Patent ID: 7900517

Claim:
A system for inspecting a pipeline possibly filled with a fluid such as water and/or oil with ultrasound, provided with a transport device arranged to move in a transport direction of the transport device through the pipeline and a plurality of transducers for transmitting ultrasound and for receiving reflections and/or refractions of the transmitted ultrasound on a wall of the pipeline for performing a measurement and a transmitting and receiving device connected with the transducers for activating the transducers for transmitting the ultrasound and for generating receive signals respectively representing ultrasound including reflections and/or refractions received with the transducers, wherein the transducers and the transmitting and receiving device are mounted on the transport device, characterized in that the transducers are provided with a first set of transducers which comprises at least two phased array transducers staggered with respect to each other at least in the transport direction, a second set of transducers which comprises at least two transducers staggered with respect to each other in the transport direction for performing a TOFD measurement and a third set of transducers which comprises at least two transducers staggered with respect to each other in the transport direction for performing a measurement with creep waves, wherein the system is arranged to move the first set of transducers, the second set of transducers and the third set of transducers in a tangential direction with respect to the transport direction along an interior surface of a wall of the pipeline, preferably along at least a full revolution, more preferably along a loop fully closed upon itself, as a circle, and wherein the system is arranged to bring the transducers of the first set, the second set and the third set into contact with the interior surface of the pipeline during the performance of a measurement.