Method and system for the continuous remote tracking of a pig device and detection of anomalies inside a pressurized pipeline

A system for the continuous remote monitoring of the position and advance speed of a pig device (10) inside a pipeline (12) suitable for transporting a pressurized fluid, wherein the pipeline (12) consists of a plurality of pipe sections joined to each other by welding, the system comprising:

• a plurality of measurement stations (14) equipped with vibroacoustic sensors discretely located along the pipeline (12), wherein each measurement station (14) registers the vibroacoustic signals due to hydraulic pressure transients, and/or to the vibrations generated by the pig device (10) moving in the contact/friction phases on the welding seams, and/or to other physical variations locally present in the multiple pipe sections of the pipeline (12);
• a centralized control unit (18), operatively connected to said plurality of measurement stations (14), said centralized control unit (18) being suitable for analyzing and processing the vibroacoustic signals registered by the measurement stations (14) to reveal, identify and reference the hydraulic/acoustic transients produced by the pig device (10) during contact/friction with the weldings and/or with other variations of the internal sections of the pipeline (12), and also for continuously calculating the linear position and advance speed of the pig device (10) in relation to the time lapse between the vibroacoustic signals registered by at least two measurement stations (14) installed along the pipeline (12).