PIPELINE INSPECTION
The present application provides for examining a pipeline, such as a hydrocarbon pipeline. It finds particular application with the examination of pipelines located in harsh environments. An external facility, such as a remote station and/or a central station, transmits topography data to a data taking head configured to examine the pipeline. Based upon the topography data, one or more data taking heads examine the pipeline and generate pipeline data and/or position data, which may be used to identify one or more characteristics of the pipeline. This data may be transferred to a remote station, such as a truck, which may analyze the data to determine where to perform maintenance on the pipeline, for example. A human operator may observe the data taking heads from the remote station and respond to problems encountered by the data taking head.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/192,573 filed Sep.19, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. PCT application PCT/US09/37085 filed Mar. 13, 2009 is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUNDThe present application relates to the examination of pipelines or other fluid transport vessels (e.g., a column, heat exchanger silo, etc.). It finds particular application with inspections of above-ground hydrocarbon pipelines. It also relates to other applications where data from a movable scanner may be used to provide information about the structure and/or dynamics of an object being scanned.
Inspections of pipelines are common to detect defects, obstructions, and flaws in the manufacturing process that may affect the flow of a fluid. Additionally, over time pipelines may endure abrasion, corrosion, etc. that may lead to structural fatigue, divots, or cracks that cause the pipeline to leak or otherwise affect performance. Leakage of a fluid may lead to substantial monetary cost and production delays for an entity responsible for the pipeline, so it is desirable for pipelines to be regularly inspected to identify cracks, wall thinning, etc. before a leak occurs.
Unfortunately, in some applications, the inspection process is time consuming because of the number of pipelines and/or the length of the pipelines. For example, pipelines that deliver oil or other hydrocarbons from an extraction platform to a shipping dock may be hundreds or thousands of miles long. Additionally, multiple pipelines may run in parallel, and each of the parallel pipelines may undergo inspection. Therefore, depending upon the speed of the examination, the inspection process may take months if not years to complete.
The locations of some pipelines also complicate the inspection process. Some pipelines, particularly hydrocarbon pipelines, are in areas with harsh environments that make inspection difficult. For example, some oil and natural gas pipelines in Alaska are not inspected in the summer months because the ground it too soft. Therefore, pipeline inspections are conducted during the winter months when the temperature can drop to below negative forty degrees and the day consists of one hour of sunlight. In such environments, it is difficult to inspect pipelines, particularly if humans play a significant role in the inspection process (e.g., by guiding a data taking head).
One type of inspection apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,854 to Gupta. Gupta describes an inspection carriage, or data taking head, which is configured to be moveably mounted to a pipeline. As it moves along the pipeline, it uses radiation to examine the pipeline and generate pipeline data. The pipeline data is then transmitted to a computer that employs logic to compute the wall thickness of the pipeline, which is displayed on a monitor in real-time as the data taking head continues the examination. If the wall thickness falls below a predetermined value, a warning system in the computer may be triggered.
To maneuver the data taking head an operator may use a remote control to activate a drive system in the carriage and/or to alternate the speed of the carriage. In addition, the operator can alter the rate of data collection to improve or reduce the degree of resolution.
While the inspection apparatus describe in Gupta has proven useful in some applications, it is less useful in other applications because of the degree of human involvement used to operate the data taking head. For example, in areas where pipeline inspections are done in virtual darkness, such as in Alaska, it is difficult for humans to navigate the data taking head along the pipeline, even with artificial lighting. Additionally, the operator must be in close spatial proximity to the data taking head to oversee the operation. However, the operator cannot get too close because of the possibility of radiation exposure from the radiation source in the data taking head. Therefore, the operator's ability to visually monitor the progress and operate the data taking head is impaired. Situations such as these increase the chances of human error. Human error in the navigation can hamper progress during the inspection and/or can cause serious damage to the data taking head if, for example, the data taking head were to hit a pipeline support.
SUMMARYAspects of the present application address the above matters, and others. According to one aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a data taking head configured to examine a pipeline and generate pipeline data indicative of a characteristic of the pipeline in response thereto. The apparatus also comprises a central station configured to receive pipeline data and provide topography data from which one or more operating commands for the data taking head are derived.
According to another aspect, an apparatus for communication with a data taking head is provided. The apparatus comprises a transceiver for two way communication with at least one data taking head, and an analyzer configured to analyze pipeline data received from the at least one data taking head. The apparatus also comprises a controller configured to generate instructions for the at least one data taking head regarding at least one of how to examine the pipeline and how to traverse a pipeline.
According to yet another aspect, a data taking head is provided. The data taking head comprises a pipeline inspection component configured to inspect a pipeline and generate pipeline data in response thereto, and a position determiner configured to generate position data indicative of a location of the data taking head. The data taking head also comprises a transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the pipeline data and the position data to an external data handling facility and to receive topography data from the external data handling facility. The data taking head further comprises a controller configured to control movement of the data taking head based upon the received topography data.
According to yet another aspect, a method for collecting data is provided. The method comprises receiving topography from a remote station, examining a pipeline based upon the received topography data, and generating pipeline data based upon the examination. The method also comprises generating position data identifying a location on the pipeline that is under examination, and combining the pipeline data with the position data to generate analyzed pipeline data.
According to another aspect, a data taking head is provided. The data taking head comprises a pipeline inspection component configured to inspect a pipeline and generate pipeline data in response thereto, and a position determiner configured to generate position data indicative of a location of the data taking head. The data taking head may also comprise a topography sensing component configured to generate sensor data indicative of a topography of the pipeline, and a transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the pipeline data and the position data to an external data handling facility. The data taking head may further comprise a controller configured to control movement of the data taking head based upon the sensor data.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate still other aspects of the present application upon reading and understanding the appended description.
The application is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
The example apparatus 100 comprises one or more data taking heads 102 configured to be selectively coupled, or mounted, to a respective pipeline 104. In some applications, such as where pipelines run in parallel and/or are in close spatial proximity, it may be beneficial to use multiple data taking heads concurrently. In the illustrated example, respective pipelines 104 of a first set 106 of one or more pipelines comprise a data taking head 102 (e.g., each data taking head 102 is positioned on a pipeline 104). Likewise, respective pipelines 104 of a second set 108 of pipelines, or a second portion of the pipelines illustrated in the first set 106, comprise data taking heads 102.
As illustrated in the example, there may be “n” sets 110 of pipelines 104, or “n” segments of the same pipelines, and the apparatus 100 may comprise “m” number of data taking heads 102, wherein “n” and “m” are integers greater than zero. It will be understood to those skilled in the art that “n” and “m” do not have to be equal. For example, there may be fewer data taking heads 102 than there are pipelines 104 running in parallel because of the manufacturing cost of the data taking heads 102.
The data taking heads 102 may be configured to receive, among other things, topography data related to the topography of the pipeline 104 from external data handling facility(ies) (e.g., 112 and/or 114). The topography data may be related to the surface of the pipeline 104, interior aspects of the pipeline 104, and/or the environment surrounding the pipeline 104. For example, the data taking heads 102 may receive information related to obstacles (e.g., pipeline support beams, markers, etc.) and/or turns that the data taking head 102 may soon maneuver through.
It will be appreciated that the form, or complexity, of the topography data may vary depending upon the processing capabilities of the data taking head 102, for example. In one embodiment, the topography data comprises data related to a start position and/or an end position of an examination, and the data taking head 102 may control its motions along the pipeline independent of an external data handling facility (e.g., a remote station and/or a central station). In another embodiment, where a data taking head 102 has minimal processing capabilities, the topography data received by the data taking head 102 may be in the form of commands, or instructions, instructing the data taking heads 102 how to traverse the pipeline 104 (e.g., instructing the data taking head 102 how to avoid an obstacle). In yet another embodiment, where the data taking head 102 has sufficient processing capabilities, the topography data received by the data taking head 102 may be less suitable for use by the data taking head 102, and the data taking head 102 may use logic to generate commands based upon the topography data. For example, the topography data may identify the pipeline architecture and the data taking head 102 may analyze the topography data to generate commands that may be used to operate the data taking head 102, and/or components of the data taking head (e.g., to maneuver around obstructions).
It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, topography data and commands may be distinguishable from one another. That is, topography data may refer to data related to pipeline architecture or other data identifying a layout of the pipeline 104 and/or an environment surrounding the pipeline 104, for example, while commands may refer to instructions that instruct the data taking head 102 how to maneuver along the pipeline. Stated differently, topography data may be used in a generic way to refer to any data that helps guide the data taking head 102, including commands, and/or it may be used in a more specific way to refer to data that is used for generating commands, whereas the term commands, as used herein, is generally limited to instructions for maneuvering, for example.
Based upon the received topography data and/or data generated by the data taking head (e.g., sensor data), data taking heads 102 traverse their respective pipelines 104 in a substantially axial direction (e.g., a direction parallel to the direction of fluid flow) and examine the pipelines 104 to generate pipeline data indicative of one or more characteristics of the pipeline 104 (e.g., thickness of a pipeline's wall, corrosion, etc.). The pipeline data that is generated from an examination of the pipeline 104 may be processed by the data taking head 102 and/or transferred to one or more sources external to the data taking head 102.
The apparatus 100 may also comprise one or more remote stations 111, 112, and 113 that are operably coupled to one or more data taking heads 102. In the example, a first remote station 111 is operably coupled to data taking heads 102 positioned on a first set 106 of pipelines, and a second remote station 112 is operably coupled to data taking heads 102 positioned on a second set 108 of pipelines. As illustrated, there may be “n” remote stations 113 (e.g., corresponding to “n” sets 110 of pipelines), wherein “n” is an integer greater than zero.
It will be appreciated that “remote station” is used herein in a broad sense to refer to a movable object, such as a truck or trailer that may be positioned in close spatial proximity (e.g., within a few hundred yards) to the data taking heads 102. In this way, the remote stations (e.g., herein collectively referred to as 112 because they perform substantially the same functions) can monitor the progress of the data takings head(s) 102 and/or respond to problems that may arise while the data taking heads 102 are in operation. For example, the remote station 112 may provide assistance to a data taking head 102 if it is stuck in snow.
The remote stations 112 may be configured to send data to the data taking heads 102 and/or receive data from the data taking heads 102. For example, pipeline data and/or position data (e.g., data identifying the position of the data taking head 102) generated by the data taking head 102 may be received by the remote station 112. Similarly, the topography data, used by the data taking head to traverse the pipeline 104 under examination, may be transmitted to the data taking head 102 from the remote station 112. In this way, the remote station 112 may be in two-way communication with data taking heads 102.
It will be appreciated that data sent from a remote station 112 to a data taking head 102 (e.g., topography data) and/or data received by the remote station 112 from the data taking head 102 (e.g., pipeline data, position data, etc.) may be analyzed, or processed, by the remote station 112. For example, the remote station 112 may combine the pipeline data and position data to generate analyzed pipeline data. In another example, the remote station 112 receives topography data from a central station 114 and converts it into commands that may be sent to the data taking head 102. By using the remote stations 112 in this way the processing capabilities of the data taking heads 102 may be reduced to reduce the energy consumption, weight, and/or size of the data taking head 102, for example.
The remote station 112 may also be configured to transmit data to a central station 114 and/or receive data from the central station. For example, the remote station 112 may transmit the analyzed pipeline data to the central station 114 (e.g., for storage) and/or may receive topography data from the central station 114. In this way, the remote station may be in two way communication with the central station.
As illustrated, the central station 114 may be configured to receive data from a plurality of remote stations (e.g., 111, 112, and 113). Data that is received may be processed by the central station 114 (e.g., to determine when/whether to dispatch maintenance crews) and/or may be stored by the central station 114, in a data storage device, for example. In this way, the central station 114 may act as a hub for pipeline inspection and/or pipeline maintenance information.
The topography data that is used to derive commands for the data taking heads 102 may also be stored by the central station. When a portion of a pipeline 104 is about to be inspected by a data taking head 102, the central station 114 may transmit topography data related to that portion of the pipeline 104 to a remote station 112 operably coupled to the data taking head 102, which may then transmit it to the data taking head 102.
It will be appreciated that in one embodiment of the apparatus 100, there may be no remote stations 112. For example, a remote station 112 may not be part of the apparatus 100 if there is minimal probability that a data taking head 102 will encounter a problem during the examination. Therefore, the pipeline data may be transmitted from the data taking head 102 to the central station 114, and the central station 114 may perform functions similar to those of a remote station 112, for example. Likewise, the topography data may be transmitted from the central station 114 to the data taking heads 102 (e.g., bypassing a remote station 112). In any event, it will be appreciated that communications (e.g., between 102, 112 and/or 114) may occur wirelessly, via satellite and/or through hardwired couplings.
The data taking head 200 comprises an inspection component 206 configured to inspect the pipeline using any suitable technology for determining characteristics (e.g., wall thickness) of the pipeline under examination. In one example, the inspection component 206 comprises a removable radiation source configured to emit radiation towards the pipeline and a detector array, positioned on a diametrically opposite side of the pipeline relative to the radiation source, configured to detect the radiation and generate signals, or pulses, indicative of the radiation received. In another example, the inspection component 206 comprises an ultrasound mechanism that uses sound waves to detect characteristics of the pipeline.
The data taking head 200 may also comprise a position determiner 208 configured to generate position data indicative of the position of the data taking head 200. In one example, the position determiner 208 may comprise a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that determines the coordinates of the data taking head 200. In another example, the position determiner 208 is an odometer configured to measure the distance the data taking head 200 has traveled from its last known location (e.g., the start of the inspection, a pipeline marker, etc.). This position data may later be imposed upon a map of pipeline (e.g., by a remote station or a central station) to determine the position of the data taking head 200 relative to obstacles and/or turns in the pipeline, for example.
The position data may be useful for numerous reasons. For example, the position data may be useful for determining the location of corrosion in the pipeline. While the pipeline data may be indicative of corrosion, without such position data, it may be difficult for maintenance crews to know where the corrosion is with respect to the pipeline if the corrosion is on an interior surface of the pipeline wall, for example. In another example, the position data may be useful for verifying that the pipeline data is accurate. If the location of corrosion was based upon the speed of the data taking head 200, for example, there could be instances where the determined location of the corrosion (e.g., based upon the speed and the pipeline data) differed from the actual location. For example, if the data taking head 200 gets stuck in snow, the inspection component 206 may continue to examine the same portion of the pipeline over and over. Without a way of determining whether the data taking head 200 is actually moving, and not just spinning its wheels, it would be difficult to verify that the pipeline data reflects the actual characteristics of the pipeline.
The data taking head 200 may also comprise a status determiner 210 configured to generate status data indicative of a status of the data taking head 200. In one embodiment, the status determiner 210 is comprised of a plurality of sensors configured to verify that components of the data taking head 200 are operating properly. For example, the sensors may be configured to determine whether various signals in the system are within predetermined tolerances or whether the positioning apparatus has performed as instructed to do (e.g., to continue inspection and/or avoid an obstacle). In another example, the sensors may be configured to measure the current being supplied to the inspection component, the speed that the data taking head 200 is traveling, and/or the energy reserves (e.g., gasoline tank, battery, etc.) of the data taking head.
The data taking head 200 may also comprise a topography sensing component 224 configured to generate sensor data indicative of the topography of the pipeline. For example, sensors of the topography sensing component 224 may be configured to sense obstacles and/or turns that the data taking head 200 may soon encounter. It will be appreciated that the data taking head 200 may use such sensor data to generate operating commands that allow the data taking head 200 to navigate itself along the pipeline with minimum topography data from an external data handling facility 216 (e.g., a remote station and/or a central station) and/or it may be used to verify that topography data from the external data handling facility is accurate. The sensor data may also be used (e.g., by the data taking head 200 and/or the external data handling facility 216) in combination with the topography data to generate commands. In another example, the sensor data is used to warn of impending harm, provide an update to a human operator in a remote station, and/or indicate that the data taking head 200 has reached a destination (e.g., a stopping point, a known marker, etc.), for example.
The inspection component 206, position determiner 208, status determiner 210, and/or topography sensing component 224 may transmit the respective data to a controller 212 that is configured to manage data generated by the data taking head 200 (e.g., the pipeline data, position data, status data). The controller 212 comprises a processor configured to process the data that is received from other components of the data taking head 200. It will be appreciated that the level, or amount, of processing may depend upon the capabilities of the processor. In one embodiment, the controller 212 collects the data from the various components and transmits it to a transceiver 214 (e.g., there is minimal processing of the data). In another embodiment, that controller 212 is configured to perform some analysis on raw pipeline data generated by the inspection component 206 before transmitting it to the transceiver 214. In yet another embodiment, the controller's processing capabilities allow it to combine the pipeline data with the position data and/or status data (e.g., data related to the speed the data taking head 200 is moving) to determine the location of corrosion along the pipeline. It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, combined pipeline and position data may be referred to as analyzed pipeline data.
The controller 212 may use the topography data and/or sensor data to operate the drive system 204 and/or rotate a portion of the data taking head 200 away from obstacle that limits the maneuverability of the data taking head 200, for example. In one embodiment, the controller 212 also has the capability to override topography data from the external data handling facility 216 if the pipeline data, the position data, status data, and/or sensor data is indicative of a problem. For example, if the sensor data indicates that the data taking head 200 is about to hit an obstacle, the controller 212 may issue commands shutting down the drive mechanism 204 and/or issue a command instructing the data taking head 200 how to navigate past the obstacle. In another example, the controller 212 may instruct the inspection component 206 to rescan a portion of the pipeline if the controller 212 has processed pipeline data and determined that it is inaccurate (e.g., because the data taking head 200 was stuck in snow). In yet another example, the controller 212 may use redundant pipeline data to indicate malfunction. Typically the inspection component 206 will take redundant data and the controller 212, for example, will average it to improve precision. However, if the redundant data is not within reasonable tolerances, the controller 212 may call for a rescan.
At least a portion of the data that has been processed by the controller 200 may be transferred to a transceiver 214 configured to transmit the data to one or more external facilities 216, such as a remote station (e.g., 112 in
The transceiver 214 may also be configured to receive data from one or more external facilities 216. For example, the transceiver 214 may receive topography data from the external facility 216. In this way, the data taking head 200 can be in real-time communication with the external facility 216 so that an operator can make adjustments to the data taking head 200 based upon the data that is received by the external facility 216, for example. In another example, this communication allows the data taking head 200 to be navigated along the pipeline without the data taking head 200 having to store in memory large amounts of topography data.
The data taking head 200 may also comprise a storage medium 218, such as onboard memory, a hard drive, and/or flash drive, for example, that is operably coupled to the controller 212 and allows data to be stored on the data taking head 200. In one example, the storage medium 218 may store data that has yet to be transmitted to the external data handling facility 216 and/or may store data from the external facility 216 (e.g., creating a buffer). In this way, the storage medium 218 may allow the data taking head 200 to continue operating if it temporarily loses communication with the external facility 216, for example.
The data taking head 200 may also comprise a mechanical interface 220 configured to be selectively coupled to a mechanical interface of the external facility 216. The mechanical interface 220 may allow the data taking head 200 to be positioned on a pipeline and/or removed from a pipeline (e.g., if the data taking head 200 is broken and/or the examination is complete), for example. In one embodiment, the mechanical interface 220 comprises an attachment point, such as a ring, that is configured to be attached to a hook portion of a crane on the external facility 216.
The data taking head 200 also comprises a power source 222, such as batteries or a gasoline tank, which provides a way of powering the components of the data taking head 200. The data taking head 200 may comprise a power interface configured to be selectively coupled to one or more external facilities 216 so that the power source 222 may be recharged, refilled and/or otherwise replenished. In the illustrated example, the power source 222 is comprised within the data taking head 200. However, it will be understood to those skilled in the art the power source may not be part of the data taking head 200, and a power transmission line may connect the data taking head 200 to an external power source. For example, the power source 222 may be part of the external facility 216 and a power cable may extend from the external power source 216/222 to the data taking head 200.
Generally, the remote station 300 is a movable vehicle such as a truck or trailer that has wheels 304 or another mechanism that allows the remote station 300 to be positioned in close spatial proximity (e.g., within a few hundred feet or a few miles) to the data taking head 302. In this way, the remote station 300 can monitor the progress of the data taking head 302 and/or respond to problems with the data taking head 302.
The remote station 300 comprises a transceiver 306 configured to send and/or receive data. For example, the transceiver 306 may be configured to receive pipeline data, position data, sensor data, and/or status data from a transceiver on the data taking head 302. In another example, the transceiver 306 is configured to transmit topography data to the data taking head 302. In yet another example, the transceiver 306 is configured to send data generated by the remote station 300, or forwarded from the data taking head 302 and analyzed by the remote station 300, to a central station 308 and receive data from the central station 308 (e.g., operating somewhat as an intermediary).
The transceiver 306 is operably coupled to a controller 310 of the remote station 300. The controller 310 is configured to control the flow of data entering and/or leaving the remote station 300. For example, data that is received by the transceiver 306, whether received from the data taking head 302 or the central station 308, is generally transmitted from the transceiver 306 to the controller 310. Likewise, the controller 310 generally forwards to the transceiver 306 data that the transceiver 306 transmits to a data taking head 302 and/or the central station 308.
The controller 310 may comprise components that are configured to process various types of data that are received. For example, where the data taking head 302 has limited processing capabilities, a pipeline analyzer 312 may analyze raw pipeline data from an inspection component of the data taking head 302 and/or combine the pipeline data with the position data to determine pipeline characteristics (e.g., wall thickness) at various locations along the pipeline. In another example, the pipeline analyzer 312 is configured to convert the pipeline data into a human perceptible form of pipeline data (e.g., a form that may be displayed on a display). In yet another example, the pipeline analyzer 312 may be configured to generate pipeline alert data, or an alert signal, if the pipeline data is unable to be analyzed (e.g., because the data is corrupt) and/or the data is indicative of characteristics that are outside of reasonable tolerances. For example, the pipeline analyzer 312 may generate pipeline alert data if the pipeline data is indicative of a wall thickness that is greater than the wall thickness of the pipeline when it was originally installed.
The controller 310 may also comprise a status analyzer 314 configured to process status data and generate analyzed status data, for example. Analyzed status data may be status data that has been converted into human perceptible form, and/or it may be data, or a signal, indicative of status data that is not within determined tolerances, for example. In one example, the status analyzer 314 is configured to generate analyzed status data when a pipeline inspection component of the data taking head 302 is malfunctioning (e.g., it is not responding to commands from a controller of the data taking head 302).
It will be understood to those skilled in the art that the processing done by the status analyzer 314 may depend upon the status data that is received from a data taking head 302. For example, if the data taking head 302 has processing capabilities, the data that is received by the controller 310 may not have to be further processed by a status analyzer 314 (e.g., a status analyzer 314 does not need to be a component of the controller 310). Similarly, if the data taking head 302 has limited processing capabilities, the status data received by the controller 310 may be in a raw form, and the status analyzer 314 may process the status data to get it into a desired form.
In another example, the controller 310 receives topography data from the central station 308 and uses a topography analyzer 316 to process the topography data so that it is readable by the data taking head 302. Therefore, the configurations and/or capabilities of the topography analyzer 316 may depend upon how the topography data is received from a central station 308 and/or upon the capabilities of the data taking head 302. Where the data taking head 302 has limited ability to process topography data, for example, the topography analyzer 316 may be configured to process the topography data into commands that may guide the data taking head 302 along the pipeline. For example, the commands may instruct the data taking head 302 when to turn and/or how to maneuver to avoid an obstacle near the pipeline, such as a support beam.
It will be appreciated that where sensor data is transmitted to the remote station 300 from the data taking head 302, the topography analyzer 316 may also process the sensor data and/or combine the sensor data with the topography data to generate commands that are more relevant to the data taking head than commands generated solely from topography data. For example, the sensor data may indicate that an object is approximately ten feet away and the topography analyzer 316 may alter commands so that the data taking head 302 may navigate about the obstacle.
At least a portion of the data that is processed by components of the controller 310, such as the pipeline analyzer 312, the status analyzer 314, and/or the topography analyzer 316 may be transferred from the controller 310 to the transceiver 306 for distribution to one or more data taking heads 302 and/or to a central station 308. For example, the topography data from the topography analyzer 316 (e.g., commands) may be transmitted to the data taking head 302. Similarly, the status data and/or the pipeline data may be transmitted from the status analyzer 314 and the pipeline analyzer 312, respectively, to a central station 308. In this way, the remote station may act as an intermediary between the data taking head 302 and the central station 308.
The remote station 300 may also comprise a command module 318, wherein a human operator can monitor the data that is received by the transceiver 306, or the data that is processed by various components of the controller 310, for example. The command module 318 may comprise a plurality of monitors configured to provide readouts of the status of the data taking head 302 (e.g., based upon the status data) and/or the characteristics of the pipeline identified by the data taking head 302 (e.g., based upon pipeline data). The command module 318 may also comprise one or more monitors for displaying topography data, such as a map of the pipeline being inspected, and/or for tracking the progress of the data taking head 302 (e.g., based upon the topography data and/or position data from the data taking head 302). In another example, the command module 318 contains a data taking head indicator 330 (e.g., speakers, indicator lights, a monitor, etc.) that warns a human operator if the data taking head 302 is malfunctioning (e.g., based upon the status data) and/or displays status data to the operator.
The command module 318 may also comprise controls 334 that are configured to allow the operator to selectively, or temporarily, maneuver the data taking head 302 along the pipeline (e.g., overriding commands of the topography analyzer 316) and/or control an aspect of the data taking head 302, such as the speed that it traverses the pipeline, for example. In this way, the operator may be able to correct for inaccuracies in the topography data and/or pipeline data. For example, the operator may instruct the data taking head 302 to reexamine a portion of the pipeline if the operator believes that the pipeline data is not actually indicative of the characteristics of the pipeline that is being examined.
The command module 318 may also comprise a mechanism 332 for visually observing the data taking head 302 while it is traversing the pipeline. It will be appreciated that there are many available alternatives for visually observing the data taking head 302. In one example, the mechanism 332 comprises a window and a lighting apparatus that is configured to light an area that is being inspected by one or more data taking heads 302. In another example, the mechanism 332 comprises a night-vision video camera that captures video of the data taking head 302 and transmits it to a monitor in the command module 318. It will be appreciated that the operator may use the visual information obtained from the mechanism 332 for observing the data taking head 302 to selectively maneuver the data taking head 302.
The remote station 300 may also comprise a mechanical interface 320 configured to be selectively coupled to a mechanical interface of one or more data taking heads 302. In one example, the mechanical interface 320 is a crane, or a robotic arm, that comprises a hook configured to be coupled to a ring on the data taking head 302. In this way, the remote station 300 may assist the data taking head 302 if it is unable to traverse the pipeline because it is stuck in snow, for example.
The mechanical interface 320 may also be configured to place the data taking head 302 on the pipeline and/or remove it from the pipeline. In one example, the remote station 300 comprises a data taking head storage compartment 322 configured to store one or more data taking heads 302 when they are not being used to examine the pipeline. In this way, they may be transported from pipeline to pipeline, or to various sections of the same pipeline.
In some cases the data taking head may contain hazardous elements (e.g., a radiation source). In such a case, the mechanical interface 320 may be configured to be selectively coupled to the hazardous elements of the data taking head 302. In this way, the hazardous elements may be removed from the data taking head 302 and placed in an appropriate storage vault 324 (e.g., a lead box) of the remote station 300. The ability to remove the hazardous elements from the data taking head 302 and place the elements in an appropriate storage vault 324 may act as a safety mechanism that allows an operator of the remote station 300 to remove the hazard elements if the elements malfunction.
It will be appreciated that at least a portion of the remote station 300 may also comprise a radiation shield 326, such as a lead plate, that is configured to mitigate radiation exposure to an operator if the remote station 300 approaches a data taking head 302 with a malfunctioning radiation source. That is, the shielding may act as a barrier if the shutter of a radiation source will not close and the remote station 300, carrying a human operator, approaches the data taking head 302 to retrieve the source.
The remote station 300 may also comprise a power interface 328, such as a generator, for example, configured to supply power to one or more data taking heads 302 if the data taking heads are unable to generate their own power and/or if a power source on a data taking head is running low on energy. In one example, a power cable extends from the remote station 300 to the one or more data taking heads 302 that are receiving power from the remote station 300. In another example batteries may be (re)charged on the remote station 300 and interchanged with those on the data taking head 302.
It will be appreciated that in one embodiment, remote stations are interchangeable. That is, a second remote station may arrive at a location near the first remote station and begin to receive data and/or transmit data from the data taking heads operably coupled to the first remote station. In this way, the first remote station may leave an examination area (e.g., an area near the data taking heads it is supervising) at the end of an operator's shift, for example, and be replaced by a second remote station that may continue to perform similar functions as the first station. It will also be appreciated that the remote station may comprise less than all of the aforementioned components. For example, where the data taking head 302 comprises a power source, the remote station 300 may not comprise a power interface 328.
The example central station 400 comprises a transceiver 402 configured to receive data from one or more remote stations 404 (e.g., 300 in
The transceiver 402 may also be configured to transmit data to the remote station 404. For example, the central station 400 may comprise topography data that may be transmitted to the remote station 404. In this way, topography data relevant to the data taking heads that the remote station 404 is monitoring may be transmitted to the remote station 404 while topography data related to portions of the pipeline that are less relevant may not be transmitted to the remote station 404 (e.g., reducing the memory load on the remote station 404), for example.
The central station 400 may comprise a controller 406 configured to process data received by the transceiver 402 and/or data stored in the central station 400. For example, the controller 406 may transmit data received by the transceiver 402 to processors and/or storage mediums compatible with the data that is received. Likewise, the controller 406 may retrieve data from the storage mediums and/or processors and transmit it to the transceiver 402 so that the data may be sent to the remote station 404.
The central station 400 may also comprise a pipeline data storage medium 408, such as a hard drive, configured to store at least a portion of the pipeline data received from the remote station 404. In one example, the central station 400 stores pipeline data related to portions of the pipeline that have thin walls. In this way, a list of the portions of the pipeline that need to be repaired may be compiled.
The central station 400 may also comprise a topography data storage medium 410 configured to store data related to the topography of pipeline. For example, the central station 400 may store pipeline architecture data that identifies the layout of one or more pipelines. That is, the central station 400 may store topography data that is used to derive commands that assist the data taking head(s) in traversing pipelines.
It will be appreciated that where the position data and/or sensor data acquired from a data taking head differs from the topography data stored in the topography data storage medium 410, the data in the topography data storage medium 410 may be altered to correct for the difference. For example, if the topography data in the storage medium 410 is indicative of a seventy degree left turn and the position data from a data taking head indicates that the data taking head made a fifty degree left turn, the topography data in the storage medium 410 may be updated to correct the error (e.g., overwriting the seventy degree left with the fifty degree left turn). In this way, the topography data in the storage medium 410 may be updated for future examinations of the pipeline.
The central station 400 may also comprise a remote station indicator 412 that is configured to monitor the location of the remote station 404 and/or to detect problems that may be occurring on the remote station 404. For example, if the central station 400 receives position data from a positional determiner comprised on the remote station 404, the remote station indicator 412 may indicate the coordinates of the remote station 404. Similarly, the remote station indicator 412 may indicate whether the central station 400 is receiving data from the remote station 404. If the central station 400 has not received data from the remote station 404 within a predetermined period of time, the remote station indicator 412 may alarm an operator at the central station 400 to attempt other forms of communication and/or to send help to the remote station 404, for example. In this way, the central station 400 can act as a safety monitor for a remote station 404 that may be located hundreds of miles away in a vast, very cold wilderness.
It will be appreciated that in some embodiments there is no remote station 404, and the central station 400 may also comprises many of the components discussed with regards to the remote station (e.g., as illustrated in
In one embodiment, the remote station receives topography data indicative of a pipeline layout from a central station and converts it to topography data indicative commands that may be more useful to the data taking head to reduce the processing resources required by the data taking head. That is, the remote station may convert the topography data into a more usable form so that it does not have to be converted by the data taking head. In this way, a data taking head may be guided along a pipeline absent human intervention, or control.
At 506, a pipeline is examined based upon the received topography data. That is, the data taking head utilizes the topography data to traverse a pipeline (e.g., moving through a plane parallel to the flow of fluid) and examines the pipeline to which the data taking head is coupled, or mounted. The topography data may guide the data taking head, providing instructions on when to turn and/or how to maneuver about the pipeline to traverse an obstacle, such as a support beam, for example.
It will be appreciated that before the pipeline is examined, the topography data may be used to determine a start location for the examination. For example, topography data may be indicative of an end point of a previous examination of the pipeline, and the data taking head may be positioned at the end point of the previous exam to begin another examination of the pipeline. Once positioned on the pipeline, the position of the data taking head may be verified before an examination begins. In one example, the data taking head verifies the position by using sensors (e.g., lasers) that measure the data taking head's position from a nearby support beam and/or obstacle. In another example, the position is verified by an operator who measures the distance between the data taking head and a known object. Measurements taken by the data taking head and/or the operator may be compared with topography data, related to the pipeline architecture, for example, to verify that the data taking head is in the correct position.
Once the data taking head is in position (e.g., it is mounted to the pipeline by human operators), an examination, as discussed with respect to act 506, may begin.
At 508, pipeline data is generated based upon the examination. The pipeline data is indicative of characteristics of the pipeline, or indicative of the radiation that traverses the pipeline. For example, the pipeline data may be indicative of corrosion on the pipeline and/or a crack in the pipeline wall.
It will be appreciated that the pipeline data produced by an inspection component (e.g., 206 in
At 510, position data identifying a location on the pipeline that is under examination is generated. Generally, the position data is generated by a position determiner component of the data taking head, such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and/or a calibration mechanism (e.g., an odometer) configured to measure the distance between two known points (e.g., so that it can be checked against a known distance of the two points). In this way, it may be verified that the data taking head is actually traversing the pipeline as intended and/or verified that the data taking head did not get stuck at a location along the pipeline because of debris or snow, for example.
In one embodiment, data generated during the examination of the object (e.g., the position data and/or sensor data) may be used to correct errors in the topography data. For example, if the topography data is indicative a seventy degree turn in the pipeline but the position data indicates that the data taking head made a fifty degree turn, the topography data may be corrected for future use to reflect that actual geometry of the pipe. Similarly, if the topography data does not indicate an obstacle, but sensor data generated by the data taking head is indicative of an approaching obstacle, the topography data may be updated to reflect the obstacle.
At 512, the pipeline data and the position data are combined to generate analyzed pipeline data. In this way, the location of the data taking head (e.g., based upon the position data) may be combined with the pipeline data to match characteristics of the pipeline with their appropriate location along the pipeline. For example, the pipeline data may indicate that a portion of the pipeline has a thin wall and the position data may be used to indicate the position of the data taking head at the time the pipeline data was generated (e.g., so that it can be determined which portion of the pipeline has a thin wall). It will be understood to those skilled in the art that the analyzed data that is generated from the combination of the pipeline data and position data may be used to determine which portions of the pipeline to perform maintenance on. In one example, the analyzed data is transmitted to a central station and used to generate a work order and/or stored for later generation of a work order.
It will be appreciated that, similarly to the topography data, the pipeline data and/or the position data may be transmitted to a facility external to the data taking head, such as the remote station and/or the central station, before the pipeline data and the position data are combined depending upon the processing capabilities of the respective components (e.g., the data taking head, remote station, and/or the central station), for example. In one example, the pipeline data and the position data are transferred to a remote station before the combination to because the processing capabilities of the data taking head are minimal (e.g., reducing the weight and/or energy consumption of the data taking head).
It will also be appreciated that the topography data, pipeline data, position data, analyzed pipeline data, and/or other data may be processed further, or in different forms, depending upon how the data is to be used. For example, some of the data may be processed into a form that may be presented to a human operator. In this way, the human operator can verify that the data taking head is operating properly and/or view a map of the pipeline on a computer monitor, for example.
The acts of receiving, examining, generating pipeline data, generating position data, and combining data may be repeated until an examination of the pipeline, or a designated portion of the pipeline, is complete. It will be appreciated that an examination of the pipeline may take days or months to complete. Therefore, if there are operators that are monitoring the data taking heads (e.g., from a remote station), the operators may be periodically replaced by other operators. In one example, a first remote station that is in operable communication with one or more data taking heads conducting examinations may be replaced by a second remote station (e.g., when a second operator begins his shift he may drive the second remote station to a position near the data taking head(s) and a first operator ending his shift may drive the first remote station home for the evening). In the way, the data taking head may operate for long periods of time (e.g., days or weeks) without stopping the examination. Alternatively the second operator (or operators) may drive to the remote station in a utility vehicle which the first operator (or operators) uses to return to a central facility.
At 514, the method ends. In one embodiment, once an examination is complete, the data taking heads can be removed from the pipelines and placed on/inside the remote stations. In this way, the data taking heads may be taking to a storage facility (e.g., a central station) for storage and/or maintenance.
The application has been described with reference to various embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading the application. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, including insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a data taking head configured to examine a pipeline and generate pipeline data indicative of a characteristic of the pipeline in response thereto; and
- a central station configured to receive pipeline data and provide topography data from which one or more operating commands for the data taking head are derived.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a remote station configured for two way communication with at least one of the data taking head and the central station.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. The apparatus of claim 2, the remote station comprising a processor configured to analyze the pipeline data from the data taking head and facilitate transmitting the analyzed pipeline data to the central station.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, the remote station configured to receive position data from a position determiner of the data taking head and the processor configured to combine the position data and the pipeline data to generate the analyzed pipeline data.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, the remote station comprising a mechanical interface configured to be selectively coupled to a hazardous element of the data taking head and, once coupled, the mechanical interface configured to place the hazardous element in a storage vault.
8. (canceled)
9. (canceled)
10. (canceled)
11. (canceled)
12. The apparatus of claim 2, the central station configured to issue an alert if the remote station has not communicated with the central station within a predetermined time interval.
13. (canceled)
14. The apparatus of claim 1, the pipeline comprising an above-ground hydrocarbon pipeline.
15. (canceled)
16. An apparatus for communication with a data taking head, comprising:
- a transceiver for two way communication with at least one data taking head;
- an analyzer configured to analyze pipeline data received from the at least one data taking head; and
- a controller configured to generate instructions for the at least one data taking head regarding at least one of how to examine a pipeline and how to traverse the pipeline.
17. (canceled)
18. The apparatus of claim 16, the analyzer configured to combine the pipeline data with position data from the at least one data taking head when analyzing the pipeline data.
19. (canceled)
20. The apparatus of claim 16, the controller configured to generate instructions for controlling a movement of the at least one data taking head based upon topography data indicative of the pipeline being analyzed.
21. (canceled)
22. The apparatus of claim 16, the at least one data taking head configured to examine an above-ground hydrocarbon pipeline.
23. The apparatus of claim 16, the controller configured to generate topography data related to the pipeline based upon sensor data obtained by one or more sensors on the data taking head.
24. A data taking head, comprising:
- a pipeline inspection component configured to inspect a pipeline and generate pipeline data in response thereto;
- a position determiner configured to generate position data indicative of a location of the data taking head;
- a transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the pipeline data and the position data to an external data handling facility and to receive topography data from the external data handling facility; and
- a controller configured to control movement of the data taking head based upon the received topography data.
25. The data taking head of claim 24, the pipeline inspection component comprising a radiation source.
26. The data taking head of claim 24, the received topography data relating to a pipeline architecture of the pipeline that the pipeline inspection component is configured to inspect.
27. The data taking head of claim 24, comprising a mechanical interface configured for selective attachment to a remote station.
28. (canceled)
29. A method of collecting data, comprising:
- receiving topography data from a remote station;
- examining a pipeline based upon the topography data;
- generating pipeline data based upon the examination; and
- generating position data identifying a location on the pipeline that is under examination.
30. The method of claim 29, comprising using the topography data to instruct a data taking head, configured to examine the pipeline, how to traverse the pipeline.
31. (canceled)
32. The method of claim 29, the examination performed using a radiation source.
33. The method of claim 29, comprising correcting the topography data based upon the examination of the pipeline.
34. (canceled)
35. (canceled)
36. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 12, 2009
Publication Date: Jul 21, 2011
Inventor: John Dobbs (Beverly, MA)
Application Number: 13/119,794
International Classification: G06F 19/00 (20110101);
