Method and sensor mount for measuring seam peaking in pipes by means of ultrasonic inspection

A method for measuring seam peaking in a pipe, more particularly in a pipeline, by means of ultrasonic measurement with the aid of ultrasonic probes mounted on sensor holders attached to a sensor mount, which is moved in a direction of transport through said pipe,

• wherein
• a sensor mount is used, on which the sensor holders are mounted on movable skids, which skids are pressed radially outward by means of spring elements so as to cause them to bear against the internal surface of said pipe, such that said sensor mount has a size reducibility and such that said sensors are at a fixed stand off from said internal surface of said pipe except for the region of a seam peak,
• skids are used that have a large skid breadth, which is greater than the seam peak breadth measured in the circumferential direction of the pipe in the region of a seam peak to be measured, and said sensor holders are equipped in each case with sensors only in a measuring region that is situated half way between two skid contact surfaces, wherein the breadth of the measuring region is smaller than, or equal to, half of the skid breadth, such that the stand off deviation of the sensors resulting in the region of a seam peak remains below a specified threshold value, and
• said sensor mount comprises at least three successive rings, which rings are disposed one behind the other as regarded in the direction of transport of said sensor mount and have sensors carried by sensor holders, wherein said sensors are disposed on the respective rings with a track distance and the sensors on the succeeding rings are in a gap-covering manner in staggered relationship to each other, thus achieving full coverage of the tracks over the circumference of said pipe.