Systems, apparatus, and methods for inspecting submerged surfaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention include systems, apparatuses, and methods that include a pipeline inspection apparatus containing a carriage, a first member including at least a first and second sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of a pipe, a second member including at least a third and fourth sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of the pipe, and a multiplexer. The first and second members are attached to opposite side members of the carriage. The carriage, first member, and second member are configured to surround a section of the pipe and are movably mountable on the pipe. The multiplexer receives a signal from the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors and creates a measurement signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An inspection apparatus, comprising:
 a carriage;   a first member including at least a first and second sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of a pipe;   a second member including at least a third and fourth sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of the pipe; and   a multiplexer;   wherein the first and second members are attached to opposite side members of the carriage,   wherein the carriage, first member, and second member are configured to surround a portion of a section of the pipe and are movably mountable on the pipe, wherein the multiplexer receives a signal from the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors and creates a measurement signal.   
     
     
         2 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors are pulsed eddy current (PEC) sensors. 
     
     
         3 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one roller attached to each opposing end of the carriage, first member, and second member, the roller configured to assist in placing and moving the inspection apparatus along the pipeline. 
     
     
         4 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment configured to attach to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). 
     
     
         5 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the multiplexer is configured to convey the measurement signal to software on the ROV. 
     
     
         6 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first extension arm connected to the first member and the carriage, the first extension arm configured to rotate the first member relative to the carriage, and   a second extension arm connected to the second side member and the carriage, the second extension arm configured to rotate the second member relative to the carriage.   
     
     
         7 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second extension arms are hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         8 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle mounted on the carriage, the handle configured to provide for manual or ROV-assisted manipulation and placement of the apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each measurement of the first round of measurements of the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors is six inches. 
     
     
         10 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first round of measurements includes twelve measurements. 
     
     
         11 . The inspection apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first round of measurements takes fifteen seconds. 
     
     
         12 . A method of inspecting pipelines, comprising:
 placing an inspection apparatus upon a pipeline, wherein the inspection apparatus comprises:   a carriage;   a first member including at least a first and second sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of a section of a pipe;   a second member including at least a third and fourth sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of the section of the pipe; and   a multiplexer;   wherein the first and second members are attached to opposite side members of the carriage,   wherein the carriage, first member, and second member are configured to surround a section of the pipe and are movably mountable on the pipe,   wherein the multiplexer receives a signal from each of the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors and creates a measurement signal,   connecting an attachment of the inspection apparatus to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV);   rotating the carriage, first member, and second member relative to each other such that the inspection apparatus fits on the submerged pipeline;   taking measurements of the pipe using the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors to create signals from each of the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors;   sending the signals from each of the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors to the multiplexer for conversion to the measurement signal;   conveying the measurement signal from the multiplexer to software on the ROV;   moving the inspection apparatus along the pipeline using the ROV after each round of the measurements.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors are pulsed eddy current (PEC) sensors. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising using at least one roller attached to each opposing end of the carriage, first member, and second member, the roller configured to assist in placing and moving the inspection apparatus along the pipeline. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 connecting a first extension arm to the first member and the carriage, the first extension arm configured to rotate the first member relative to the carriage, and   connecting a second extension arm to the second member and the carriage, the second extension arm configured to rotate the second member relative to the carriage.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second extension arms are hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising connecting at least one hydraulic line between the ROV and the apparatus, the at least one hydraulic line configured to extend and retract the hydraulic cylinders. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising connecting at least one electrical line between the ROV and the apparatus, the at least one electrical line configured to provide power to run the inspection apparatus. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus has a total of approximately four to approximately thirty-two PEC sensors. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second members has at least two and at most sixteen PEC sensors. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising using the software to calculate an average wall thickness of the section of pipe from the measurement signal. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising taking a second round of measurements of the section of pipe if the average wall thickness of the section of pipe is below a desired amount, wherein the second measurement is taken using a fifth sensor. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the fifth sensor is an ultrasonic sensor. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising taking a second round of measurements after moving the apparatus three inches down the pipe. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising taking a second round of measurements after moving the apparatus five feet down the pipe. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and fourth sensors, the first and fourth sensors, the second and fourth sensors, and the first and third sensors alternate in taking rounds of measurements of the pipe to avoid magnetic interference. 
     
     
         27 . A system for inspecting a submerged pipe, comprising:
 a remotely operated vehicle (ROV); and   an inspection apparatus attached to the ROV, comprising:   a carriage;   a first member including at least a first and second sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of a section of a pipe;   a second member including at least a third and fourth sensor configured to take a first round of measurements of the section of the pipe; and   a multiplexer;   wherein the first and second members are attached to opposite side members of the carriage,   wherein the carriage, first member, and second member are configured to surround a section of the pipe and are movably mountable on the pipe,   wherein the multiplexer receives a signal from at least the first, second, third, and fourth sensors and creates a measurement signal.   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the measurement signal is conveyed by the multiplexer to software on the ROV and is analyzed to determine an average wall thickness of the section of pipe measured by the inspection apparatus. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the at least first, second, third, and fourth sensors are pulsed eddy current (PEC) sensors. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a first extension arm connected to the first member and the carriage, the first extension arm configured to rotate the first member relative to the carriage, and   a second extension arm connected to the second side member and the carriage, the second extension arm configured to rotate the second member relative to the carriage.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the first and second extension arms are hydraulic cylinders.