RU2697007C1 - Device for in-pipe diagnostics of pipeline technical state - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: defectoscopy.

SUBSTANCE: use: for in-pipe diagnostics of field transport and main fluid pipelines pumping nonaggressive liquids, oil, oil products and gas. Summary of invention consists in the fact that device for in-pipe diagnostics of main pipelines, made with possibility of movement inside pipeline under pressure of pipeline transported fluid, includes split housing of spherical shape with placed inside it sensors of magnetic field, temperature, pressure and acoustic sensors, accelerometers and device for recording data, measured by sensors, further comprises a power supply and a clock frequency generator, wherein the acoustic emission sensors are configured to receive the emission signal in the audio and supersonic frequency regions, as magnetic field sensors there used are at least fourteen single-component constant magnetic field sensors uniformly and symmetrically located along the inner surface of the housing so that a high degree of mutual alignment thereof is provided.

EFFECT: technical result is higher accuracy and reliability of detection and assessment of defects, location and geometrical dimensions of defect.

6 cl, 3 dwg

Description

Application area.

The present invention relates to an in-tube indicator diagnostic device based on magnetic, acoustic methods and thermal fields. The proposed device is intended for in-line diagnosis of field transport and trunk liquid pipelines pumping non-aggressive liquids, oil, oil products and gas.

State of the art

In connection with the growth in the volume of construction and operation of pipelines of the oil and gas complex, the presence of a large number of production facilities that have exhausted their resources, issues of diagnosing their technical condition are becoming increasingly important.

However, commercially available equipment for the implementation of these methods does not provide for the detection of cracks and other damage to pipelines with the determination of their wear and residual thickness with minimal cost and accuracy and reliability sufficient for practical purposes. Therefore, the use of modern flaw gauges-thickness gauges, for the tasks of identifying defects in the metallurgical production of pipes, as well as systematic monitoring of their technical condition and monitoring of incipient damage at the stages of construction and operation of pipelines, is excessively expensive and, in some cases, too detailed.

There are various technical solutions in this area.

The most modern type of equipment for in-line flaw detection produced in the Russian Federation is the VIP detector (VID 219) (see link http://www.yamalpro.ru/20l4/12/18neftyaniki-izobretateli-v-noyabrskneftegaze-defektoskop-sobstvennogo -proizvodstva /). The VIP equipment has a number of design and operational limitations. In particular, bulky design, lack of accuracy in identifying and evaluating pipe walls, limitations in monitoring, etc.

Commercially available magneto-impulse flaw gauges-thickness gauges, for example, MI-5X (see the link http://gskneft.ru/services/9.html) provide measurements of the average thickness of steel pipes along the perimeter, but do not measure its residual thickness (minimum values in internal defects, in cracks and dents). These devices are unsuitable for flaw detection of linear pipelines and are not designed to solve a wide range of technological problems (through defects, longitudinal and transverse defects in the form of cracks, etc.).

The most modern induction flaw detectors have similar limitations: EMDS-TM-42, EMD-S, IDK-105.

In addition, existing devices of electromagnetic and magnetometric flaw detection are adapted to work on ferromagnetic steel pipes and do not provide the ability to identify technical characteristics of defects in welded joints and other defects in pipelines made of plastic materials.

Significant possibilities of in-line diagnostics are implemented in the technical solution according to the patent of the Russian Federation No. 2379674 "DEVICE FOR PIPELINE EXAMINATION AND DIAGNOSTICS"

The proposal relates to the field of flaw detection and diagnostics of oil and gas pipelines. The technical result is aimed at improving the efficiency of the device. A device for inspection and diagnostics of pipelines contains a supporting body made in the form of two spheres with an outer diameter less than the inner diameter of the pipeline, interconnected by a communication element, and a sensor of technological parameters of defects installed inside the spheres, a path length sensor, a power source, an electronic unit with a recorder measured parameters, a microprocessor for preprocessing sensor signals and controlling the operation of the device, and the communication element of the spheres is made in the form of elastic flexible connection with hollow axial endings passing through the centers of the spheres with the possibility of rotation of each of the spheres relative to each other and hollow axial endings of the elements of flexible communication. Moreover, the defect sensors are evenly spaced along the perimeter of the outer surface of the movable annular base having a displaced center of gravity and mounted coaxially inside the spheres of the bearing body in their diametrical plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the device at the hollow axial ends of the flexible coupling elements with the possibility of constant orientation in the direction of gravity .

Known technical solution can be used to detect defects and damage to various product pipelines, for example:

- lack of penetration of welds, longitudinal and transverse cracks, delaminations, shells and loss of metal pipes;

- Risk and scoring on their inner surface;

- dents, ovality and various inhomogeneities in the places of welding of pipe joints, protruding into the pipeline and reducing its bore;

- stress-corrosion and corrosion damage, etc.

The disadvantage of this device is the difficulty in sharp (up to 90 degrees) turns of the pipeline, stopping the device when changing the internal diameters of the pipelines and the need to use camera-start-up.

From foreign equipment for in-line diagnostics, Rosen equipment should be distinguished, as well as magneto-acoustic complexes using Smart Balls.

Known Smart Ball device (Pure Tecnologies). Published, for example, in Smart Ball: An Innovative Leak Detection Tecnology. Trixanna Wang, November 22, 2017. The device is placed in a polycarbonate ball. The device contains acoustic and temperature sensors and pressure and temperature sensors. The smart ball also contains a switching port, an electromagnetic emitter (transmitter), a rechargeable battery and a piezoelectric transducer.

Leakage of a product from a pipe under pressure generates a characteristic acoustic phenomenon that can be detected using permanently installed discrete sensors used as part of a ground survey or portable sensors. For arrays of discrete sensors, the relative signal magnitude or correlation methods can be used to determine the leak location.

These systems are limited by the fast attenuation of the signal as the distance from the leak increases. Therefore, a large number of sensors are required to cover a considerable pipe length.

It is known that a pipeline with a large defect and causing leakage will be detected by Smart Ball. However, the Smart Ball is not intended to distinguish between leaks caused by end-to-end defects and underlying defects. In addition, the most commonly used Smart Ball technology cannot detect long axial defects or small hole defects characteristic of microbial corrosion. Therefore, through leaks can be skipped.

The reliability of Smart Ball magnetic devices is highly dependent on the environment in which they are used. Nearby heavily loaded railways, heavy traffic, high voltage power lines, etc. can cause false positive readings.

Aerospace Monitoring and Technology CJSC (http://amt-rus.com/) together with Rosen Europe uses flaw detectors based on magnetic and ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods, navigation shells and flaw detectors with integrated technology of electromagnetic-acoustic (EMA) conversion.

Flaw detectors of AMT CJSC are designed to record defects in metal loss including areas of intense corrosion, ulcers, caverns, longitudinal and transverse cracks, defects in welds including spirals, edge displacement, sinks, undercuts, pipeline design features including crane units , tees, taps, protective covers, etc.

The elements of the integrated technology of electromagnetic-acoustic (EMA) conversion is the use of accelerometers - gyroscopes that record the movement of flaw detectors through the pipeline.

Work is carried out on sections of pipelines with diameters from 159 to 1420 mm, including those with steep bends 1.5 D, on sections with low working pressure (12-25 MPa), as well as on sections with unequal pipe fittings and uneven diameter. For example, 219/273 mm, 273/325, 325/377 ... 720-1020 mm.

The main disadvantage of flaw shells is the need to use cameras - start-up and preparation of technological sections of work, strong magnetization of sections of the pipeline, which prevents the monitoring of defects and routine welding.

Patent EA No. 11497 (IPC: F16L 55/40, G01M 3/24, G01N 27/82, publ. 04/28/2009, patent holder Pyur Technologies Ltd. (CA), priority application No. PCT \ CA2006 \ 000146 - Canada is known on the subject under discussion. ), which is selected as a prototype. In the well-known patent, it is proposed to use an anomaly detector for detecting defects in pipelines transporting liquids in order to detect defects, in particular corrosion zones, locations of destroyed welds and leak points through holes. According to the description, the invention has many options for implementation.

Closest to the proposed technical solution is a device for using a measuring unit capable of monitoring the technical condition of the pipeline without creating obstacles to the movement of the transported liquid. In this case, the technical condition of oil, mainly field pipelines, is checked. For verification, a device in the form of an “in-tube projectile” is used, which moves inside the pipeline due to the pressure of the transported liquid. At the same time, fluid leakage through the through holes and the condition of the welded joints are controlled. In the most suitable version of the prototype, it is proposed to use three magnetometers or three accelerometers mounted at right angles to each other, an acoustic sensor or a piezoelectric device, a temperature sensor and a sensor of the chemical composition of the transported liquid.

The disadvantages of the prototype are:

- uncertainty in the binding and characterization of non-through defects on the inner and outer walls of the pipeline, due to the rotation of the "in-tube projectile",

- the use of electromagnetic fields for communication and their pickup on the measuring circuit of magnetometers,

- delays in the advancement of the sensor in the pipeline when it is clogged and the lack of information about the place of clogging,

- difficulties in identifying defects, ranking them, highlighting the technological and operational features of pipelines,

- lack of universality, i.e. inability to conduct diagnostic tests on pipelines from both ferromagnetic steels and plastic non-magnetic materials,

- insufficient number of magnetic sensors and the associated difficulties in detecting defects, their identification and ranking.

Thus, at present, there are no universal, cheap, and accurate indicator devices for diagnosing and monitoring the technical condition of pipelines. The present invention aims to solve this technical problem, that is, to create a universal and cheap indicator device for diagnosing and monitoring the technical condition of field pipelines with a diameter of 89 mm or more based on magnetic and acoustic non-destructive testing methods using natural fields (Earth’s magnetic field, fields acoustic emission and thermal fields), with which it is possible to determine the location of defects. At the same time, it becomes possible to evaluate geometric parameters and rank according to the degree of danger of defects, evaluate structural repair features of the pipeline, including underground detection and evaluation of collapsing welds, as well as examine the walls of the pipeline during movement (run) by devices of magnetic and acoustic diagnostics with the flow of the pumped product (oil, gas, or water).

Moreover, the examination is carried out by the magnetic method, the method of recording acoustic emission and the method of fixing thermal fields.

The technical result is to increase the accuracy and reliability of the detection and assessment of the danger of defects, the location and geometric dimensions of the defect, including corrosion zones, the detection and recognition of anomalies of transverse welds, including collapsing welds, the detection and location of pipe fittings and fittings, repair structures of the pipeline, and it becomes possible to use the proposed device on ferromagnetic and plastic pipes.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that the device of in-line diagnostics of trunk pipelines, made with the possibility of moving inside the pipeline under pressure of the fluid transported through the pipeline and including a detachable spherical body with sensors of magnetic field, temperature, pressure and acoustic sensors, accelerometers and device located inside it recording data measured by sensors, further comprises a power source and a clock generator, while Acoustic emission sensors are configured to receive emission signals in the sound and supersonic frequency ranges; at least fourteen one-component constant magnetic field sensors uniformly and symmetrically located on the inner surface of the housing are used as magnetic field sensors so as to ensure a high degree of their mutual alignment .

Additional features of the device are:

- as single-component sensors of a constant magnetic field, flux-gate or magnetoresistive sensors are used,

- the design of the device is made to ensure the coincidence of the geometric and magnetic centers of symmetry, which ensures the rolling of the device in difficult sections of the pipeline,

- as a device for correcting uneven movement of the device and errors of the distance reference device, use a 3-axis electronic accelerometer-gyroscope.

- the data recording device contains a multi-channel analog-to-digital Converter, a microprocessor and an SD card.

The prototype uses one three-component sensor. When the sensor rolls in the pipeline with one magnetometric channel, a winding line is fixed, reflecting mainly the proximity of the sensor to the pipe wall. The probability of meeting the defect sensor is minimal. In addition, the anomaly from the defect may turn out to be commensurate with the anomaly from approaching the pipe wall.

In the present invention, a combination of one-component sensors is used that are uniformly located on the shell of a spherical device, while the probability of a defect meeting one of the sensors increases significantly (by almost an order of magnitude).

In addition, the sensors on the shell of the spherical device are arranged so that each sensor corresponds to another sensor symmetrically located relative to the geometric center of the device. The axes of the sensors pass through the center of symmetry. Using the values of the field components from the coaxial sensors, field gradients are obtained in the internal volume of the pipeline, which makes it possible to identify defects by gradient anomalies. These gradients, given the design of the spherical device, are independent of the distance of the sensors from the pipe wall. Defects can also be distinguished by the difference (difference or ratio) of the components of the magnetic field of the pipeline or the asymmetry of their amplitude values. In the case of a quasi-uniform arrangement of single-component magnetoresistive sensors of a constant magnetic field on the shell of a spherical device, you can get at least 14 uniaxial values of the components oriented to the center of the sphere, H ₁ , H ₂ , H ₃ , ... H ₁₂ , H ₁₃ , H ₁₄ .

At the same time, at least 7 approximate values of the gradients along the axes of the sensors can be obtained. Gradients are understood as the differences of the field components taking into account the sign and the distances between the components used (H ₁ -H ₂ ) / D, (H ₃ -H ₄ ) / D, (H ₅ -H ₆ ) / D ... (H ₁₁ -H ₁₂ ) / D, (H ₁₃ -H ₁₄ ) / D, where D is the outer diameter.

During processing, to clarify the position of the defects, the field component ratios are also calculated (Н ₁ / Н ₂ ), (Н ₃ / Н ₄ ), (H ₅ / H ₆ ) ... (Н ₁₁ / Н ₁₂ ), (Н ₁₃ / Н ₁₄ ) and the sums (H ₁ + H ₂ ) / D, (H ₃ + H ₄ ) / D, (H ₅ + H ₆ ) / D ... (H ₁₁ + H ₁₂ ) / D, (H _l3 + H ₁₄ ) /D.7

Using a sweep and drawing the magnetic induction contours, it is possible to obtain areas of contouring of contours associated with defects in the walls of the pipeline. Viewing the contour thickening graphs must be carried out through each meter of the distance traveled with an increase in detail to 10 cm.

In addition, using the accelerometer data and integrating the acceleration data d ² S / d ² T, one can obtain velocity data V = dS / dT and, if necessary, correct the distance traveled S, and, accordingly, the data of the magnetic field components.

Using gradients allows you to specify the location of the defect, because the location of the gradient does not depend on the material of the pipeline and little depends on the distance to the walls of the pipeline. As a result of processing, the obtained data is a “pure” defect anomaly.

Thus, the data obtained as a result of processing allow us to clarify the location of the defect and are a “pure” defect anomaly.

The main advantages of the proposed method and device are:

- the ability to ensure in-line flaw detection on short sections of field and transport pipelines in areas with a large number of turns and bends;

- the ability to provide work in sections of the pipeline that are not equipped with start-up and reception chambers;

- the possibility of using universal sensors adapted to work on both steel and plastic pipes;

- reducing the cost of in-line diagnostics by reducing the number of introscopes used, reducing the volume of preparatory operations and the number of staff;

- improving the accuracy and reliability of defect determination and assessment of their geometric parameters, determination of structural and repair features of pipelines, identification and assessment of collapsing transverse and longitudinal welds.

The invention is illustrated by the following figures:

FIG. 1, which shows an axonometric image of the spherical shell of the sensor node, where:

1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 — numbers of magnetic field sensors located on the outside of the sensor shell;

2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 - numbers of magnetic field sensors located on the back, i.e. the hidden side of the shell of the sensor node;

FIG. 2, which shows a scan of the position of the sensors on a conventional plane, where 1-7, 1-9, 4-5, 5-7, 5-9, etc. - connecting lines that show the cutting lines of the spherical shell into approximately equilateral triangles. In FIG. 2 also indicates bundles of one-component sensors, allowing to obtain field gradients (G), i.e. differences of components normalized by the distance between them in the direction of the bundle: G (1-2), G (2-3), G (3-4), G (5-6), G (7-8), G (9 -10), G (11-12), G (13-14). Bundles of one-component sensors, allowing to obtain field gradients, form a symmetrical design. The center of symmetry is the intersection point of all the ligaments. (see Fig. 1).

FIG. 3, which shows a structural diagram of a spherical indicator of an acoustic gradiometer-magnetometer, where:

15 - power source;

16 - clock generator;

17 - three-axis electronic accelerometer gyroscope

18 - flux-gate or magnetoresistive sensors of a constant magnetic field;

19 - multi-channel analog-to-digital Converter;

20 - microprocessor;

21 - micro SD card;

22 - acoustic sensors;

23 - temperature sensor;

24 - pressure sensor

25 - data recording device

The device for in-line diagnostics of the technical condition of pipelines is arranged to move inside the pipeline under pressure of the fluid transported through the pipeline, and includes a detachable body made of non-magnetic metal coated with porous polyurethane, spherical in shape, with magnetic field sensors 18 located inside it, temperature sensors 23 (highly sensitive low-inertia thermometers or thermal radiation sensors), acoustic emission sensors 22 (for example, ZET 601), accelerometer - g Iroscope 17, an autonomous power source 15 and a clock generator 16. As the sensors of the magnetic field 18, at least fourteen single-component flux-gate sensors or magnetoresistive constant magnetic fields uniformly located on the inner shell of the housing are used. As a distance reference device, a 3-axis electronic accelerometer-gyroscope (for example, MPU 6050) 17 is used, which allows linear accelerations to be determined with high accuracy, which are determined on the basis of electrical signals, as well as the rotation of the sensors in space as well as the orientation of the sensors.

The data recording device 25 (component of the magnetic field, rotation angles, acceleration tracks, time samples) contains a multi-channel ADC 19, a microprocessor 20 (for example, ATSAMD21G18) and an SD card 21.

Acoustic sensors provide reliable registration of acoustic emission waves in the maximum possible volume of pumped liquid surrounding the device in the widest frequency range, as well as provide reliable wave registration in the frequency range covering the main frequency intervals corresponding to the formation and growth of cracks and leak zones. The resonant frequencies of the acoustic emission sensor (for example, ZET 601) should be determined experimentally by the size of the crack and are generally in the band 60-500 kHz. In some cases, resonant frequencies can be distinguished by extrema at frequencies: 90 kHz, 140 kHz, 300 kHz, 450 kHz.

In addition, acoustic leakage sensors (e.g. GOK-A10 or Hydrolux HL 500 or HL 5000) provide reliable detection of fluid leaks through openings, causing turbulence and cavitation (collapse of air bubbles when pumping fluid) accompanied by sound waves.

The sensors used to detect leaks of the pumped product or sound waves created by turbulence and cavitation, as well as local thinning of the pipe walls, must have a resonant frequency in the range of 100 Hz-2.5 kHz .;

Thus, in the device in question, it is necessary to have at least two sensors spaced apart in frequency, namely, an acoustic emission sensor and a leakage sensor, the acoustic emission sensor being placed on the external case of the device. However, this ensures resistance to external aggressive factors (pressure, temperature, chemical aggressiveness of the environment).

Before the diagnosis, the controlled section of the pipeline is cleaned with polyurethane balls selected by diameter.

The pipeline is shut off in two inspection hatches or wells located above and below the controlled area.

Within the controlled area, the device is lowered into one of the inspection wells, and the receiving device (grid) is lowered into the other.

Inspection hatches open above and below the controlled area. The device is transported by a transporting liquid, is caught and rises to the surface using a receiving device.

The measurement module is turned on and the operation of closing and opening inspection hatches, lowering and raising the measurement module is performed.

In the process of moving the measuring module, the components and gradients of the magnetic field, rotation angles and acceleration paths, signals of abnormal acoustic emission and thermal or chemical anomalies are recorded on the SD card.

The measurement results are recorded in non-volatile memory and are used to assess the zones of thinning and corrosion, zones of defects along the length of the pipeline, assessing the location, technical condition of the welds and the diameters of the through holes.

The design of the proposed device provides the possibility of removal and subsequent installation of a non-volatile memory unit, power sources or their recharging without disassembling the entire medium.

At the end of the run, the run information recorded in the sensors' memory is copied using an external device (terminal) to external storage media for subsequent interpretation of the data obtained in order to assess the size and location of the defects, as well as the danger of their operation and assessment of the design features of the pipeline.

During processing, joint nonlinear filtering is performed and the trajectory of the measuring module is determined, on the basis of which the corrected gradients and components of the magnetic field are obtained, the location of sections of anomalous acoustic emission and zones of thermal or chemical anomalies is specified.

Further, on the basis of standard algorithms, the obtained records are processed, in particular, frequency filtering is performed (for example, fast Fourier transform or Foerster filters are used), correlation analysis is performed using the least squares method for selecting defect parameters. To confirm the correct conclusion about the nature of the defect, mathematical modeling is used.

The result of the interpretation are:

- detection and recognition of anomalies, welds transverse and longitudinal (if any), including welds in the fracture stage;

- detection and assessment of defects;

- assessment of the location and geometric dimensions of the defect, including corrosion zones;

- detection and location of pipeline repair structures.

The magnetometric system of the proposed device consists of 14 flux-gate or magnetoresistive (for example, magnetoresistive sensors TMR 2001) sensors with a bridge switching circuit connected to operational amplifiers and placed on the inner case of the proposed spherical device. 14 magnetic measuring channels form a single structural solution with sensors. The structure of the magnetic measuring channels also includes a multi-channel ADC and microprocessor included in the ATSAMD21G18 micro controller, and a micro SD card, as well as software for processing signals from 14 channels.

Before processing and interpreting the observations, the sensor system is calibrated, based on which the measured data are adjusted.

Defects are distinguished by the values of excesses of 3-sigma (standard deviation) of each component. According to the values of the maximum values of 2 or 3 components, defective transverse welds are distinguished. The given groups of 4 or 5 components have maximum values, are located on one straight line and allow identifying transverse defective welds.

Thus, when applying the proposed solution:

- it becomes possible to conduct in-line flaw detection on short sections of fishing and transport pipelines, on which installation of start-up chambers and preparatory operations are unprofitable;

- it becomes possible to abandon in-pipe flaw detectors with magnetization of the pipes to saturation, which allows for work in natural fields, this greatly simplifies monitoring of the technical condition of the pipeline in particularly dangerous sections at the intended time intervals, due to the forecast of the service life, and not the attenuation requirements of the induced magnetic fields.

- it becomes possible to refuse to install start-up cameras, this allows for a reduction in preparatory operations, which significantly reduces the cost of diagnostic work.

Claims (6)

1. A device for in-line diagnostics of trunk pipelines, made with the possibility of moving inside the pipeline under pressure of the fluid transported through the pipeline and comprising a spherical detachable body with magnetic field, temperature, pressure sensors and acoustic sensors placed inside it, accelerometers and a device for recording data measured by sensors, characterized in that it further comprises a power source, a clock generator, as acoustic sensors contains at least two acoustic emission sensors in the sound and supersonic frequency regions located on the outside of the device, while the acoustic emission sensors are configured to receive an emission signal in the sound and supersonic frequency ranges, at least fourteen one-component permanent magnetic sensors are used as magnetic field sensors fields uniformly and symmetrically located on the inner surface of the housing in such a way that a high degree of their mutual alignment is ensured. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that flux-gate or magnetoresistive sensors are used as one-component sensors of a constant magnetic field. 3. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that the design of the device is made to ensure the coincidence of the geometric and magnetic centers of symmetry, which allows for rolling the device in difficult sections of the pipeline. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a 3-axis electronic accelerometer — gyroscope — is used as a device for correcting the unevenness of the device’s movement and the error of the distance reading device. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the data recording device comprises a multi-channel analog-to-digital converter, a microprocessor, and an SD card. 6. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that one acoustic emission sensor has a resonant frequency in the range of 60-500 kHz, the other 100 Hz-2.5 kHz.

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