Sensor housing and mount for in-line inspection tool

• US 8,020,460 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pure Technologies Limited (Xylem, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pure Technologies US Incorporated (Xylem, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hoyt, Philip M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron E
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAYYAZ, NASHMIYA SAQIB
• Application Number:
  US12/403,754
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 73/405, 736/23, 738/665, 324220-221
• US Class Current: 73/865.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/82 for investigating the presence of flaws

Abstract

An in-line inspection tool comprising sensors and sensor housings is disclosed. Each sensor housing may contain at least one sensor. The tool may further comprise a structure comprising a central axis and a plurality of sensor mounts distributed circumferentially about the central axis. Each sensor mount may support a different sensor housing. The plurality of sensor mounts may support the sensor housings such that the first end of each sensor housing circumferentially overlaps the second end of an adjacent sensor housing. By overlapping, sensor housings may support sensors with substantially uniform spacing around the circumference of the inspection tool in normal operation and still allow sensor housings to move relative to one another to accommodate changes in the dimension of the circumference.

Claims

1. An in-line inspection tool for inspecting a pipeline while traveling therethrough, the in-line inspection tool comprising:

a plurality of sensors, each sensor thereof comprising a magnetic flux sensor;

a plurality of sensor housings, each sensor housing thereof being substantially rigid, comprising a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, and containing a single row of sensors of the plurality of sensors;

a structure comprising a central axis and a plurality of sensor mounts distributed circumferentially about the central axis;

the structure, wherein each sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts supports a different sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings; and

the structure, wherein the plurality of sensor mounts supports the plurality of sensor housings such that

the first end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings circumferentially overlaps, and is located axially behind, the second end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings, and

each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is permitted to pivot about a different radial axis intersecting perpendicularly with the central axis.

2. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings houses more than three sensors of the plurality of sensors.

3. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein the second end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is located axially in front of the first end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings.

4. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein the circumferential spacing between adjacent sensors of the plurality of sensors is substantially uniform.

5. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is substantially identical in shape.

6. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein each sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts is flexible and allows a corresponding sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings to pivot about the different radial axis.

7. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings houses more than two sensors of the plurality of sensors.

8. The in-line inspection tool of claim 7, wherein the circumferential spacing between all adjacent sensors of the plurality of sensors is substantially uniform.

9. The in-line inspection tool of claim 1, wherein:

the structure further comprises a leading end; and

the distance along the central axis between the leading end and each magnetic flux sensor contained within the plurality of sensor housings is substantially equal.

10. A method comprising:

obtaining an in-line inspection tool comprising

a plurality of sensor housings, each sensor housing thereof being substantially rigid and comprising a first end and a second end spaced from the first end,

a plurality of magnetic flux sensors, at least one sensor thereof being housed within each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings,

a structure comprising a central axis and a plurality of sensor mounts distributed circumferentially about the central axis, each sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts supporting a different sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings, and

the plurality of sensor housings wherein the first end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is located axially behind the second end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings and the second end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is located axially in front of the first end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings;

introducing the in-line inspection tool into a pipeline;

inspecting, by the in-line inspection tool, the pipeline;

supporting, by the plurality of sensor mounts during at least a portion of the inspecting, the plurality of sensor housings such that the first end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings circumferentially overlaps the second end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings; and

supporting, by the at least one sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts during at least a portion of the inspecting, pivoting of a corresponding sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings about a radial axis intersecting perpendicularly with the central axis.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising flexing, by each sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts during the at least a portion of the inspecting, to permit a corresponding sensor housing of the plurality of sensors housings to rotate about a different radial axis intersecting perpendicularly with the central axis.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings houses more than three sensors of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the obtaining further comprises obtaining an in-line inspection tool wherein the circumferential spacing between all adjacent sensors of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors is substantially uniform.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the obtaining further comprises obtaining an in-line inspection tool wherein the circumferential spacing between all adjacent sensors of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors is substantially uniform.

15. An in-line inspection tool for inspecting a pipeline while traveling therethrough, the in-line inspection tool comprising:

a plurality of magnetic flux sensors;

a plurality of sensor housings, each sensor housing thereof being substantially rigid, comprising a first end and a second end spaced from the first end, and containing a single row of sensors of the plurality of magnetic flux sensors;

a structure comprising a central axis and a plurality of sensor mounts distributed circumferentially about the central axis; and

the structure, wherein each sensor mount of the plurality of sensor mounts supports a different sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings such that

the first end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings circumferentially overlaps the second end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings,

the first end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is located axially behind the second end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings,

the second end of each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is located axially in front of the first end of an adjacent sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings, and

each sensor housing of the plurality of sensor housings is permitted to pivot about a different radial axis intersecting perpendicularly with the central axis.

16. The in-line inspection tool of claim 15, wherein:

the structure further comprises a leading end; and

the distance along the central axis between the leading end and each magnetic flux sensor contained within the plurality of sensor housings is substantially equal.