Pipe flaw detector

• US 6,772,636 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaselakos, Gregory Michael, Lam, Clive Chemo
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US10/290,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20040083815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 736/20, 736/22--25, 736/27--29, 736/32--34, 736/39, 736/37, 736/38
• US Class Current: 73/622
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/265 by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02

Abstract

A detector for detecting a location of a flaw on a tubular member, the tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the detector having a body, dial rotatably mounted to the body, the dial with directions indications thereon for indicating position of the dial with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, and ultrasonic probe apparatus secured to the dial for selective positioning by rotating the dial for facilitating location of a flaw of the tubular member; and, in certain aspects, detectors for measuring tubular wall thickness.

Claims

1. A detector for detecting a location of a flaw on a tubular member, the tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the detector comprising

a body,

a dial rotatably mounted to the body, the dial with direction indications thereon for indicating position of the dial with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member,

ultrasonic probe apparatus secured to the dial for selective positioning by rotating the dial for facilitating location of a flaw of the tubular member,

a coupling device mounted to the body beneath the ultrasonic probe apparatus, the coupling device containing coupling fluid,

wherein the coupling device rotates with the dial,

wherein the tubular member has an outer curved surface and the coupling device includes a flexible member for contacting the outer curved surface of the tubular member and for conforming thereto to facilitate operation of the ultrasonic probe apparatus,

roller apparatus on the body for facilitating movement of the body over a surface of the tubular member, the roller apparatus comprising two spaced-apart pairs of spaced-apart rotatable rollers, said pairs of spaced-apart rotatable rollers for aligning the body with the longitudinal axis of the tubular member by placing the rotatable rollers in contact with the tubular member, and

access apparatus for introducing coupling fluid into the coupling device and for evacuating coupling fluid from the coupling device.

2. The detector of claim 1 further comprising

ultrasonic probe apparatus on the detector for measuring wall thickness of a tubular member.

3. The detector of claim 1 further comprising

processing apparatus in communication with the ultrasonic probe apparatus for receiving and processing signals from the ultrasonic probe apparatus.

4. The detector of claim 1 wherein the processing apparatus includes display apparatus for displaying processing results.

5. A detector for detecting a location of a flaw on a tubular member, the tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the detector comprising

a body,

a dial rotatably mounted to the body, the dial with direction indications thereon for indicating position of the dial with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, and

ultrasonic probe apparatus secured to the dial for selective positioning by rotating the dial for facilitating location of a flaw of the tubular member,

a roller apparatus on the body for facilitating movement of the body over a surface of the tubular member, the roller apparatus comprising two spaced-apart pairs of spaced-apart rotatable rollers and wherein the spaced-apart rotatable rollers of each pair of spaced-apart rotatable rollers are sufficiently spaced-apart to align the body with the longitudinal axis of the tubular member when the rotatable rollers are in contact with the tubular member.

6. The detector of claim 5 further comprising

a coupling device mounted to the body beneath the ultrasonic probe apparatus, the coupling device containing coupling fluid.

7. The detector of claim 5 wherein the coupling device rotates with the dial.

8. The detector of claim 6 wherein the tubular member has an outer curved surface and the coupling device Includes a flexible member for contacting the outer curved surface of the tubular and for conforming thereto to facilitate operation of the ultrasonic probe apparatus.

9. The detector of claim 5 wherein the direction indications correspond to an angular measurement indicating an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

10. The detector of claim 9 wherein the dial can be set to correspond to an angular measurement corresponding to an angle of a flaw with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member.

11. The detector of claim 6 further comprising

access apparatus for introducing coupling fluid into the coupling device and for evacuating coupling fluid from the coupling device.

12. The detector of claim 5 further comprising handle apparatus connected to the body for facilitating handling of the detector.

13. The detector of claim 5 further comprising

ultrasonic probe apparatus on the detector for measuring wall thickness of a tubular member.

14. The detector of claim 5 further comprising processing apparatus in communication with the ultrasonic probe apparatus for receiving and processing signals from the ultrasonic probe apparatus.

15. The detector of claim 14 wherein the processing apparatus includes display apparatus for displaying processing results.

16. A method for detecting a location of a flaw on a tubular member having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising

positioning a detector on an outer surface of the tubular member, the detector comprising a body, a dial rotatably mounted to the body, the dial with direction indications thereon for indicating position of the dial with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, ultrasonic probe apparatus secured to the dial for selective positioning by rotating the dial for facilitating location of a flaw of the tubular member, and a roller apparatus for facilitating movement of the body over a surface of the tubular member, the roller apparatus comprising two spaced-apart pairs of spaced-apart rotatable rollers and wherein the spaced-apart rotatable rollers of each pair of spaced-apart rotatable rollers are sufficiently spaced-apart to align the body with the longitudinal axis of the tubular member when the rotatable rollers are in contact with the tubular member,

rotating the dial of the detector to selectively position the ultrasonic probe apparatus with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tubular member, and

locating a flaw with the detector.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the detector includes ultrasonic probe apparatus for measuring a wall thickness of the tubular member, the method further comprising

measuring a wall thickness of the tubular member with the detector.