# US 12,181,418 B2 · System and method for in-situ probing of a conduit

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- Number: US 12,181,418 B2
- Document ID: US12181418B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/050,346
- Filed: 2022-10-27
- Published: 2024-05-02
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2022-10-27
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Saad Menahi Mutairi; Damian Pablo San Roman Alerigi; Sameeh Issa Batarseh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181418B2

## CPC

- F17D 3/10: for taking out the product in the line (sampling in general, examining the physical or chemical properties of materials G01N)
- G01N 21/85: Investigating moving fluids or granular solids
- F17D 3/01: for controlling, signalling, or supervising the conveyance of a product
- G01N 21/05: Flow-through cuvettes (G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10)
- G01N 21/55: Specular reflectivity
- G01N 2021/052: {Tubular type; cavity type; multireflective}
- G01N 2021/151: {Gas blown}
- G01N 2201/0227: Sealable enclosure
- F17D: PIPE-LINE SYSTEMS; PIPE-LINES (pumps or compressors F04; fluid dynamics F15D; valves or the like F16K; pipes, laying pipes, supports, joints, branches, repairing, work on the entire line, accessories F16L; steam traps or the like F16T; fluid-pressure electric cables H01B9/06)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A device for probing an interior of a tube includes an annular frame configured for engagement with a rotor or an orbital element mount. The annular frame presents a mounting surface. An annular buffer layer is positioned radially inward of and concentrically with the annular frame. A flexible annular sealing layer is joined with the annular buffer layer and positioned radially inward of and concentrically with the annular buffer layer. The sealing layer is configured to form a seal with the tube. A rotational layer is positioned between the annular frame and the buffer layer enabling rotation of the annular frame about the annular buffer layer. A process cartridge frame is mounted on the mounting surface and includes three or more process cartridge openings. Each of the cartridge openings is configured to receive a process cartridge. Each process cartridge is rotatively selectable via rotation of the annular frame.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A device for probing an interior of a tube, comprising:
an annular frame configured for engagement with a rotor or an orbital element mount, the annular frame presenting a mounting surface on a face of the annular frame;
an annular buffer layer positioned radially inward of and concentrically with the annular frame;
a flexible annular sealing layer joined with the annular buffer layer and positioned radially inward of and concentrically with the annular buffer layer,
wherein the flexible annular sealing layer is configured to form a seal with the tube;
a rotational layer positioned between the annular frame and the annular buffer layer enabling rotation of the annular frame about the annular buffer layer; and
a process cartridge frame mounted on the mounting surface and comprising three or more process cartridge openings,
wherein each of the three or more process cartridge openings is configured to receive a process cartridge,
wherein each process cartridge is rotatively selectable via rotation of the annular frame.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible annular sealing member comprises an expandable substrate forming a base of the flexible annular sealing layer,
wherein the base is joined with the annular buffer layer, and
wherein the expandable substrate is configured to be expanded to cause deformation of the flexible annular sealing layer against a surface of the tube.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising:
a first process cartridge corresponding to a piercing cartridge mounted in a first process cartridge opening of the three or more process cartridge openings;
a second process cartridge corresponding to a probing cartridge mounted in second process cartridge opening of the three or more process cartridge openings; and
a third process cartridge corresponding to a closing cartridge mounted in a third process cartridge opening of the three or more process cartridge openings.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein each of the first, second, and third process cartridges is operable independently of another of the first, second, and third process cartridges.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the piercing cartridge comprises a laser piercing tool configured to pierce the tube to produce a probing orifice,
wherein the probing cartridge is configured to introduce a probe into the tube via the probing orifice,
wherein the probe is configured to provide information related to an interior of the tube, and
wherein the closing cartridge is configured to close the probing orifice via a welding or a cladding process after removal of the probe.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, further comprising a gas supply and at least one nozzle configured to purge a working area between the tube and one or more of the first, second, and third process cartridges.

### Claim 7 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the piercing cartridge comprises:
a fluid fiber assembly configured to transmit a processing beam having a first frequency to an exterior surface of the tube,
wherein the fluid fiber assembly comprises a fluid reservoir, a fluid pump, a nozzle, and one or more pressure sensors; and
an optical monitoring system comprising:
a laser generator configured to generate a sensing beam having a second frequency different from the first frequency; and
one or more optical sensors configured to receive a reflection of the sensing beam via the fluid fiber assembly.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the probing cartridge comprises a retractable fiber optic probe.

### Claim 9 (depends on 3)

The device of claim 3, wherein the closing cartridge comprises:
a cap plunger configured to place a flexible cap at an interior portion of the tube; and
a fusing laser configured to fuse a material to an exterior of the tube and a portion of the flexible cap.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control one or more of:
rotation of the annular frame;
selection of a process cartridge; and
operation of the selected process cartridge.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible annular sealing layer comprises a material selected from among a high-temperature elastomer, a flexible thermoplastic, and a shape memory polymer, the material having a thermal expansion less than 0.01 mm/degree K and a thermal conductivity between 0.03 and 0.1 W/mK.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The device of claim 11, wherein the material comprises an anisotropic composite or plastic, the material being embedded with fiber reinforcement.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the rotation layer comprises one or more of a bearing set and a fluid joint.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer comprises a rigid material configured to isolate rotation of the annular frame from the flexible sealing layer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The device of claim 1, wherein the buffer layer comprises one or more fluid lines configured to carry a fluid to an output nozzle associated with a process cartridge opening.

### Claim 16

A method for tube inspection, comprising:
positioning, on a tube to be inspected, a multi-purpose orbital tool having at least three process cartridges mounted thereon, the three process cartridges being rotatively selectable;
providing a fluid to a first annular portion of the multi-purpose tool to cause expansion of the first annular portion to exert a force on a flexible annular portion of the multi-purpose tool,
wherein the flexible annular portion forms a seal with the tube upon receiving the exerted force;
rotating a frame of the multi-purpose tool about an axial axis of the tube such that a first cartridge of the at least three process cartridges is aligned with a processing location on the tube;
processing the tube using the first cartridge;
rotating the frame of the multi-purpose tool about the axial axis such that a second cartridge of the at least three process cartridges is aligned with the processing location without disturbing the seal; and
performing an inspection of an interior of the tube via the second cartridge.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein the processing using the first cartridge comprises:
injecting a second fluid into a space between the first cartridge and the tube; and
piercing the tube with a piercing laser beam, the piercing laser beam passing through the second fluid.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising:
rotating the frame of the multi-purpose tool about the axial axis such that a third cartridge of the at least three process cartridges is aligned with the processing location without disturbing the seal;
injecting a purge gas into the space to purge the space;
inserting a flexible cap into an interior of the tube at the processing location; and
applying material to the processing location and the flexible cap using a welding or cladding process of the third cartridge.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising, monitoring the piercing using a sensing laser beam having a frequency different than a frequency of the piercing laser beam.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the inspection comprises:
inserting a probe through a hole in the tube formed via the piercing;
receiving information characterizing an interior of the tube; and
retracting the probe from the hole.