Patent Description:
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to combined pulse echo techniques as applied to inspection of pipeline systems.

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the disclosure are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure, but rather these embodiments are intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of the disclosed subject matter. Indeed, the disclosed subject matter may encompass a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below and may not be in accordance with the invention which is solely defined by the accompanying claims.

In accordance with a first embodiment, a method for inspecting pipe is provided. The method includes transmitting an ultrasound pulse through a pipe or a fluid container from inside the pipe or the fluid container. The method further includes receiving echoes via a plurality of sensors, based on the ultrasound pulse, and combining echo data from the plurality of sensors. The method additionally includes deriving an environmental assessment based on the combining the echo data.

In accordance with a second embodiment, a system is provided. The system includes an ultrasound transmitter and receiver system comprising a plurality of sensors, and a processor. The processor is configured to transmit an ultrasound pulse via the ultrasound transmitter and receiver system. The processor is also configured to receive echo data via the plurality of sensors, based on the ultrasound pulse. The processor is additionally configured to combine the echo data from the plurality of sensors. The processor is further configured to derive an environmental assessment based on the combining the echo data.

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the disclosed subject matter will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:.

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosed subject matter will be described below.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, the articles "a," "an," "the," and "said" are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements.

The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods for improving inspection of pipeline system by combining data processing and/or hardware systems from a plurality of pulse echo transmitters and sensors. The pulse echo transmitters and sensors may each apply one or more pulse echo techniques suitable for deriving conditions such as the coating status of pipe, and the environment surround the pipe (e.g., moisture content in the environment, type of environment, properties of the environment). Data received via the plurality of sensors (e.g., <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> or more sensors) may then be processed and combined, as described in more detail below, to derive more a more accurate inspection of the pipeline system. It is to be noted that the techniques described herein may be applicable to a variety of transport systems in addition to or alternative to pipeline systems. Indeed, fluid vessels, contained transport systems, containers, and the like, may be inspected using the techniques described herein.

In certain embodiments, an inspection system includes a transducer disposed inside pipeline or transport system suitable for sending a signal from inside a vessel (e.g.. , pipe) so that the signal traverses a vessel wall to and outside surface of the vessel. Reflection of the transmitted signal or energy would include some dependency based on the nature of the external environment (e.g., in form of a refraction index) and would appear in data as forms of different attenuations in amplitude over several echo pulses. A reference data level may be generated from data sets aggregated from all sensors receiving a signal echo. Conditions at a given location may then be characterized and used in comparison with other locations and may also be used as predictor of external environment conditions. Accordingly, an environmental assessment of conditions external to the pipeline system, including pipe coating status, may be derived more accurately.

Turning now to the drawings and referring to <FIG>, the figure illustrates a cross section block diagram of an embodiment of a portion of pipeline system <NUM> having one or more pipes <NUM>. The pipes <NUM> may include non-ferrous and/or ferrous pipe. Also shown is a pipeline inspection system <NUM> disposed in the interior of the pipe <NUM>, useful in inspecting the pipeline system <NUM>. For example, the pipeline inspection system <NUM> may be inserted during inline inspection operations and subsequently propelled though the pipeline system <NUM> by pressure of a fluid <NUM> flowing through the pipeline system <NUM>. The fluid <NUM> may include liquids and/or gases, for example, hydrocarbonic fluids used in oil and gas industries, such as petroleum, petroleum distillates, natural gas, propane, and so on. However, the fluid <NUM> need not be limited to the aforementioned examples, and may include any fluid that traverses the pipeline system <NUM> with suitable pressure.

As the inspection system <NUM> moves through the pipeline system <NUM>, an environmental assessment may be made. For example, certain undesired conditions <NUM> of the pipeline system <NUM> may be detected. For example, wet soil, dry soil, and other properties of a medium <NUM> (e.g., soil, gravel, water, rock, and the like) surrounding the pipe <NUM> may be detected. Likewise, a condition of a coating <NUM> disposed on outside surfaces of walls <NUM> of the pipe <NUM>, corrosion, pitting, ablative conditions, and so on, may be detected. As further described herein, the inspection system <NUM> may include a pulse echo system <NUM>. Other inline inspection (ILI) systems <NUM>, <NUM> may be used. For example, the systems <NUM>, <NUM> may include high resolution caliper systems, magnetic flux leakage (MFL) systems, acoustic resonance (AR) systems, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be combined into a single package or unit, for example, for overall compactness and length reduction. Each of the systems <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, may include a sensing package <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, one or more processors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and one or more memory <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively. The sensing package <NUM> may be suitable for transmitting ultrasonic energy or signals through the pipe <NUM> and for detecting the conditions <NUM> via sensed echo pulses, as described in more detail below. The sensing packages <NUM>, <NUM> may include mechanical sensors, electronic sensors and/or software suitable for applying ILI sensing techniques, such as the aforementioned MFL, AR, and/or high resolution caliper. The processor <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may be suitable for executing computer code or instructions stored in the memories <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

In certain embodiments, the systems <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be removable and/or replaceable. For example, it may be desired to first capture only pulse echo data, so an inspection run may include only the pulse system <NUM>. A second inspection run may then be performed at a later time (e.g., minutes, hours, days, weeks later) with the inspection system <NUM> carrying any one of the MFL, AR, high resolution caliper, or combination thereof. The inspection system <NUM> may provide for better predictive characteristics of environments external to the pipe <NUM>, as well as the coating <NUM> than other techniques, as well as increased confidence and reliability of detection and characterization of particular product leakages that may be of concern for the delivery of product traversing the pipe <NUM>. The physical configuration of the combined inspection system <NUM> may not be radically different than current conventional tools. Indeed, in some embodiments, the techniques described herein may provide for a software upgrade of certain existing hardware, e.g., via Flash upgrade, to enable the improved environmental assessment.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment of set of interfaces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> depicting a single ultrasonic transmitter/sensor system <NUM> that may be included in the sensing package <NUM> shown in <FIG>. In time of flight pulse-echo based ultrasonic (UT) inspection, a compression wave sound beam may be generated through the use of a finite ultrasonic pulse wave transmitted via the system <NUM>. Through wave physics, it can be shown that as the beam energy hits an interface surface (e.g., interface <NUM>) separating different mediums (e.g., each medium having differing sonic properties), energy will be reflected (echoed) and transmitted through the interface.

In the case of multiple layer targets with multiple interfaces, as shown in the figure, echo responses may be detected and recorded for each of the interfaces <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> as pulse events interact with the respective interfaces. For example, at interface <NUM> between A and B mediums (e.g., wall <NUM> and coating <NUM>), pulse waves may also cause a reflection echo and some transmission of energy. Likewise, a reflection echo and energy transmission may occur at interface <NUM> separating medium C <NUM> from medium D <NUM>. Relative ratios of amplitudes of reflection and transmission energy may be based upon relative differences between the mediums at each interface <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, e.g., transmit "T" and reflection "R" ultrasound boundary conditions, as described in more detail below.

To derive a UT wall <NUM> thickness measurement, the reflection pulse time for flight from interface <NUM> and <NUM> maybe be used to establish the wall <NUM> thickness based upon a speed of sound reference for medium b (e.g., wall <NUM>'s composition). Some energy continues to reflect within interface <NUM> and <NUM>, and between interface <NUM> and <NUM>, back to the probe until fully dissipated. Visualization of this amplitude reflection vs. time behavior as received at the UT probe <NUM> is generally referred to as an A-Scan.

<FIG> is a graph <NUM> illustrating embodiments of an amplitude versus time of certain reflections show in <FIG>. More specifically, the graph <NUM> includes a y-axis <NUM> representative of an amplitude or intensity of a signal <NUM> received via sensors included in the system <NUM>, and an x-axis <NUM> representative of time of receipt of the signal. The graph also shows three peaks <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>. Peak <NUM> includes a reflection signal from interface <NUM>'s inner surface to probe system <NUM> and back. Peak <NUM> includes a reflection signal from within the medium B, between interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and back to the probe <NUM>. Peak <NUM> includes a residual reflection signal back from the reflection shown on peak <NUM>, then between interfaces <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, and then back to the probe <NUM>. By analyzing multiple signals, an improved environmental scan may be derived.

The identification of the <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, interface events and relative amplitude/energy changes provides insight to the interface <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> conditions, and thus, may be a source of insight to the sonic properties of the external environment. Individually, a single sensor and firing sequence may not provide the resolution or consistency to establish the outer boundary interface conditions. The techniques described herein include the use of a plurality of sensors <NUM> (e.g., pulse echo sensors), which may be disposed circumferentially inside of the pipe <NUM>. Each sensor <NUM> may record A-scans simultaneously for pulse-echo information related to the wall <NUM> thickness measurement, but also as relative amplitude changes due to the medium C (e.g., coating <NUM>) and medium D (e.g., medium <NUM>). In another embodiment, a Phased Array ultrasonic probe(s) may be used in lieu of or additional to the plurality of circumferentially disposed sensors <NUM>, in a wall <NUM> measurement firing configuration.

Data acquisition for the system <NUM> may occur at high linear repetition as the system <NUM> moves through the pipe <NUM> (e.g., sensors <NUM> may be moving past the point on the pipe wall <NUM>, and thus, full pipe joint and full pipeline <NUM> information may be collected). With the techniques described herein, those changes that infer the medium C sonic properties relative to the medium B sonic properties would be computed and characterized statistically for each joint and/or region of interest. Using such aggregated amplitude changes from all sensors, a characteristic profile of the relative medium C/D sonic properties to medium B sonic properties may be generated and then used for reference or predictive purposes. Certain references may be useful. Relative reference - checks other areas of similar characterization profile versus an expected profile. Absolute reference - checks and calibrates areas of similar characterization using the independent records of the right of way/as-built information on record of for pipeline system <NUM> operator or other independent calibration reference (e.g. presence of external oil).

Once characterized at aggregated pipe <NUM> joint scale, a search for localized statistical anomalies that would represent coating disbands and/or different external conditions may be derived. Locations with identified or predetermined characteristic response for the medium C/D may be flagged for potential unwanted environmental state (e.g. coating dis-bond in saturated water, presence of oil surrounding pipe indicating a leak). Each sensor <NUM> may have its own calibration reference for intensity, focus, and responsiveness, to known standards, hence amplitudes may be normalized to other sensors <NUM> as needed.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate embodiments of a plurality of sensors <NUM> and signals <NUM> respectively. More specifically, <FIG> illustrates an embodiment of a plurality of sensors <NUM> each sensor <NUM> independently recording A-scans. In the depicted embodiment, the sensors <NUM> may record A-scans approximately simultaneously, thus providing for pulse-echo information related to the wall <NUM> thickness measurement, but also as relative amplitude changes due to the medium C (e.g., coating <NUM>) and medium D (e.g., medium <NUM>). As shown in <FIG>, the signals <NUM> from respective sensors <NUM> may be combined in single graph <NUM>. An amplitude change profile <NUM> shown as a dashed curve following peaks of the signals <NUM> may be derived, representative of changes that infer, for example, medium C sonic properties relative to the medium B sonic properties. Such changes would be computed and characterized statistically for each joint and/or region <NUM> of interest.

<FIG> illustrates an example system <NUM> having a plurality of sensors <NUM>. As illustrated each sensor <NUM> may transmit and/or observe energy (e.g., UT energy) independently, and in a preferred embodiment, simultaneously. Each sensor may observe the walls <NUM> and derive, for example, wall <NUM> thickness measurements <NUM> and/or offset measurements <NUM>. In some embodiments, the hardware/software for the system <NUM> may include systems available from General Electric Company, of Schenectady, New York, such as an Ultrascan WM tool. The techniques described herein may be "flashed" onto a processor of the WM tool, e.g., processor <NUM>. The flash upgrade may then provide software suitable for deriving certain ratios, including relative amplitude changes due to certain mediums, e.g., the medium C and medium D (e.g., medium <NUM>).

<FIG> illustrates an example system <NUM> having a phased array probe <NUM> suitable for implementing the techniques described herein. More specifically, the probe <NUM> may provide the equivalent of a plurality of virtual sensors <NUM>, which may be configured to fire in a wall measurement time of flight mode. Each virtual sensor <NUM> may fire selectively within the full array <NUM>, for example, to generate a <NUM>° incident wave, thus providing for a wall measurement pulse echo. Full circumferential coverage may be provided by use of multiple probes, each using virtual sensors <NUM> across the full width of each array <NUM>. In some embodiments, the hardware/software for the system <NUM> may include systems available from General Electric Company, of Schenectady, New York, such as an UltraScan DUO Phase Array Ultrasonic Pipeline Inspection Tool.

<FIG> is a perspective view of the pipe <NUM> and a sensing array <NUM> that may be provided via the sensors <NUM>. A reference area <NUM> is also shown, depicting an area of observation. As mentioned earlier, a plurality of sensors <NUM> may be used. In one embodiment, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or more sensors <NUM> may be used. A coating influence echo may be derived via the equation <MAT> where V is velocity (e.g., pulse echo velocity).

<FIG> is an amplitude versus time curve showing how different curves <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> mean different medium environments. Amplitude is A, and looking at different amplitudes of a pulse in different environments may show changes in amplitudes based on the environment. Amplitude levels can be characterized as a profile of a given environment. Different curves <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> may thus imply different mediums and/or environments.

<FIG> depicts a focal capability of a sensor, and near field distance N. The size and nature of a fired ultrasound beam is dependent on the sensor face, frequency, and velocity of the medium used to transport the beam. More dense mediums result in higher velocities. D is a divergence of the beam as the beam spreads. <MAT> where F is frequency and V is velocity of beam. <FIG> illustrates a beam width diagram <NUM> suitable to derive width W based on velocity V, Distance D, frequency F, and time t. Accordingly, the width <MAT>.

<FIG> depicts an example diagram <NUM> suitable for deriving a reflection coefficient or <MAT> where the amount of energy reflecting from a given interface (e.g., <NUM> may denote interfaces <NUM> and <NUM>) when compared to the amount of energy contacting the interface is dependent on medium A, B, C properties. µ is an impedance measure of sound transmission, akin to a resistivity value of a medium to sound transmission. Accordingly, µ<NUM> corresponds to medium A, µ<NUM> to medium B, and µ<NUM> to medium C. Certain energy may escape through medium C, and the energy may be approximately equal to T<NUM> = [<NUM> - R]. Because of varying properties in each medium A, B, C, each medium may include varying velocities V<NUM>, V<NUM>, V<NUM>.

The reflective coefficient R<NUM> may then be used, for example, via a lookup table, to determine conditions <NUM> and/or provide the environmental assessment. For example, once a value for R<NUM> is found, the value may be used to look up what type of soil, leakage, rock properties, coating status, and so on, may be present. The µ may be derived, for example, based on certain time resulting from velocities of the mediums A, B, C.

<FIG> shows an embodiment of a graph <NUM> showing energy pulses bouncing between mediums, and gate length calculations. As pulses <NUM> bounce back and forth, traversing the mediums or materials <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, each material will provide for a different velocity V, as shown. A delta or change in time t may be derived using the formula <MAT> where V<NUM> is the velocity of the beam at medium <NUM>, and d<NUM> is the distance over the medium <NUM>, and di is the distance over medium <NUM>.

Gate length calculations enable the sensors <NUM> to listen with sufficient time t so as to capture the pulse echoes. <FIG>, related to <FIG>, illustrates a graph <NUM> series of amplitudes <NUM> and amplitude calculations. As illustrated, the amplitudes <NUM> may change during subsequent pulse echoes as the pulses bounce of the different mediums. Amplitude calculations are interdependent based on the reflection ratio R, as described earlier (e.g., R<NUM>). For example, an initial surface reflection pulse amplitude Ax = R<NUM>[A<NUM>] where R1 is the first reflection. Accordingly, amplitude received is <MAT>. Second pulse amplitudes, A<NUM> = T<NUM>[A<NUM>], and A<NUM> = <MAT>. Third pulse amplitudes <MAT>.

Turning now to <FIG>, the figure is a flowchart of an embodiment of a process <NUM> that may be used to combine data from multiple sensors <NUM> to provide for improved inspections of the pipeline system <NUM>. The process <NUM> may be implemented as computer software or instruction executable via processors and stored in memory. In the depicted embodiment, the process <NUM> may first transmit one or more UT pulses (block <NUM>). As described earlier, the pulse may echo through various mediums. The process <NUM> may then sense the various pulse echoes (block <NUM>) through a plurality of sensors <NUM>. For example, the pulses may bounce between various medium types, at varying velocities based on properties of the medium (e.g., densities, humidity) and sensed as they are received by the sensors (<NUM>).

The process <NUM> may then combine the various echo data (block <NUM>). The combination may result in derivations of amplitudes and various reflection ratios (e.g., R<NUM>). Based on the derivations, an environmental assessment may be derived (block <NUM>). For example, lookup tables, databases, and so on, may be used to correlate the amplitudes and/or ratios with certain conditions <NUM>, such as oil, water, dry soil, wet soil, rocks, coating status (e.g., worn coating, coating thickness).

Claim 1:
A method for inspecting a pipe or a fluid container, the method comprising:
transmitting an ultrasound pulse through a pipe (<NUM>) or a fluid container from inside the pipe (<NUM>) or the fluid container;
characterized receiving echoes via at least three sensors of a plurality of sensors (<NUM>), based on the ultrasound pulse, wherein a first sensor of the at least three sensors is configured in a first sensing package (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) of a first removeable inline inspection system (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>), the first sensor performing a first pulse echo sensing technique and wherein a second sensor of the at least three sensors is configured in a second sensing package (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) of a second removable inline inspection system (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>), the second sensor performing a second, different inline inspection technique,
combining echo data from the plurality of sensors (<NUM>); and
deriving an environmental assessment of conditions external to the pipe (<NUM>) based on the combining the echo data.