An intelligent "pig" tests pipelines around the world
| Pipelines are the most economical and safest means of transporting oil and gas over long distances. Ageing however, increases the danger of leaks or even ruptures. Until now, "intelligent pigs", applying ultrasound for testing, were only able to detect and identify defects such as dents, corrosion or metal loss - but no cracks. A new generation of on-line inspection tools provides the capability of crack detection with utmost precision. Pipetronix GmbH, an international pipeline service company, initiated a cooperation project with the Fraunhofer-Institut fur Zerstörungsfreie Prüfverfahren IZFP (Fraunhofer Institute for Non-Destructive Testing), the Technology Development Group TEG of the FhG and the Karlsruhe Research Center FZK. After very successful trials in Germany and Austria last autumn, this crack detection tool will now be put to work in oil and gas pipelines around the world. |  The tool detecting even the smallest cracks |
The tool surveys hundreds of kilometers of pipelines in a single run, detecting even the smallest cracks. Findings are stored in an on-board data memory. The data are subsequently evaluated for the integrity assessment of the pipeline. Reliable operation is guaranteed for harsh environments with high pressures, heavy vibrations and temperature fluctuations as in Alaska and Siberia at -40°C or the Gulf of Mexico at +60°C. Rudolf Neumann from the IZFP: "We met these demands through the choice of robust components and electronic circuits, the mechanical design and the sophisticated passive cooling of the electronics." The high-tech inspection tool has a length of more than eight metres. Two hermetically sealed pressure vessels are tightly packed with batteries, powerful computers and electronic systems. The sensor carrier, as its third section, houses up to 896 ultrasonic sensors and is designed for full circumferential coverage, constant alignment and stand-off. Polyurethane cups and disks guide the tool and provide the necessary drive. Design, development and manufacture amounted to a considerable investment for Pipetronix, of which DM 6 million was placed upon the IZFP and the TEG alone. The tool is already beginning to prove its worth. High-quality testing is not cheap - even for short lines the costs are equivalent to the price of an average automobile. Considering the cost savings associated with intelligent pipeline maintenance, however, it is an investment which is truly worthwhile.
For further information, please contact:
Dipl.-Ing. Rudolf Neumann
Tel.: +49 681/302-3890,
Fax: +49 681/33054
Fraunhofer-Institut für Zerstörungsfreie Prüfverfahren IZFP
Universität, Gebäude 37, D-66123 Saarbrücken
Homepage: http://mm.fhg.de/depts/izfp-e.html
email:
neumann@izfp.fhg.de