Tdw Delaware, Inc.

Ed Maynard

Roger L Poe

Philip M Maltby

Joseph Alan Morton

Blake Owen

An inline inspection tool of this disclosure includes at least one sensor arm () having a sensor head () located at its distal end (), the sensor head including an arched-shaped pipe contacting portion () between its forward and rearward ends (), the pipe contacting portion having a radius R and a width W; and at least one triaxial sensor element () having at least a portion located directly below the arched-shaped pipe contacting portion and having a width W, W&#x3c;W. During the tool's travel through a pipeline, contact of the sensor head with the pipe wall lies along a single line of travel substantially equal to the width W. Because of its shape, the sensor head better traces and maintains contact with the pipe wall to detect dents, wrinkles, weld intrusions, and other defects or anomalies in the pipe wall.

Single point contact triaxial sensor head for an inline inspection tool

A re-settable pipeline gauging tool () of this disclosure includes a cylindrical tool body () that includes a deformable portion () with a plurality of sensors () located near or on an external circumferential surface () of the deformable portion. A sealed unit () contains a corresponding signal source (). Pipeline gauging relies upon the compressibility and elasticity inherent in the deformable portion as it encounters anomalies in pipeline geometry and moves between a first size and a second size, the signal strength of the source detected by the sensors changing as a result. The sensors may be arrayed in a circumferential band () about the deformable portion or along its length. In some embodiments, the sensors and source are magnetic or acoustic (e.g., transceivers or radar integrated chips). In other embodiments, the sensors and source are light or fiber optic.

Re-settable pipeline gauging tool with deformable body

A method and system of high speed radio frequency communication between an outside of a metallic pipeline or vessel and an interior volume contained by the metallic pipeline or vessel includes passing a high speed radio frequency signal through a communication portal having a high speed radio frequency permittive material exposed to the interior volume of the metallic pipeline and to the outside. The high speed radio frequency signal may be transmitted from the interior volume to the outside or from the outside to the interior volume. The communication portal may be a cylindrical- or planar-shaped body connected to the metallic pipeline. A tool located within the interior volume may transmit, receive, or transmit and receive the high speed radio frequency signal. The high speed radio frequency signal may be configured according to a 2.45 GHz standard protocol.

Growing community of inventors

Holladay, UT, United States of America

Ed Maynard