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US 12,379,075 B2Granted
Real time integrity monitoring of on-shore pipes
AssigneeFlexSteel USA, LLC
InventorsAndrew David Ethridge, Alexander Lee Winn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes providing a length of pipeline that has a housing defining a central bore extending the length of the pipe and a space formed within the housing and extending the length of the pipe. At least one condition within the space is continuously monitored within the space to detect in real time if a change in the housing occurs.
Claims20
A pipeline system, comprising:
- a pipe segment, wherein the pipe segment comprises:
- an inner layer formed to define a pipe bore;
- an outer layer formed around the inner layer;
- and
- one or more intermediate layers formed between the inner layer and the outer layer to define open space that extends within an annulus of the pipe segment;
- a pressure transducer configured to monitor fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment to facilitate detecting a real time condition of the pipe segment;
- and
- a computing device communicatively coupled to the pressure transducer, wherein:
- the pressure transducer is configured to generate a signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment;
- and
- the computing device is configured to determine whether a breach is present in the inner layer or the outer layer of the pipe segment based at least in part on the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment.
8 more elements
A pipeline monitoring method, comprising:
- filling with fluid open space that is defined in an annulus of a pipe segment by one or more intermediate layers of the pipe segment that are formed between an inner layer and an outer layer of the pipe segment, wherein the inner layer of the pipe segment defines a pipe bore;
- monitoring, using a pressure transducer, fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment to enable a condition of the pipe segment to be detected in real time;
- and
- detecting, using a computing device communicatively coupled to the pressure transducer, the condition of the pipe segment, wherein:
- monitoring the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment comprises generating, using the pressure transducer, a signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment;
- and
- detecting the condition of the pipe segment comprises detecting the condition of the pipe segment based at least in part on the signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment at least in part by detecting a breach in the inner layer or the outer layer of the pipe segment in response to detecting that the signal is indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment changing by more than a threshold amount.
4 more elements
A pipeline monitoring system, comprising:
- a fluid source configured to supply fluid to open space defined within an annulus of a pipe segment by one or more intermediate layer of the pipe segment that are formed between an inner layer and an outer layer of the pipe segment;
- a pressure transducer configured to monitor fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment to facilitate detecting a condition of the pipe segment in real time;
- and
- a computing device communicatively coupled to the pressure transducer, wherein:
- the pressure transducer is configured to generate a signal indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment;
- and
- the computing device is configured to detect that a breach is present in the inner layer or the outer layer of the pipe segment when the signal is indicative of the fluid pressure within the open space defined in the annulus of the pipe segment changing by more than a threshold amount.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.