Method, system and apparatus for ferromagnetic wall monitoring

• US 7,038,445 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2002
• Issued: 05/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SCAN Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: SCAN Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Walters, William T., Uselton, Danny J., Speiser, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ledynh, Bot
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US10/229,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040041560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,343 Days
• Field of Search: 324/238, 324/206, 324/216, 324/217, 324/225, 324/235, 324/227, 324/207.24, 324/228, 324/234, 324/239, 324/240, 324/242, 324/243, 702/38
• US Class Current: 324/240
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/82 for investigating the presence of flaws

Abstract

A device and method is taught for detection of flaws and localized wall loss in pipes made of ferromagnetic-based material. The device utilizes a magnetic field generator to create a horizontal magnetic field of flux. A pipe is passed through the magnetic field where a magnetic fluctuation detector, for example multiple groups of hall units, identifies fluctuations in the magnetic field.

Claims

1. A device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring comprising:

a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field of flux, said magnetic field generator having an inner and outer circumference;

a plurality of groups of magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the magnetic field generator inner circumference;

each group of said plurality of groups of magnetic fluctuation detectors having a corresponding summing circuit interconnected therewith for separately adding together voltage outputs of all the magnetic fluctuation detectors in each group, thereby allowing determination of which group has a highest voltage output from among all of the groups; and

a searching head adapted to detect changes in lines of the magnetic field of flux due to an end of a ferromagnetic object, the searching head mounted about the outer circumference of the magnetic field generator.

2. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field of flux is horizontal.

3. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field generator is an encircling coil.

4. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field generator is a circular coil having multi-turns of wire located in the coil.

5. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, further comprising a defect monitor interconnected with each group of the magnetic fluctuation detectors.

6. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, further comprising one or more magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the outer circumference of the magnetic field generator.

7. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 6, wherein the magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the outer circumference are hall units.

8. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 6, the magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the outer circumference are magneto resistors.

9. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 6, the magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the outer circumference are magneto diodes.

10. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 6, wherein the magnetic field fluctuation detectors mounted about the outer circumference are selected from hall units, magneto resistors, magneto diodes and combinations thereof.

11. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 1, further comprising an ore circuit interconnected with each magnetic fluctuation detector in each of said groups whereby a largest signal occurring in each of the groups is determined.

12. A device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring comprising:

a circular coil having multi-turns of wire located in the coil for generating a horizontal magnetic field of flux, said circular coil having an inner and outer circumference;

a plurality of groups of hall units mounted about the circular coil inner circumference;

each group of said plurality of groups of hail units having a corresponding summing circuit interconnected therewith for separately adding together voltage outputs of all the hall units in each group, thereby allowing determination of which group has a highest voltage output from among all of the groups; and

a searching head adapted to detect changes in lines of the magnetic field of flux due to an end of a ferromagnetic object, the searching head mounted about the outer circumference of the magnetic field generator.

13. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 12, wherein said hall units within a group are mounted substantially equidistant from one another.

14. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 12, further comprising an ore circuit interconnected with each hall unit in each of said groups whereby a largest signal occurring in each of the groups is determined.

15. The device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring of claim 12, further comprising a defect monitor interconnected with each group of hall units.

16. A method for ferromagnetic wall monitoring, comprising the steps of:

providing a magnetic field generator having a plurality of groups of magnetic field fluctuation detectors mounted about the inner circumference of the magnetic field generator, and a searching head able to detect magnetic field fluctuations due to an end of a ferromagnetic object, the searching head mounted about an outer circumference of the magnetic field generator;

generating a magnetic field of flux with said magnetic field generator;

passing the ferromagnetic object through said magnetic field of flux;

separately adding together voltage outputs of all magnetic field fluctuation detectors in each of the groups thereby determining which group has a highest voltage output of the groups;

determining wall thickness of and/or flaws in said ferromagnetic object by identifying magnetic field fluctuations with said plurality of magnetic field fluctuation detectors; and

determining the end of said ferromagnetic object by detecting magnetic field fluctuations with said searching head.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field fluctuation detectors are magneto resistors.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field fluctuation detectors are magneto diodes.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the ferromagnetic object is a pipe.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field fluctuation detectors are hall units.

21. The method of claim 20, determining a sum of voltage from each of said hall units.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of monitoring a signal generated by said hail units when said ferromagnetic object passes near said hall units.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field generator is an encircling coil.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field generator is a circular coil having multi-turns of wire located in the coil.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein the magnetic field fluctuation detectors are selected from hall units, magneto resistors, magneto diodes and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 16, further comprising exciting the magnetic field generator with a DC current for generating magnetic flux that encircle the magnetic field generator.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising detecting a change of voltage in said hall units when passing a portion of pipe past hall units, indicating said portion of pipe having a flaw.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising identifying the greatest voltage signal from a group of magnetic field fluctuation detectors.

29. A device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring comprising:

a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field of flux, said magnetic field generator having an inner and outer circumference;

a plurality of groups of magnetic fluctuation detectors mounted about the magnetic field generator inner circumference;

each group of said plurality of groups of magnetic fluctuation detectors having a corresponding summing circuit interconnected therewith for separately adding together voltage outputs of all the magnetic fluctuation detectors in each group, thereby allowing determination of which group has a highest voltage output from among all of the groups;

a searching head adapted to detect changes in lines of the magnetic field of flux due to an end of a ferromagnetic object; and

an ore circuit interconnected with each magnetic fluctuation detector in each of said groups whereby a largest signal occurring in each of the groups is determined.

30. A device for ferromagnetic wall monitoring comprising:

a circular coil having multi-turns of wire located in the coil for generating a horizontal magnetic field of flux, said circular coil having an inner and outer circumference;

a plurality of groups of hall units mounted about the circular coil inner circumference;

each group of said plurality of groups of hall units having a corresponding summing circuit interconnected therewith for separately adding together voltage outputs of all the hail units in each group, thereby allowing determination of which group has a highest voltage output from among all of the groups;

a searching head mounted adapted to detect changes in lines of the magnetic field of flux due to an end of a ferromagnetic object; and

an ore circuit interconnected with each magnetic fluctuation detector in each of said groups whereby a largest signal occurring in each of the groups is determined.

31. A method for ferromagnetic wall monitoring, comprising the steps of:

providing a magnetic field generator having a plurality of groups of magnetic field fluctuation detectors mounted about an inner circumference of the magnetic field generator, and a searching head mounted in a position to detect magnetic field fluctuations due to an end of a ferromagnetic object;

generating a magnetic field of flux with said magnetic field generator;

passing the ferromagnetic object through said magnetic field of flux;

separately adding together voltage outputs of all magnetic field fluctuation detectors in each of the groups thereby determining which group has a highest voltage output of the groups;

determining wall thickness of and/or flaws in said ferromagnetic object by identifying magnetic field fluctuations with said plurality of magnetic field fluctuation detectors; and

determining the end of said ferromagnetic object by detecting magnetic field fluctuations with said searching head;

determining a largest signal occurring in each of the groups using an ore circuit interconnected with each magnetic fluctuation detector in each of said groups.