System and method for electropolishing nonuniform pipes
AssigneeTherma Corporation, Inc.
InventorThomas A. Lorincz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pipe electropolishing system (10, 10a) for in place polishing of a pipe (28) has provision for detecting the instant position of a cathode (14) within the pipe (28) such as cable marks (52) and cable mark sensor (50), an infrared camera (60), heat sensing crayon marks (64), thermisters (66), and capacitance sensors (68), used individually or in combination. According to the inventive in place electropolishing method (80) when it is determined that the cathode is in a nonuniform portion (70) of the pipe (28), then increased polishing action is provided as by increasing the voltage using a variable power supply (30a) and/or by slowing down the progress of the cathode (14) using a variable speed cable puller (18).
Claims12
An electropolishing apparatus for polishing the interior of a pipe having both nonuniform portions and uniform portions, the electropolishing apparatus comprising:
- an electrical element;
- a power supply for providing power to said electrical element;
- a puller for pulling said electrical element through the pipe;
- and
- a position detector for detecting the position of said electrical element;
- wherein
- polishing action in the nonuniform portions is increased as compared to the polishing action in the uniform portions by increasing the voltage supplied by said power supply to said electrical element, as compared to voltage supplied when said electrical element is in the uniform portions.
An electropolishing apparatus for polishing the interior of a pipe having both nonuniform portions and uniform portions, the electropolishing apparatus comprising:
- an electrical element;
- a power supply for providing power to said electrical element;
- a puller for pulling said electrical element through the pipe;
- and
- a position detector for detecting the position of said electrical element, said position detector including a heat detector for detecting heat created by said polishing action;
- wherein
- said position detector includes a heat sensing crayon mark, and polishing action in the nonuniform portions is increased as compared to the polishing action in the uniform portions.
An electropolishing apparatus for polishing the interior of a pipe having both nonuniform portions and uniform portions, the electropolishing apparatus comprising:
- an electrical element;
- a power supply for providing power to said electrical element;
- a puller for pulling said electrical element through the pipe;
- and
- a position detector for detecting the position of said electrical element;
- wherein
- said position detector includes a capacitance measuring device for measuring the capacitance in the pipe, and polishing action in the nonuniform portions is increased as compared to the polishing action in the uniform portions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.