Electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) for corrosion mapping
AssigneeQuest Integrated, LLC
InventorsPhillip D. Bondurant, Anthony Mactutis, Richard Lyle Dougherty
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Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting corrosion in pipes are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an apparatus for detecting corrosion in an object includes an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) having a ferromagnetic core and a plurality of permanent magnets arranged peripherally around the ferromagnetic core. The permanent magnets are arranged to produce a magnetic field through the ferromagnetic core. The apparatus also includes a coil between the ferromagnetic core and the object.
Claims27
An apparatus for detecting or measuring corrosion or erosion in an object, comprising:
- an electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) having:
- a ferromagnetic core;
- a plurality of permanent magnets arranged peripherally around the ferromagnetic core and configured to produce a magnetic field through the ferromagnetic core;
- and
- a coil configured between the ferromagnetic core and the object,
- wherein the current in the coil is generated by a series of voltage pulses, and wherein a leading voltage pulse or a trailing voltage pulse in the series are shorter than the pulses in the middle of the series, and
- wherein the current in the coil is about zero at an ending edge of the trailing voltage pulse.
A method for detecting or measuring corrosion or erosion in an object, comprising:
- generating a magnetic field through a ferromagnetic core by a plurality of permanent magnets arranged peripherally around the ferromagnetic core;
- generating a current in a coil configured between the ferromagnetic core and the object;
- generating transmitted ultrasound waves in the object;
- and
- detecting reflected ultrasound waves, wherein variations in the reflected ultrasound waves are caused by corrosion in the object,
- wherein the current in the coil is generated by a series of voltage pulses, and wherein a leading voltage pulse or a trailing voltage pulse in the series are shorter than the pulses in the middle of the series, and
- wherein the current in the coil is about zero at an ending edge of the trailing voltage pulse.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.