Dry-coupled permanently installed ultrasonic sensor linear array

• US 8,408,065 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Corporation North America Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Nyholt, John, Langlois, Gary N.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAINT SURIN, JACQUES M
• Application Number:
  US12/406,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20100236330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 736/44, 736/09, 736/17, 736/32
• US Class Current: 73/644
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/223 Supports, positioning or alignment in fixed situation mounting transducers per se G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2487 Directing probes, e.g. angle probes directing arrangements G01N29/221
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/02 Mechanical acoustic impedances; Impedance matching, e.g. by horns; Acoustic resonators

Abstract

This invention relates to permanent, ultrasonic, flexible, dry-coupled, linear arrays for the inspection of pipelines, process equipment, and the like. The permanent, ultrasonic, flexible, dry-coupled, linear arrays detect and/or measure corrosion wall loss, stress corrosion cracking, and/or internal initiated pipeline cracking. The apparatus for ultrasonically testing materials includes a linear array of ultrasonic sensors, and a flexible, acoustically transmissive, dry-coupling surrounding at least a portion of each of the ultrasonic sensors.

Claims

1. A method of testing materials, the method comprising:

conforming a dry-coupling to a test material;

securing the dry-coupling to the test material;

disposing a flexible linear array of ultrasonic sensors with respect to the dy-coupling; and

measuring or detecting at least one property of the test material with the linear array through the acoustically transmissive dry-coupling, wherein the measuring comprises transmitting a signal to the linear array from a second generally parallel linear array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing the linear array comprises ultrasonically coupling the linear array with the test material without magnets, vacuum, adhesives, or liquid coupling agents.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing the dry-coupling to the test material comprises permanently affixing the linear array to the test material.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing a surface of the test material with an acoustically transmissive treatment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustically transmissive treatment comprises a paint or a tape.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring comprises one of the group consisting of detecting wall loss and detecting cracking.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the measuring comprises one of the group consisting of a zero-degree thickness operation, an angle beam operation, and a time-of-flight diffraction operation.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting from the second generally parallel linear array sends a signal corresponding to each of the ultrasonic transducers from a single elongated transmitting sensor.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing the dry-coupling lasts for at least 6 months without requiring resecuring or repositioning.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the securing the dry-coupling lasts for at least 3 years without requiring resecuring or repositioning.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the conforming comprises imparting shape retaining properties to the dry-coupling.