Combined Cleaning and Guided Wave Inspection System for Hazardous Liquid Pipelines

Pipeline operators employ cleaning tools for improving product throughput, inhibiting corrosion, and preparing their pipes for inline inspection. For many pipeline risk models, improving the scope and quality of input data is a long-term process. If the combined cost of pigging and inspecting was low and could be done simultaneously, pipeline operators would be encouraged to perform inspections more frequently and the frequent integrity data collected would improve their pipeline risk models. During Phase I, ULC Robotics evaluated the feasibility of developing a dual-purpose tool for inline inspection using guided wave EMAT and cleaning tools. During Phase II, ULC proposes to evolve the guided wave EMAT capabilities through further testing and evaluation. Design and optimization will be performed to increase the sensor liftoff from the wall which will enable inspection even in the presence of significant debris. Design and testing of the cleaning tools and action will be performed. The detailed design and fabrication of the dual-purpose tool will be performed including the development of EMAT supporting electronics, defect reporting automation software, and the operator data visualization software. Testing with real-world samples and in buried pipe will enable ULC to use the data collected to improve the dual-purpose tool’s reliability.