RU2571159C2 - Method to automate method of visual measurement control of pipe surface and device for its realisation - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: measurement equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of diagnostics of oil and gas pipelines and is designed for automation of the method of visual and measurement control of pipe surface, with the purpose to detect safe operating pressure and to make a decision about the necessary type of pipe wall surface repair. The method and the device realising the proposed method consist in the fact that all pipe surface is scanned by laser sensors, which make it possible with high accuracy to measure the pipe surface profile and its geometric parameters. As a result of scanning, a mathematical 3D model of pipe surface is generated, which is saved in PC memory and is used for the process of decoding of geometric parameters of surface defects, their location on the pipe and determination of geometric parameters of the pipe. On the basis of decoding results, a strength calculation is performed to assess impact of detected defects at pipe operability, to determine safe operating pressure and to make a decision about the necessary type of pipe wall surface repair.

EFFECT: increased validity of results in detection of pipe defects.

2 cl, 8 dwg, 1 tbl

Description

The invention relates to the field of diagnostics of oil and gas pipelines (hereinafter pipelines) and is intended to automate the method of visual and measuring control of the surface of the pipes, in order to determine safe working pressure and decide on the necessary type of repair of the surface of the pipe wall.

This method and device (options) can be used both for overhaul of extended sections of the pipeline, and for technical diagnosis of pipes in the factory or field basic conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the industry regulatory documents of Gazprom, the following non-destructive testing methods are used for the technical diagnosis of pipelines:

- visual and measuring control (hereinafter referred to as VIC);

- radiographic control;

- ultrasonic testing;

- in-line flaw detection.

At the same time, today only VIC remains the only measuring control method, the results of which are used in strength calculations to assess the effect of detected defects on the pipe’s performance, determine the safe working pressure and decide on the necessary type of pipe wall surface repair.

In addition, VIC is one of the costly control methods, so in accordance with labor standards when performing VIC on the surface of pipes, parts and equipment with an area of 100 square dm. labor input is 0.24 people * h (Labor input standards for technical diagnostics of equipment of gas transmission and gas producing organizations. - M: TsNISGazprom, 2004, clause 3.2.18). The calculation of the complexity of the VIC surface of one linear meter of pipes of various diameters is presented in table 1.

Table 1 The complexity of the VIC surface of one linear meter of pipes of various diameters Outer diameter of pipes, mm The surface area of the pipe one running meter, sq.dm The complexity of the VIC 100 square dm pipe surface, people * h The complexity of the implementation of the VIC one linear meter of pipes, people * h 720 226.19 0.24 0.54 1020 320.43 0.24 0.77 1420 446.10 0.24 1,07

Moreover, in accordance with Price List No. 26-05-28 “Wholesale prices for overhaul, diagnostics and maintenance of equipment and facilities at Gazprom's facilities, Part V. Technological operations for technical diagnostics and non-destructive testing of equipment. - M .: OAO Gazprom, 2005, p.16) the wholesale price of VIC and rejection of parts with visible defects with an area of 1 sq. Dm is 3 rubles in 2005 prices. The calculation of the cost of the VIC surface of one linear meter of pipes of various diameters of the pipeline are presented in table 2.

table 2 The cost of the VIC surface of one linear meter of pipes of various diameters Outer diameter of pipes, mm The surface area of the pipe one running meter, sq.dm The cost of VIC 1 sq. Dm, rub. (in 2005 prices) The cost of VIC per linear meter of pipes, rub. (in 2005 prices) 720 226.19 3 678.6 1020 320.43 3 961.3 1420 446.10 3 1338.3

Thus, if you calculate the complexity and cost of VIC work on the surface of the pipes, then when diagnosing extended sections of the pipeline, the following costs are obtained, presented in figure 1 and figure 2, respectively.

In addition, the effectiveness of the VIC depends entirely on the qualifications of the specialist and his psychophysiological characteristics (the ability to perform monotonous work under various weather conditions), therefore, the human factor has a significant impact on the quality of the performed VIC.

Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus that can reduce costs when conducting VIC pipe surface and minimize the influence of the human factor on the effectiveness of the control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of automating the method of visual and measuring control of the surface of the pipes is that the entire surface of the pipes is scanned by laser sensors, which instantly can measure the surface profile of the pipes and its geometric parameters (pipe length, ovality, curvature) with high accuracy. As a result of scanning, a mathematical three-dimensional model of the pipe surface is formed, which is stored in the PC memory and is used for the process of deciphering the geometric parameters of surface defects, their location on the pipe and determining the geometric parameters of the pipe. Based on the results of decryption, a strength calculation is performed to assess the influence of the identified defects on the pipe's performance, determine the safe working pressure and decide on the necessary type of repair of the pipe wall surface.

The technical result of the claimed invention is to expand the capabilities of the method of visual and measuring control of the surface of the pipes, which allows to increase the performance of the control, increase the reliability of the results, automatically evaluate the danger of the detected defects and assign the necessary type of pipe repair.

The technical result (as a method) is achieved by the fact that in the automation method of the visual and measuring control of the pipe surface, a laser scan of the entire pipe surface is performed, which allows you to create a three-dimensional mathematical model of the pipe surface with high accuracy and determine its geometric parameters (length, diameter, ovality, curvature ), while the scan results are stored in a PC and are used to decrypt surface defects, as a result of which the geometric parameters are determined ametry defect, their location on the surface of the tube and the geometrical parameters of the pipeline, the results of decoding performed strength calculation to evaluate the effect of the detected defects on the performance of the pipe, determine a safe working pressure and deciding whether to repair a pipe wall surface.

The technical result (as a device) is achieved by the fact that the device for implementing the method of automation of the method of visual and measuring control of the surface of the pipes is an autonomous robotic complex equipped with moving means, while the device contains at least a rigid supporting body, interconnected laser surface scanning systems pipes, recording measurements, transferring data to a PC, deciphering the location of defects on the surface of pipes, their geometric parameters and geometrical parameters of the pipe, strength calculation to assess the effect of detected defects on the pipe’s performance, determine the safe working pressure and decide on the necessary type of repair of the pipe wall surface, at least one optical laser unit using the triangulation scanning principle, which contains two lenses and two matrices, while scanning the surface of the pipes is done by moving the laser unit relative to the pipe being examined or eduemoy tube relative to a laser block.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present invention, and therefore, they should not be construed as the only implementation of the proposed method, since the invention may allow other embodiments having equal efficiency.

Figure 3 schematically shows a laser surface scanning system, where:

1 - laser;

2 - lens;

3 - photomatrix;

4 - a laser beam;

5 - light line;

6 - scanned surface of the pipe.

Figure 4 and figure 5 schematically shows one embodiment of a device implementing the invention:

7 - measuring laser unit;

8 - the body of the device;

9 - mechanism for moving the device.

In this case, the ovality of the pipe section is determined by the formula

$$\theta =\frac{2(L\max -L\min )}{D-(L\max +L\min )}\cdot \mathrm{one\; hundred}\%$$

Where

Lmax is the maximum measured distance from the measuring laser unit to the surface of the pipe metal;

Lmin is the minimum measured distance from the measuring laser unit to the surface of the pipe metal;

D is the inner diameter of the device.

Figure 6 and figure 7 schematically shows the following of the variants of the device implementing the invention:

10 - guides with installed measuring units;

11 - pipe rotation mechanism.

In this case, the ovality of the pipe section is determined by the formula

$$\theta =\frac{2(\max (L\mathrm{one}+L2)-\min (L\mathrm{one}+L2))}{H-(\max (L\mathrm{one}+L2)+\min (L\mathrm{one}+L2))}\cdot \mathrm{one\; hundred}\%$$

Where

L1, L2 — distance from the measuring laser blocks on both sides to the surface of the pipe metal;

H is the distance between the measuring laser blocks.

Figure 8 schematically shows the architecture of the interaction of systems in the proposed device.

The method and device described above, comprising a single concept, meeting the requirements of novelty, non-obviousness and industrial applicability, are offered for legal protection by a patent for an invention.

Claims (2)

1. A method of automating the method of visual and measuring control of the surface of the pipes, which consists in the fact that as a result of moving the device to automate the method of visual and measuring control relative to the pipe being examined or the pipe being examined relative to the device, a laser scan of the entire pipe surface is performed, which allows the formation of a three-dimensional mathematical surface model high precision pipes and determine the geometric parameters of defects and their location on the surface of the pipe as well as geometric parameters of the pipe, such as length, diameter, ovality, curvature, characterized in that the surface of the pipe is scanned according to the principle of triangulation scanning and, as a result of the established geometric parameters of the defects and geometric parameters of the pipe, a strength calculation is performed to evaluate the effect of the detected defects on the performance pipes, determining safe working pressure and deciding on the necessary type of pipe wall surface repair. 2. A device for implementing a method of automation of the method of visual and measuring control of a pipe surface is an autonomous robotic complex equipped with moving means, comprising a rigid supporting body, an optical laser unit, characterized in that it contains interconnected systems for laser scanning of the pipe surface, recording measurements, and transmitting data on a PC, deciphering the location of defects on the surface of pipes, their geometric parameters and geometric parameters of the pipe, etc. a value calculation for assessing the effect of detected defects on pipe performance, determining safe working pressure and deciding on the required type of pipe surface repair, with at least one optical laser unit using the triangulation scanning principle, which contains two lenses and two matrices while scanning the surface of the pipes is carried out by moving the laser unit relative to the test tube or the test tube relative to the laser block but.

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