RU197520U1 - Robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines - Google Patents

Abstract

Usage: for ultrasonic (US) non-destructive testing of pipelines. The essence of the utility model lies in the fact that a robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines contains a delivery vehicle on which an electronic unit is mounted, a sensor for ultrasonic diagnostics of the surface of the test object, while the sensor for ultrasound diagnostics is made in the form of a digital phased antenna array on electromagnetic-acoustic transducers It includes a gap sensor for determining the size of the working gap, an ultrasonic diagnostic sensor lift drive is installed on the robotic flaw detector to control the size of the working gap and load the flaw detector through technological hatches of the pipeline without damaging the ultrasonic diagnostic sensor. EFFECT: simplified design, increased sensitivity and productivity of pipe inspection. 1 s.p. f-ly, 2 ill.

Description

The utility model relates to the field of non-destructive testing of pipelines and is intended for use in the field of energy, industry and utilities for automated in-line ultrasonic (US) inspection of annular and longitudinal welded joints, and heat-affected zones in pipes with a diameter of 400 mm and without opening them.

The well-known "Method of ultrasonic inspection of a pipeline and a system for its implementation" (RF Patent No. 2629896, IPC G01N 29/04, priority date 09/29/2016, published: 09/04/2017), relating to ultrasonic non-destructive testing of extended metal products using a transport platform. When moving along the surface of the pipeline within a given area with the help of a diagnostic device, ultrasonic vibrations are excited, which in a selected time interval are received from the walls that have passed along the walls of the pipeline and are reflected from various discontinuities in the material of the walls. The presence and magnitude of defects in the walls of pipelines are judged by the distribution of a value whose values are equal to the maximum amplitudes of the total signals from different types of acoustic waves. The ultrasonic pipeline monitoring system contains three antenna arrays mounted on a transport platform on which all the main electronic devices of the system are located. The contact of each element of the antenna arrays with the diagnosed surface is through contact tips. To display the results of monitoring and transmitting commands to the diagnostic system, a computer is used that is connected to the computing unit of the system via cable or radio channel.

The disadvantage of this device is the use of dry point contact for the operation of sensors represented by antenna arrays. This method of exciting and receiving ultrasonic vibrations requires special preparation of the surface of the test object, which complicates the practical use of this method for diagnosing pipelines, increases the time required for testing, and can damage the protective coating of metal pipes.

It is known “Device for automated ultrasonic testing of welded joints” (RF Patent No. 177780, IPC G01N 29/04, priority date 11/21/2017, published: 03/12/2018). The device is a self-propelled installation containing a supporting frame, on which are fixed: a track sensor, an electronic unit, a suspension device for acoustic transducers with phased array antennas and single-element piezoelectric transducers, as well as a contact fluid supply unit. To excite ultrasonic waves on the pipe surface, the electronic unit generates electrical signals, excites vibrations in acoustic transducers, receives, amplifies and performs analog-to-digital conversion of signals received from acoustic transducers, saves for further processing and visualization of control results. The transmission of information of the diagnostic results occurs via a radio communication channel to an external personal computer for further processing. The suspension device provides the relative position of the acoustic transducers and their constant clamping to the surface of the control object.

The use of several acoustic transducers with phased array antennas and single-element piezoelectric transducers is a drawback in this case, since it significantly complicates and increases the cost of the device design, and also reduces its reliability. Also disadvantages include: the use of contact fluid, which requires preliminary preparation of the pipeline metal; the inability to obtain diagnostic data online.

Closest to the claimed utility model and selected as a prototype is the utility model "Automated installation of ultrasonic testing" (RF Patent No. 2629687, IPC G01N 29/07, priority date 06/10/2016, published: 08/31/2017), which is intended for trunk inspection pipelines. The installation comprises a moving unit, an acoustic unit, as well as an electronic unit fixed to a support beam, a power unit and contact liquid tanks. The movement unit includes a driving and driven magnetized wheel pair, a movement drive, a movement drive control unit, a track sensor rigidly bonded to the driven wheel pair. The acoustic unit includes phased array acoustic transducers, and the electronic unit consists of a central control unit, a pulse generation unit, an amplification and analog-to-digital signal conversion unit, a defect registration unit, and a signal processing unit.

One of the disadvantages of the prototype is the inability to conduct in-line ultrasonic testing of pipelines with a diameter of less than 530 mm, due to the large overall dimensions of the device design, due to the use of tanks with contact liquid. As noted earlier, the use of contact fluid requires preliminary preparation of the pipeline metal. Also, the lack of a gap between the phased arrays and the studied metal surface when using piezoelectric transducers makes it difficult to control the means of movement in the areas of piping and reduces the speed of diagnosis.

The task for which the utility model is intended is to increase the mobility of the device, increase the accuracy and speed of ultrasonic inspection of pipelines of large diameters, the possibility of ultrasonic testing in pipes without preliminary cleaning of the walls and reduced nominal diameters.

The problem is solved by achieving a technical result, which consists in simplifying the design, increasing the sensitivity and productivity of pipe control.

This technical result is achieved in that a robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines includes a delivery vehicle on which an electronic unit, cameras with illuminators, a sensor for ultrasonic diagnostics of the surface of the test object are installed, characterized in that the ultrasonic diagnostics sensor is a digital phased antenna the grating, made on electromagnetic-acoustic transducers, is equipped with a gap sensor, and a lift drive for ultrasonic diagnostics is installed on a robotic flaw detector.

The sensor for ultrasound diagnostics allows both exciting and receiving ultrasonic vibrations with the possibility of varying the angle of input of the ultrasonic wave from 0 to 90 degrees without changing the spatial position of the sensor.

The use of a phased antenna array as an ultrasonic diagnostic sensor, which is made on electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAP-FAR) and has a clearance sensor, and the use of the EMAT-FAR sensor lift drive as part of a robotic flaw detector allows eliminating contact liquid tanks, devices for regulating the supply of this fluid, which simplifies the design of the flaw detector. A significant reduction in the overall dimensions of the flaw detector is also provided, which allows pipes with smaller nominal diameters to pass through and facilitates the loading of the flaw detector through technological hatches (cuts) of the pipeline.

The use of the EMAP-FAR sensor with a clearance sensor and the use of the drive for lifting the EMAP-FAR sensor provide the determination and regulation of the gap between the EMAP-FAR sensor and the working surface. On the one hand, a decrease in the working gap in relatively smooth and even sections of the pipeline provides an increase in the received signals (amplitude, energy) of the reflected ultrasonic waves from the working surface, thereby increasing the sensitivity of diagnosis. On the other hand, an increase in the gap allows diagnosing on substantially uneven surfaces of the pipeline and areas of severe contamination, freely passing annular joints and places of piping, and also provides loading of the flaw detector without damaging the EMAP-FAR sensor, which increases the productivity of non-destructive testing of pipelines.

The essence of the proposed utility model is illustrated by drawings, where Fig. 1 shows the location of the main elements of a robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines, Fig. 2 shows a functional diagram of a robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines, showing the relationship between the elements that make up the flaw detector.

The proposed device (Fig. 1) is an automated delivery vehicle (DM) containing a sealed enclosure 1 in which an electronic unit 2, an autonomous power supply unit 3, a mechatronics and control unit 4, and a control unit 5. located far from the SD are located. The LEDs have an EMAT-FAR 6 sensor, front and rear television cameras with illuminators 7, 8 to provide visibility for controlling the movement of LEDs, and for monitoring the condition of the pipes, there is an overview camera 9 in conjunction with the EMAT-FAR 6 sensor.

The electronic unit 2 includes a signal processing and synthesis unit 10, a navigation unit 11, a wireless communication unit 12, the antenna 13 of which is placed behind a sealed enclosure 1. Unit 2 is designed to control all drives in a robotic flaw detector, receive information from all sensors, process it and transmission to the control unit 5. Node 3 contains a battery unit with a discharge controller, which is responsible for powering all nodes and elements. The assembly 4 includes a power module for supplying drives 14, a pickup drive of the EMAT-FAR 15 sensor, and a moving mechanism 16, which serves to ensure the movement of LEDs on the surface of pipes with wall thicknesses of 6 to 32 mm and a nominal diameter of 400 mm and consisting of 4 magnetic wheels, each of which has its own drive, incremental encoder and Hall sensor, which allows you to control the separation of the wheels from the surface of the control object. The drive for raising the EMAT-FAR 15 sensor is necessary to ensure the passage of the piping elements and loading the flaw detector through technological hatches (cuts) without damaging the sensor.

The EMAP-FAR 6 sensor is designed for ultrasonic inspection of ring and longitudinal joints inside the pipeline and heat affected zones, as well as for analysis of the base metal of pipes and structures of hazardous production facilities. The sensor 6 includes a phased antenna array with electromagnetic acoustic transducers for non-contact excitation and reception of ultrasonic waves in the monitoring object due to direct and reverse EMA conversion, a magnetic system, a pre-amplifier board, a substrate, and a gap sensor responsible for measuring the working gap between the surface of the sensor 6 and the surface of the control object (in the range from 0 to 3 mm). The control unit 5 is located at a distance of 550 m from the place of work and is intended for remote control of a robotic flaw detector and for diagnosing pipelines. The control unit 5 includes a laptop with special software, a control panel connected to the laptop via wired or wireless means of communication, which facilitates the diagnosis of the surface of the control object in automatic and manual mode. Also, the control unit 5 includes a power supply and communication unit with LED, which performs the function of communicating with a robotic flaw detector and charging the LED battery. Connecting to a laptop power supply and communication with the SD is via Ethernet.

Robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines works as follows. A flaw detector robot is placed in the pipeline through a manhole with an EMAT-FAR 6 sensor installed on board. The operator occupies a safe place within 550 m to receive diagnostic data. Using the software installed on the laptop and the control panel via wireless communication, the elevator drive of the EMAP-FAR sensor is controlled to change the gap between the sensor and the pipe surface, the LED is moved back and forth, and also a turn is made. The continuous visual control is ensured by the presence of cameras with illuminators 7 and 8, which transmit the image from the flaw detector to a laptop for adjusting control and preliminary visual assessment of the state of the pipeline. After the control surface area is selected, a working gap is set (up to 3 mm) for the operation of the EMAT-FAR 6 sensor and ultrasonic waves are introduced into the surface of the monitoring object at an angle from 0 to 90 degrees with time delays, as well as reception of reflected waves. Further, data from all sensors, including sensor 6, is sent to the signal processing and synthesis unit 10 for subsequent transmission through the wireless communication unit 12 to the control unit 5 for constructing an A-scan in online (real time) mode.

Thus, thanks to the use of the EMAT-FAR 6 sensor with a clearance sensor and the lift drive of the EMAT-FAR 15 sensor, a significant reduction in the mass and overall dimensions of the flaw detector is provided with an increase in sensitivity and an increase in the productivity of non-destructive testing of pipelines.

Claims (2)

1. A robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines, comprising a delivery device on which an electronic unit is mounted, a sensor for ultrasonic diagnostics of the surface of the test object, characterized in that the sensor for ultrasound diagnostics is made in the form of a digital phased antenna array on electromagnetic-acoustic transducers, it includes a gap sensor for determining the size of the working gap; an ultrasonic diagnostic sensor lift drive is installed on the robotic flaw detector to control the size of the working gap and load the flaw detector through technological hatches of the pipeline without damaging the ultrasonic diagnostic sensor. 2. A robotic flaw detector for non-destructive testing of pipelines according to claim 1, characterized in that the phased antenna array has a different design, consisting of 8, 16, 24, 32 elements of electromagnetic-acoustic transducers.

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