End-to-end ultrasonic inspection of tubular goods

• US 6,945,113 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WGD028 Ltd. (John Wood Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: WGD028 Ltd. (John Wood Group PLC)
• Inventors: Siverling, David E., Lester, Doug R., McWhorter, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US10/633,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20040020298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 736/22, 736/23, 736/02, 736/44
• US Class Current: 73/622
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/056 Angular incidence, angular propagation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/275 by moving both the sensor and the material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02

Abstract

The present technique provides a system and method for ultrasonically testing a tubular good along the entire axial length of the material using a single ultrasonic test assembly. The ultrasonic test assembly has an ultrasonic tubular inspection unit movable lengthwise along a tubular and an end-crossing extension mechanism adapted to facilitate end inspection of the tubular.

Claims

1. A system for ultrasonically testing a tubular, comprising:

an ultrasonic test assembly, comprising;

a carrier unit movably positional along a surface of the tubular between opposite ends of the tubular; and

an ultrasonic transducer mount unit movably positional along the carrier unit to outer regions of the carrier unit extendable beyond the opposite ends of the tubular.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test assembly comprises a fluid chamber formed between the ultrasonic transducer mount unit and a mount interface of the carrier unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit has a fluid interface between the carrier unit and mount receptacles for ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic transducer mount unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit has a solid interface between the carrier unit and mount receptacles for ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic transducer mount unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic test assembly is top-mountable to the tubular.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the carrier unit comprises a removable interface member, which is movably positional along the surface of the tubular.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising a lengthwise tubular-positioning mechanism coupled to the ultrasonic test assembly.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a rotational drive coupleable to the tubular.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising a positioning system having a helical test pattern routine.

10. A system for ultrasonically testing a tubular, comprising:

a top-mountable ultrasonic test assembly, comprising;

a fluid carrier unit, comprising;

a central interface portion movably positional along a surface of the tubular between opposite ends of the tubular; and

outer carrier portions disposed about the central interface portion and positional beyond the respective opposite ends of the tubular, and

an ultrasonic transducer mount unit movably positional along the fluid carrier unit to the outer carrier portions.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit comprises receptacles for a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in different testing orientations.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the different testing orientations comprises longitudinal, transverse, and oblique testing orientations.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit comprises an ultrasonic transducer having a curved lens.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit comprises an ultrasonic transducer having a piezoelectric element.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the central interface has a removable wear member adapted to seal substantially against the surface of the tubular.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the ultrasonic transducer mount unit is mounted to a linear positioning mechanism extending lengthwise along the fluid carrier unit.

17. A method, comprising the acts of:

providing a movable tubular interface having a central portion movably positional between opposite ends of the tubular and having outer portions disposed about the central portion and positional beyond the respective opposite ends; and

movably coupling an ultrasonic test unit to the movable tubular interface on a corner extendable across the central and outer portions.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of providing the movable tubular interface comprises the act of forming a fluid testing interface with the tubular.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of movably coupling the ultrasonic test unit comprises the act of forming a fluid interface between the movable tubular interface and ultrasonic transducers disposed in the ultrasonic test unit.

20. An ultrasonically tested tubular produced by the process comprising the acts of:

providing a movable tubular interface having a central portion movably positional between opposite ends of the tubular and having outer portions disposed about the central portion and positional beyond the respective opposite ends; and

movably coupling an ultrasonic test unit to the movable tubular interface on a corner extendable across the central and outer portions.