RU152675U1 - DEVICE FOR INSPECTION OF A PIPE FROM THE INTERNAL SIDE - Google Patents

Abstract

1. The device intended for the inspection of the pipeline filled with water, on the inside, characterized in that it contains: umbilical cord connecting the main unit with an auxiliary installation located outside the pipeline, to supply power to the device and transfer data from the device to the auxiliary installation ; at least one ultrasonic transducer designed to emit broadband ultrasonic radiation and to record resonant signals from the pipe wall; a power unit that receives power through the specified umbilical cable and is configured to move the main unit through the pipeline; a plurality of wheels mounted to support the inner surface of the pipeline wall; this device can withstand immersion in water with a temperature of at least 80 ° C. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises means for non-visual tracking of the position, configured to determine the location of the device in the pipeline. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that said means of non-visual position tracking comprises an acoustic transceiver mounted on the device. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises means for determining tension in said umbilical. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises a camera.

Description

The technical field to which the utility model relates.

This utility model relates to a device for inspecting pipes from the inside, in particular water pipes, more specifically central heating pipes.

State of the art

As a rule, there is a need for periodic inspection of the inside of water pipes, for example, to control the wall thickness, the geometric shape of the inner surface and the presence of corrosion.

As is known, ultrasonic measurements are used to conduct pipeline surveys. These measurements are based on the emission of an ultrasonic pulse and the measurement of the delay time of reflections from the inner and outer surface of the pipe wall. Knowing the propagation speed of a sound wave in water and in a pipe material, one can use the delay time to calculate the distance to the pipe wall and the wall thickness. However, this approach requires high-frequency ultrasonic pulses. Such pulses are significantly attenuated and / or scattered by sediment and corrosion products formed in the pipe, the coating of the inner wall of the pipe and uneven surfaces.

US Pat. No. 3,810,384 discloses a device specifically designed for inspection of pipelines using ultrasonic transducers.

Utility Model Disclosure

The utility model provides a device for examining a pipeline filled with water from the inside and characterized in that it contains:

umbilical connecting the main unit with an auxiliary installation located outside the pipeline to supply power to the device and transfer data from the device to the auxiliary installation;

at least one ultrasonic transducer intended for emission of broadband ultrasonic radiation and for recording resonant signals from the pipe wall;

a motor unit receiving power through the specified umbilical and configured to move the main unit through the pipeline;

many wheels mounted with the possibility of support on the inner surface of the pipeline wall; and

while the specified device withstands immersion in water with a temperature of at least 80 ° C.

The utility model provides a device that is intended for use in central heating pipes. Thus, the present utility model provides a device specifically designed to be inserted into a pipeline filled with water, for examining it using the acoustic resonance method. This makes it possible to examine the wall thickness and topography of the interior of the pipeline, as well as inspect the pipeline for corrosion without the use of high-frequency ultrasonic pulses.

During normal operation, the water inside the central heating pipes has a temperature exceeding 100 ° C. During maintenance (when the specified device is used), the temperature at the access point drops to about 40 ° C, however, significant changes can take place along the pipeline. Therefore, all components that come into contact with water must withstand temperatures up to 80 ° C. This is especially important for electronic components.

In the pipelines used to transport drinking water, the location and speed of the device can be controlled in two ways: by measuring the length of the cable supplied to the pipeline, and by studying the video images coming from the on-board cameras. However, the water in the central heating pipelines is so dirty that it is not possible to see the wall of the pipe using the on-board chamber. Using the cable length alone is not sufficient to monitor the movement of the device — if the device gets stuck while moving, the cable can continue to flow into the pipeline. Moreover, in accordance with some embodiments of the utility model, the device comprises a new device for non-visual position tracking. In one possible embodiment, the position tracking device comprises an acoustic transceiver mounted on the device. It can interact with an acoustic transmitter (“acoustic emitter”) mounted on the cover of the pipeline access hatch. An acoustic emitter can emit a coded acoustic signal, and when it is received by a transceiver mounted on the device, it emits a similar coded pulse, which, in turn, receives an acoustic emitter. Using the doubled delay time of the acoustic pulse, you can calculate the distance to the device from the manhole cover.

In another possible group of embodiments, means are provided for determining the umbilical tension. This makes the above simple method of using cable length for distance measurement more reliable, since it allows you to determine the jam of the device.

In addition, in accordance with the utility model, a motor block is provided that receives power via a umbilical. The applicant has found that the traditional approach using a water stream to move the device is unsuitable in central heating pipes.

The device according to the utility model allows the inspection of pipes using acoustic resonance technology (Acoustic Resonance Technology, ART). Measurements in accordance with ART are carried out using broadband pulses in the relatively low frequency range. These pulses are used to excite acoustic modes or resonances in the pipe wall. Such modes are formed at certain frequencies when the thickness of the pipe material corresponds to an integer number of half-waves (called "half-wave resonance"). The ultrasound transducers installed on the device record resonant signals from the pipe wall, which are then analyzed in a specific frequency range to determine the resonant frequencies and calculate the pipe wall thickness. The low frequency range makes ART less sensitive than traditional ultrasonic measurements to sediment, coating the inner wall, etc.

Brief Description of the Drawing

An embodiment of a utility model is disclosed solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, where in FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a pipeline inspection system comprising a device according to a utility model.

Utility Model Implementation

In FIG. 1 shows a system used for ultrasonic measurement of wall thickness, as well as for monitoring the geometric shape of the inner surface and the presence of corrosion in pipes filled with water. The sensors used for measurement are mounted on a device that is inserted into the pipe.

The inspection is controlled from a mobile laboratory based on a car (1), which is also used to transport all the necessary equipment. The vehicle has a hardware room (2), which is equipped with computers and is used to control a control device, process data transmitted by the device, and view video from cameras (13) installed on the device.

The mobile laboratory and the device are connected using the umbilical (7), which is used to supply power and transmit communication signals. In a mobile laboratory, a cable is wound around a cable drum with a winch (3). The cable passes from the cable drum to the wheel mounted on a tripod (4), through a special input pipe (6) with a cable feed mechanism on the cover (5) and then to the rear centering mechanism (8) on the control device. The rear and front centering mechanisms (8 and 11) are located at the respective ends of the main unit of the device and use spring levers with wheels mounted on the ends to maintain centering of the device in the pipeline.

Two modules are located between the centering mechanisms: an electronic module containing all the electronic devices necessary for control, communication and ultrasonic measurements, and a transducer module (10) in which ultrasonic transducers are installed.

The motor unit (12) is mechanically and electrically connected to the front centering mechanism (11). Block (12) contains one or more engines with propellers, which are used to enter the device into the pipe before the inspection. In addition, chambers (13) are mounted on the front centering mechanism (11) and on the motor block (12). They are used to monitor the movement of the device through the pipeline.

In use, the device is first introduced into the pipeline by means of a motor block (12). When the device reaches the end of the section of the pipeline to be examined, the centering mechanisms (8, 11) at both ends of the device are deployed to maintain centering of the device in the pipe. Then the device moves the umbilical back towards the point of entry, while ultrasonic transducers are used to continuously examine the pipe wall.

This examination contains radiation from broadband low-frequency ultrasonic signals and the use of transducers to record resonant signals from the pipe wall. The received signals are analyzed in the equipment room (2) in order to determine the geometric shape of the inner surface and the thickness of the pipe, as well as the identification of corrosion sites.

The location of the device in the pipe is determined using an acoustic emitter (not shown) mounted on the cover (6) of the access hatch and transmitting encoded acoustic signals, and a corresponding transceiver (also not shown) installed on the device and responding to the reception of acoustic signals by supplying its own encoded signal received by the acoustic emitter. Considering that the speed of sound propagation in water is known, the signal return time can be used to calculate the distance traveled by the device from the entrance hatch cover. The result can be checked by measuring the length of the unwound cable (7). In another embodiment (not shown), the length of the unwound cable is used to determine the distance traveled by the device, and the force sensor is used to detect jamming of the device by cable tension.

Claims (5)

1. The device intended for the inspection of the pipeline filled with water, on the inside, characterized in that it contains: umbilical connecting the main unit with an auxiliary installation located outside the pipeline to supply power to the device and transfer data from the device to the auxiliary installation; at least one ultrasonic transducer intended for emission of broadband ultrasonic radiation and for recording resonant signals from the pipe wall; a motor unit receiving power through the specified umbilical and configured to move the main unit through the pipeline; many wheels mounted with the possibility of support on the inner surface of the pipeline wall; while the specified device withstands immersion in water with a temperature of at least 80 ° C. 2. The device according to p. 1, characterized in that said device comprises means for non-visual position tracking, configured to determine the location of the device in the pipeline. 3. The device according to p. 2, characterized in that the said means of non-visual position tracking contains an acoustic transceiver mounted on the device. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises means for determining tension in said umbilical. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises a camera.

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