Patent ID: 7561976
Filing Date: 2009-07-14
Classification: G01H,G01M

Abstract:
1. A method for monitoring the performance of a pipe containing a pressurized fluid, this pipe comprising at least one continuous run zone and singularity zones, comprising: a static monitoring of a predetermined number of singularity zones and/or continuous run zones, in order to provide circumferential expansion information, a calculation of an effective stiffness K(ti) of the pipe and a measured residual steel cross-section As(ti) of the pipe using said circumferential expansion information, predicting a temporal evolution A's(t>ti) of an estimator A's(ti) of the residual steel cross-section, this prediction being made on the basis of a model of corrosion and mechanical performance of the pipe, comparing between the measured residual steel cross-section As(ti) and the estimator A's(ti) of the residual steel cross-section, updating a corrosion model, when the difference between said measured residual steel cross-section As(ti) and said estimator of the residual steel cross-section A's(ti) is greater than a predetermined precision, a comparison of the measured value As(ti) of the residual steel cross-section with a limit criterion of mechanical strength (CL), this comparison being followed by: performing a maintenance operation on the pipe if said monitoring of the performance demonstrates the need for a maintenance operation.