Pipeline crack detection
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method, comprising:
- emitting an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a sensor carrier module, wherein the sensor carrier module includes a phased array of sensors and the ultrasonic signal is emitted by a first sensor of the phased array of sensors;
receiving a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen by a second sensor of the phased array of sensors, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen;
defining a half-skip coverage area, wherein the first coverage area returns a half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the half-skip coverage area;
defining a one-skip coverage area, wherein the one-skip coverage area returns a one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-skip coverage area;
defining a one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area returns a one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area;
determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the half-skip echo is a first reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen one time;
determining the feature extends into the one-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-skip echo is a second reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen three times;
determining the feature extends into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip echo is a third reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen five times; and
determining a threshold depth of the feature in the test specimen based on determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area, the one-skip coverage area, the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, or a combination thereof.
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Abstract
A method includes emitting an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a transducer, receiving a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen and the first reflected ultrasonic signal is internally reflected within the test specimen three times prior to being received, and determining a threshold depth of the feature in the test specimen based on receiving the first reflected ultrasonic signal.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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emitting an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a sensor carrier module, wherein the sensor carrier module includes a phased array of sensors and the ultrasonic signal is emitted by a first sensor of the phased array of sensors; receiving a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen by a second sensor of the phased array of sensors, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen; defining a half-skip coverage area, wherein the first coverage area returns a half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the half-skip coverage area; defining a one-skip coverage area, wherein the one-skip coverage area returns a one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-skip coverage area; defining a one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area returns a one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area; determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the half-skip echo is a first reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen one time; determining the feature extends into the one-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-skip echo is a second reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen three times; determining the feature extends into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip echo is a third reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen five times; and determining a threshold depth of the feature in the test specimen based on determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area, the one-skip coverage area, the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system comprising:
a processor, where in the processor is configured to emit an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a sensor carrier module, wherein the sensor carrier module includes a phased array of sensors and the ultrasonic signal is emitted by a first sensor of the phased array of sensors; receive a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen by a second sensor of the phased array of sensors, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen; define a half-skip coverage area, wherein the first coverage area returns a half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the half-skip coverage area; define a one-skip coverage area, wherein the one-skip coverage area returns a one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-skip coverage area; define a one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area returns a one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area; determine the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the half-skip echo is a first reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen one time; determine the feature extends into the one-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-skip echo is a second reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen three times; determine the feature extends into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip echo is a third reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen five times; and determine a threshold depth of the feature in the test specimen based upon determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area, the one-skip coverage area, the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, or a combination thereof. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system comprising:
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a processor; and a display; wherein the system is configured to; emit an ultrasonic signal into a test specimen from a sensor carrier module, wherein the sensor carrier module includes a phased array of sensors and the ultrasonic signal is emitted by a first sensor of the phased array of sensors; receive a first reflected ultrasonic signal from the test specimen by a second sensor of the phased array of sensors, wherein the first reflected ultrasonic signal is reflected from a feature in the test specimen; define a half-skip coverage area, wherein the first coverage area returns a half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the half-skip coverage area; define a one-skip coverage area, wherein the one-skip coverage area returns a one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-skip coverage area; define a one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area returns a one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal as a result of the feature extending into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area; determine the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the half-skip echo is a first reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen one time; determine the feature extends into the one-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-skip echo is a second reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen three times; determine the feature extends into the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area of the test specimen based on receiving the one-and-a-half-skip echo of the first reflected ultrasonic signal, wherein the one-and-a-half-skip echo is a third reflection of the first reflected ultrasonic signal and is internally reflected within the test specimen five times; determine a threshold depth of a feature in the test specimen based upon determining the feature extends into the half-skip coverage area, the one-skip coverage area, the one-and-a-half-skip coverage area, or a combination thereof; and provide the determined threshold depth within the display. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification