A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.
B61L 23/04 - Dispositifs de commande, d'avertissement ou autres dispositifs de sécurité le long de la voie ou entre les véhicules ou les trains pour contrôler l'état mécanique de la voie
B61L 1/16 - Dispositifs pour compter les essieuxDispositifs pour compter les véhicules
A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, which can include for example a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in amplitude and/or phase angles. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals. At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.
B61L 23/04 - Dispositifs de commande, d'avertissement ou autres dispositifs de sécurité le long de la voie ou entre les véhicules ou les trains pour contrôler l'état mécanique de la voie
A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.
B61L 23/04 - Dispositifs de commande, d'avertissement ou autres dispositifs de sécurité le long de la voie ou entre les véhicules ou les trains pour contrôler l'état mécanique de la voie
B61L 25/02 - Indication ou enregistrement de la position ou de l'identité de véhicules ou de trains
G01N 27/02 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant l'impédance
A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.
B61L 23/04 - Dispositifs de commande, d'avertissement ou autres dispositifs de sécurité le long de la voie ou entre les véhicules ou les trains pour contrôler l'état mécanique de la voie
B61L 25/02 - Indication ou enregistrement de la position ou de l'identité de véhicules ou de trains
A method and apparatus to detect breaks in tracks and/or detect the presence of a vehicle, such as a train, in a monitored section of the track or rail. Embodiments of the present invention measure the change in track inductance associated with a track or rail break. Electrical shunts are connected between the rails at spaced-apart intervals (for example a shunt can be placed every mile). At least two different frequencies of alternating current are generated and fed into the segments of rail (for example at or near a mid-point between the shunts). If a rail break occurs, the total inductance of the rail at that segment will change. Using two or more frequencies allows a rail break to be differentiated from environmental rail-to-rail and rail-to-earth leakage.
B61L 23/04 - Dispositifs de commande, d'avertissement ou autres dispositifs de sécurité le long de la voie ou entre les véhicules ou les trains pour contrôler l'état mécanique de la voie
B61L 1/16 - Dispositifs pour compter les essieuxDispositifs pour compter les véhicules
An apparatus is provided for sensing anomalies in a long electrically conductive object to be inspected. The object may be a pipeline, or other hollow tube. The apparatus may have a magnetic field generator, and an array of sensors spaced about the field generator. As relative motion in the longitudinal direction occurs between the apparatus and the object to be inspected, the moving magnetic field, or flux, passed from the field generator into the object to be inspected may tend to cause eddy currents to flow in the object. The sensors may be spaced both axially and circumferentially to permit variation in magnetic flux, or eddy current divergence, to be sensed as a function of either or both of axial position relative to the wave front of the magnetic field (or, effectively equivalently any other known datum such as the radial plane of the midpoint of the field generator), and circumferential position about the periphery of the apparatus as measured from an angular datum. Post processing calculation may then tend to permit inferences to be drawn about the location, size, size, shape, and perhaps nature, of anomalies in the object. The sensors, and possibly the entire field generator, may be maintained at a standoff distance from the object to be inspected, as by a sealed housing such as may protect the sensors and reduce the need for and cost of maintenance. The field generator may include two primary poles of like nature held in a non-touching back to back orientation, and may include secondary magnetic circuits placed to bias the flux of the primary magnetic circuit into a more focussed shape with respect to the object to be inspected.
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
G01N 27/90 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault
An apparatus is provided for assessing the location of a drill bit underground. The apparatus includes an acoustic sound generator that is driven by the drilling mud supplied to the drill bit. The sound generator a characteristic string of pulses, which may be termed a signature or key. The key is repeated over and over. Monitors (i.e., sensors) at the surface listen for this key. The key is distorted by the inconstant angular velocity of the drill bit. Thus the observed data do not precisely match the key. On the basis of numerical algorithms, a digitally revised reference signal or key, is identified to map the known reference key onto the best fitting observed data. The correction factors are then applied to map the modified reference key onto the data observed at other sensors of an array of sensors mounted on the surface. By determining the phase shift and travel time of the signals at the various sensors, and having determined the speed of wave propagation in the geological media, the position of the bit, or a fairly close approximation thereof, may be obtained. The correction factors applied to the reference key may also tend to permit the actual rotational speed of the drill bit to be determined.
An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in electrically conductive materials by observing properties of the back-EMF of the eddy current field generated by driving magnetic flux through the object to be examined. The input signal may include sweeps at several frequencies, and may do so at one time under the principle of wave superposition. The sectorial observations of eddy currents summations may be compared to a known datum for a defect free material, the presence of anomalies in eddy field back EMF divergence tending to provide an indication of an irregularity in the underlying eddy field, and hence in the underlying material itself. The portable unit may have a number of different configurations depending on the nature of the object to be examined, be it a flat or large radius plate, a flange, a rail, or some other structural element.
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
An apparatus is provided for assessing the location of a drill bit underground. The apparatus includes an acoustic sound generator that is driven by the drilling mud supplied to the drill bit. The sound generator a characteristic string of pulses, which may be termed a signature or key. The key is repeated over and over. Monitors (i.e., sensors) at the surface listen for this key. The key is distorted by the inconstant angular velocity of the drill bit. Thus the observed data do not precisely match the key. On the basis of numerical algorithms, a digitally revised reference signal or key, is identified to map the known reference key onto the best fitting observed data. The correction factors are then applied to map the modified reference key onto the data observed at other sensors of an array of sensors mounted on the surface. By determining the phase shift and travel time of the signals at the various sensors, and having determined the speed of wave propagation in the geological media, the position of the bit, or a fairly close approximation thereof, may be obtained. The correction factors applied to the reference key may also tend to permit the actual rotational speed of the drill bit to be determined.
E21B 47/09 - Localisation ou détermination de la position d'objets dans les trous de forage ou dans les puitsIdentification des parties libres ou bloquées des tubes
E21B 47/01 - Dispositifs pour supporter des instruments de mesure sur des trépans, des tubes, des tiges ou des câbles de forageProtection des instruments de mesure dans les trous de forage contre la chaleur, les chocs, la pression ou similaire
An apparatus is provided for assessing the location of a drill bit underground. The apparatus includes an acoustic sound generator that is driven by the drilling mud supplied to the drill bit. The sound generator a characteristic string of pulses, which may be termed a signature or key. The key is repeated over and over. Monitors (i.e., sensors) at the surface listen for this key. The key is distorted by the inconstant angular velocity of the drill bit. Thus the observed data do not precisely match the key. On the basis of numerical algorithms, a digitally revised reference signal or key, is identified to map the known reference key onto the best fitting observed data. The correction factors are then applied to map the modified reference key onto the data observed at other sensors of an array of sensors mounted on the surface. By determining the phase shift and travel time of the signals at the various sensors, and having determined the speed of wave propagation in the geological media, the position of the bit, or a fairly close approximation thereof, may be obtained. The correction factors applied to the reference key may also tend to permit the actual rotational speed of the drill bit to be determined.
E21B 47/09 - Localisation ou détermination de la position d'objets dans les trous de forage ou dans les puitsIdentification des parties libres ou bloquées des tubes
E21B 47/01 - Dispositifs pour supporter des instruments de mesure sur des trépans, des tubes, des tiges ou des câbles de forageProtection des instruments de mesure dans les trous de forage contre la chaleur, les chocs, la pression ou similaire
09 - Appareils et instruments scientifiques et électriques
42 - Services scientifiques, technologiques et industriels, recherche et conception
Produits et services
(1) Industrial inspection technology using eddy current based technology, namely a non-contact handheld sensor designed for detecting and measuring faults and acquiring three dimensional data in conductive materials and transmitting the data by single or continuous measurement via a connection cable to a battery operated base unit designed to store, process and display the information containing fault type, size and location in the material being inspected on a LCD screen used for inspection of conductive materials used in oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes and mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(2) Modified eddy current based equipment using three dimensional acquisition technology used for transmitting single or continuous data from the non-contact handheld sensor for the inspection of conductive materials used from ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre transmitted from the base unit's memory to the corporation's servers via wired/wireless internet technology for review by the corporation's clients and their customers who are engaged in the process, building and manufacture of oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mining, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural building, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
(3) Modified eddy current technology application handheld sensor used for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials where the three dimensional data is digitized in the handheld sensor in real time during the inspection process allowing a review of defects or faults in the inspected material on connected base LCD screen in real time single or continuous transmission for review by the corporation and its clients and customers who are engaged in the process, building and manufacture of oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mining, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural building, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
(4) Modified eddy current technology application handheld sensor used for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials transmitted in single or continuous three dimensional data where no radioactive source is required and where coatings do not have to be removed or if not tightly bonded, namely: paint, grease or rust removal, sandblasting, grinding or polishing, removal of protective coatings including insulation, and/or removal of surrounding objects and material including high temperature fluids or steam. (1) Modified eddy current technology provided for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials namely: reading, collecting measuring, processing, transmitting by single or continuous measurement and recording three dimensional data which inspection process detects and illustrates faults in conductive materials that are made from ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre in market applications namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes, mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(2) Three dimensional digital inspection services of ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre surfaces which eliminates preparations of the pre-inspection conditions of the material, namely: paint, grease or rust removal, sandblasting, grinding or polishing, removal of protective coatings including insulation and/or removal of surrounding objects and material including high temperature fluids or steam in market applications, namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes, mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(3) Three dimensional digital inspection of ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre defects or faults in conductive materials simultaneously, namely: metal type, material thickness, metal loss including corrosion, porosity, voids, and inclusions, metal gain including excessive weld caps and excessive weld penetration, radial cracks, transverse cracks and undercut in welds in mark applications, namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural buildings, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
09 - Appareils et instruments scientifiques et électriques
42 - Services scientifiques, technologiques et industriels, recherche et conception
Produits et services
(1) Industrial inspection technology using eddy current based technology, namely a non-contact handheld sensor designed for detecting and measuring faults and acquiring three dimensional data in conductive materials and transmitting the data by single or continuous measurement via a connection cable to a battery operated base unit designed to store, process and display the information containing fault type, size and location in the material being inspected on a LCD screen used for inspection of conductive materials used in oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes and mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(2) Modified eddy current based equipment using three dimensional acquisition technology used for transmitting single or continuous data from the non-contact handheld sensor for the inspection of conductive materials used from ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre transmitted from the base unit's memory to the corporation's servers via wired/wireless internet technology for review by the corporation's clients and their customers who are engaged in the process, building and manufacture of oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mining, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural building, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
(3) Modified eddy current technology application handheld sensor used for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials where the three dimensional data is digitized in the handheld sensor in real time during the inspection process allowing a review of defects or faults in the inspected material on connected base LCD screen in real time single or continuous transmission for review by the corporation and its clients and customers who are engaged in the process, building and manufacture of oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mining, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural building, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
(4) Modified eddy current technology application handheld sensor used for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials transmitted in single or continuous three dimensional data where no radioactive source is required and where coatings do not have to be removed or if not tightly bonded, namely: paint, grease or rust removal, sandblasting, grinding or polishing, removal of protective coatings including insulation, and/or removal of surrounding objects and material including high temperature fluids or steam. (1) Modified eddy current technology provided for the non-contact inspection of conductive materials namely: reading, collecting measuring, processing, transmitting by single or continuous measurement and recording three dimensional data which inspection process detects and illustrates faults in conductive materials that are made from ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre in market applications namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes, mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(2) Three dimensional digital inspection services of ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre surfaces which eliminates preparations of the pre-inspection conditions of the material, namely: paint, grease or rust removal, sandblasting, grinding or polishing, removal of protective coatings including insulation and/or removal of surrounding objects and material including high temperature fluids or steam in market applications, namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transport companies, heavy equipment manufacturing plants, and teaching facilities, which facilities utilize and maintain equipment, namely: turbines and compressors, steel and pipe, insulated pipe, in-line pipeline, structural buildings, structural steel, pressure vessels, scuba tanks, heavy equipment rollover protection equipment, blow out protection pressure valves, pressure control equipment, high pressure iron, coil tubing, well casing, risers, beams, rods, drill pipe, heavy oil upgraders, barrels, boiler tubes, overhead cranes, mobile cranes, building cranes, shipping cranes, bridges, elevators, lifts, transportation containers, railway wheels, railway tracks, castings, utility poles, coil tubing, well casings, risers, wireline, and underground gas storage containers.
(3) Three dimensional digital inspection of ferrous, non-ferrous and carbon fibre defects or faults in conductive materials simultaneously, namely: metal type, material thickness, metal loss including corrosion, porosity, voids, and inclusions, metal gain including excessive weld caps and excessive weld penetration, radial cracks, transverse cracks and undercut in welds in mark applications, namely: oilfield equipment, gas and oil processing and manufacturing plants, petroleum plants, power generation plants, chemical plants, refineries, mines, sulphur plants, pulp and paper mills, distilleries, compressor stations, tar sands operations, aircraft carriers, structural buildings, food processing plants, ships, tanks, windmills, railways, transportation containers, storage containers, bridges, heavy equipment manufacturing and teaching facilities.
An apparatus is provided for sensing anomalies in a long electrically conductive object to be inspected. The object may be a pipeline, or other hollow tube. The apparatus may have a magnetic field generator, and an array of sensors spaced about the field generator. As relative motion in the longitudinal direction occurs between the apparatus and the object to be inspected, the moving magnetic field, or flux, passed from the field generator into the object to be inspected may tend to cause eddy currents to flow in the object. The sensors may be spaced both axially and circumferentially to permit variation in magnetic flux, or eddy current divergence, to be sensed as a function of either or both of axial position relative to the wave front of the magnetic field (or, effectively equivalently any other known datum such as the radial plane of the midpoint of the field generator), and circumferential position about the periphery of the apparatus as measured from an angular datum. Post processing calculation may then tend to permit inferences to be drawn about the location, size, size, shape, and perhaps nature, of anomalies in the object. The sensors, and possibly the entire field generator, may be maintained at a standoff distance from the object to be inspected, as by a sealed housing such as may protect the sensors and reduce the need for and cost of maintenance. The field generator may include two primary poles of like nature held in a non-touching back to back orientation, and may include secondary magnetic circuits placed to bias the flux of the primary magnetic circuit into a more focussed shape with respect to the object to be inspected.
F16L 55/26 - Hérissons ou chariots, c.-à-d. dispositifs pouvant se déplacer dans un tuyau ou dans une conduite et portant ou non un moyen de propulsion autonome
F17D 5/06 - Prévention, interception ou localisation des pertes utilisant des moyens électriques ou acoustiques
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
G01N 27/90 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault
An apparatus is provided for sensing anomalies in a long electrically conductive object to be inspected. The object may be a pipeline, or other hollow tube. The apparatus may have a magnetic field generator, and an array of sensors spaced about the field generator. As relative motion in the longitudinal direction occurs between the apparatus and the object to be inspected, the moving magnetic field, or flux, passed from the field generator into the object to be inspected may tend to cause eddy currents to flow in the object. The sensors may be spaced both axially and circumferentially to permit variation in magnetic flux, or eddy current divergence, to be sensed as a function of either or both of axial position relative to the wave front of the magnetic field (or, effectively equivalently any other known datum such as the radial plane of the midpoint of the field generator), and circumferential position about the periphery of the apparatus as measured from an angular datum. Post processing calculation may then tend to permit inferences to be drawn about the location, size, size, shape, and perhaps nature, of anomalies in the object. The sensors, and possibly the entire field generator, may be maintained at a standoff distance from the object to be inspected, as by a sealed housing such as may protect the sensors and reduce the need for and cost of maintenance. The field generator may include two primary poles of like nature held in a non-touching back to back orientation, and may include secondary magnetic circuits placed to bias the flux of the primary magnetic circuit into a more focussed shape with respect to the object to be inspected.
G01N 27/904 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault avec plusieurs capteurs
F16L 55/40 - Caractéristiques de structure du corps
F17D 5/00 - Protection ou surveillance des installations
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
An apparatus is provided for sensing anomalies in a long electrically conductive object to be inspected. The object may be a pipeline, or other hollow tube. The apparatus may have a magnetic field generator, and an array of sensors spaced about the field generator. As relative motion in the longitudinal direction occurs between the apparatus and the object to be inspected, the moving magnetic field, or flux, passed from the field generator into the object to be inspected may tend to cause eddy currents to flow in the object. The sensors may be spaced both axially and circumferentially to permit variation in magnetic flux, or eddy current divergence, to be sensed as a function of either or both of axial position relative to the wave front of the magnetic field (or, effectively equivalently any other known datum such as the radial plane of the midpoint of the field generator), and circumferential position about the periphery of the apparatus as measured from an angular datum. Post processing calculation may then tend to permit inferences to be drawn about the location, size, size, shape, and perhaps nature, of anomalies in the object. The sensors, and possibly the entire field generator, may be maintained at a standoff distance from the object to be inspected, as by a sealed housing such as may protect the sensors and reduce the need for and cost of maintenance. The field generator may include two primary poles of like nature held in a non-touching back to back orientation, and may include secondary magnetic circuits placed to bias the flux of the primary magnetic circuit into a more focussed shape with respect to the object to be inspected.
F16L 55/26 - Hérissons ou chariots, c.-à-d. dispositifs pouvant se déplacer dans un tuyau ou dans une conduite et portant ou non un moyen de propulsion autonome
G01N 27/9093 - Dispositions de support du capteurCombinaisons de capteurs de courants de Foucault et de dispositions auxiliaires pour le marquage ou l’envoi au rebut
F17D 5/00 - Protection ou surveillance des installations
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in electrically conductive materials by observing properties of the back-EMF of the eddy current field generated by driving magnetic flux through the object to be examined. The input signal may include sweeps at several frequencies, and may do so at one time under the principle of wave superposition. The sectorial observations of eddy currents summations may be compared to a known datum for a defect free material, the presence of anomalies in eddy field back EMF divergence tending to provide an indication of an irregularity in the underlying eddy field, and hence in the underlying material itself. The portable unit may have a number of different configurations depending on the nature of the object to be examined, be it a flat or large radius plate, a flange, a rail, or some other structural element.
G01N 27/90 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault
B61K 9/10 - Installations de mesure pour surveiller la voie pour détecter les fissures dans les rails ou dans leurs soudures
G01N 27/00 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques
An apparatus and method are disclosed for detecting flaws in electrically conductive materials by observing properties of the back-EMF of the eddy current field generated by driving magnetic flux through the object to be examined. The input signal may include sweeps at several frequencies, and may do so at one time under the principle of wave superposition. The sectorial observations of eddy currents summations may be compared to a known datum for a defect free material, the presence of anomalies in eddy field back EMF divergence tending to provide an indication of an irregularity in the underlying eddy field, and hence in the underlying material itself. The portable unit may have a number of different configurations depending on the nature of the object to be examined, be it a flat or large radius plate, a flange, a rail, or some other structural element.
G01N 27/90 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault
G01N 27/904 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques en utilisant les courants de Foucault avec plusieurs capteurs
G01N 27/9093 - Dispositions de support du capteurCombinaisons de capteurs de courants de Foucault et de dispositions auxiliaires pour le marquage ou l’envoi au rebut
G01N 27/82 - Recherche ou analyse des matériaux par l'emploi de moyens électriques, électrochimiques ou magnétiques en recherchant des variables magnétiques pour rechercher la présence des criques
