Methods for Detecting Pipeline Weakening
AssigneeUniversity of Saskatchewan
InventorsTravis Kent Wiens, Jeremy William ven der Buhs
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of detecting pipeline weakening are described herein. The methods include creating a pressure wave in a fluid flowing in a pipeline using an input transducer located at a first position along the pipeline; measuring the pressure wave using an output transducer positioned at a second position along the pipeline that is spaced from the first position, and generating an output signal based on the pressure wave; analyzing the output signal to determine a stiffness of a sidewall of the pipeline positioned between the input transducer and output transducer; and determining if the sidewall includes a defect based on the stiffness of the sidewall, including analyzing a frequency response of the output signal to detect the defect.
Claims9
A method of detecting pipeline weakening, the method comprising:
- a) creating a pressure wave in a fluid flowing in a pipeline using an input transducer located at a first position along the pipeline;
- b) measuring the pressure wave using an output transducer positioned at a second position along the pipeline that is spaced from the first position, and generating an output signal based on the pressure wave;
- c) analyzing the output signal to determine a stiffness of a sidewall of the pipeline positioned between the input transducer and output transducer;
- and
- d) determining if the sidewall includes a defect based on the stiffness of the sidewall.
- wherein step d) comprises analyzing a frequency response of the output signal to detect the defect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.