface of the tubular member, and from the first end of the tubular member,

completing inspection of the outer surface of the tubular member for outer surface defects while continuing to inspect the inner surface of the tubular member for inner surface defects,

while continuing to inspect the inner surface of the tubular member for inner surface defects, sensing a distance from the transducers to the first end of the tubular member, and, the transducers continuing to transmit sonic beams for the inspection of the inner surface of the tubular member until the transducers are near the first end of the tubular member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the tubular member has an inner surface defect near the first end of the tubular member and the method further comprising

transmitting a sonic beam from the transducers such that the sonic beam is reflected from the inner surface defect,

receiving the reflected beam from the inner surface defect of the tubular member,

producing a defect signal related to the sonic beam reflected from the inner surface defect, the defect signal for conveying information about the inner surface defect, and

transmitting the defect signal to signal analysis apparatus to analyze and indicate the inner surface defect.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

producing an end signal related to a beam reflected from the first end of the tubular, the end signal having information about the first end of the tubular member,

calculating an end distance from the transducers to the first end of the tubular member using the information of the end signal, and

until the end distance is less than a first pre-set value continuing to inspect the surfaces of the tubular member.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising

until the end distance is less than a second pre-set value, continuing to inspect the outer surface of the tubular member.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising

when the end distance is less than the second pre-set value, continuing to inspect the inner surface of the tubular member.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising

when the end distance is less than the first pre-set value, ceasing inspection of the inner surface of the tubular member.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the first pre-set value is one-eighth of an inch.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the first pre-set value is two millimeters.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the inner surface defect is within two millimeters of the first end of the tubular.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the inner surface defect is within one-eighth of an inch of the first end of the tubular.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein substantially all of the entire surface of the tubular member is accurately inspected for inner surface defects.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein each transducer has associated instrumentation for controlling each transducer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein a programmable logic controller controls movement means that moves the tubular member during inspection of the tubular member and that moves the transducers with respect to the tubular member.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a computer analyzes signal information and associated display apparatus displays inspection results.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising

providing relative helical motion between the tubular member and the transducers to trace a helical path around the surfaces of the tubular member with the sonic beams.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising

transmitting sonic beams longitudinally and transversely through the member with the transducers.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the sonic beams are transmitted longitudinally, transversely, and obliquely into the tubular member.

18. The method device of claim 1 wherein the transducers are mounted on a waveguide support having a single beam passage area and the reflected beams bass through the single beam passage area.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

tracking a position of the transducers and

producing a location signal indicative of said position.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of stopping relative motion between the tubular member and the transducers when said location signal indicates that the transducers are within a pre-set distance to an end of the tubular member.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein movement of the tubular member is stopped by stopper apparatus.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein an end of the tubular member is sensed with end sensor apparatus and the end sensor apparatus sends an end signal to a control system that controls movement of the transducers, the method further comprising

receipt of the end signal by the control system, and

stopping movement of the transducers by the control system in response to the end signal.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising

moving the transducers in indexed step increments.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein each indexed step increment of the indexed step increments is a fraction of a beam width of a sonic beam from the transducers.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the fraction is from the group consisting of {fraction (1/32)}, {fraction (1/16)}, ⅛

, ¼

, and ½

.

26. A method for ultrasonically inspecting a tubular member, comprising

transmitting sonic beams through the tubular member with at least one transducer so that sonic beams are reflected from an inner surface of the tubular member, from an outer surface of the tubular member, and from defects of the tubular member, if any,

receiving with the at least one transducer reflected beams from the surface defects of the tubular member, if any, from the inner surface and from the outer surface of the tubular member,

sensing an end distance from the at least one transducer to an end of the tubular member, and

ceasing inspection of the tubular member when the end distance is less than a pre-set value.

27. An ultrasonic inspection device useful for inspecting a tubular member comprising

transducers for transmitting sonic beams and for receiving reflected beams thereof from inner and outer surfaces of the tubular member, from ends of the tubular member including a first end spaced apart from a second end, and from defects of the tubular member,

the reflected beams including beams reflected from an outer surface of the tubular member, from an inner surface of the tubular member, from the first end of the tubular member, and from an inner surface defect of the tubular member, and

means for differentiating the reflected beams,

means for producing signals corresponding to information about the reflected beams, including a defect signal having information about the inner surface defect, and an end signal having information about the end of the tubular member, and

means for continuing inspection of the inner surface of the tubular member for inner surface defects until the end distance is less than a pre-set value.

28. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

means for ceasing inspection of the outer surface of the tubular member when all but about one-eighth of an inch of the tubular member'"'"'s length has been inspected.

29. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

means for providing relative helical motion between the tubular member and the transducers to trace a helical path with sonic beams around the tubular member.

30. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

means for indicating position of the transducers with respect to an end of the tubular member.

31. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 30 further comprising

the means for indicating the position of the transducers including encoder apparatus.

32. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 30 further comprising

the means for indicating the position of the transducers including end sensor apparatus.

33. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

means for energizing and de-energizing the transducers to sequentially transmit and receive sonic beams.

34. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

an array of opposing transducers for transmitting sonic beams, and

transducer positioning means to which the transducers are connected for positioning the transducers to transmit the sonic beams longitudinally, transversely, and obliquely through the tubular member such that beams are reflected from parts of the tubular member.

35. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

a wall thickness transducer for measuring tubular member wall thickness.

36. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

waveguide support apparatus supporting the transducers and having a single beam passage area through which all transmitted and reflected beams pass.

37. The ultrasonic inspection device of claim 27 further comprising

means for moving the transducers in indexed steps with respect to the tubular member.