Apparatus and method for analyzing flaws in a tubular member
OwnerJames S. Medfordinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for x-ray inspection of a tubular member. The apparatus has a frame comprised of first and second axially spaced split side sections which can be positioned around the tubular member. There is a carousel rotatable mounted on the frame which, like the frame members, is made of split side members which can be positioned around the tubular member. There is an x-ray source and a flat panel x-ray detector mounted on the carousel at a desired circumferentially spaced distance from one another. A driver is mounted on the frame and operatively connected to the carousel to rotate the carousel relative to the frame.
Claims17
An apparatus for analyzing flaws in a tubular member, comprising:
- a frame having first and second axially spaced side sections, each of said first and second side sections having first and second segments, said frame being adapted to be positioned around a tubular member;
- and
- a carousel rotatably mounted on said frame and adapted to be positioned around said tubular member, said carousel having third and fourth axially spaced side sections, each of said third and fourth side sections having fifth and sixth segments, said frame and said carousel both being annular and concentric with one another;
- an x-ray source mounted on said carousel;
- a flat panel x-ray detector mounted on said carousel at a distance circumferentially spaced from said x-ray source;
- and
- a drive assembly mounted on said frame and operatively connected to said carousel to rotate said carousel relative to said frame.
A method of analyzing flaws in a tubular member having a wall with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, comprising:
- 1) positioning a frame around the outer wall of said tubular member, said frame including a rotatable carousel in surrounding relationship to said tubular member, said frame and said carousel both being annular and concentric with one another;
- 2) mounting an x-ray source on said carousel;
- 3) mounting a flat panel x-ray detector on said carousel at a distance circumferentially spaced from said x-ray source;
- 4) taking a first two dimensional x-ray image at a first position on said tubular member;
- 5) storing said first image in a database;
- 6) repeating steps 4) and 5) in successive intervals of carousel rotation over a predetermined arc of the outer wall of said tubular member to produce a multiplicity of two dimensional images, said arc being at least semi-circular;
- 7) merging said multiplicity of two dimensional images into a single two dimensional image stack;
- 8) converting said single two dimensional image stack into a three dimensional image;
- 9) analyzing said three dimensional image to isolate any flaw in said tubular member;
- and
- 10) computing the three dimensional characteristics of said flaw.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.