(12) STANDARD PATENT (11) Application No.

AU 2005238857 B2
(19) AUSTRALIAN PATENT OFFICE

(54) Title
ID-OD discrimination sensor concept for a magnetic flux leakage inspection tool

(51) International Patent Classification(s)

G01N 27/90 (2006.01) G01N 27/82 (2006.01)

(21) Application No: 2005238857 (22) Date of Filing: 2005.03.28

(87) WIPO No: WO05/106451

(30) Priority Data

(31) Number (32) Date (33) Country

10/825,873 2004.04.15 US

(43) Publication Date: 2005.11.10

(44) Accepted Journal Date: 2010.02.18

(71) Applicant(s)
TDW Delaware, Inc.

(72) Inventor(s)
Veach, William D.;Ludlow, Jed C.;Lloyd, Tyler S.

(74) Agent / Attorney

Spruson & Ferguson, Level 35 St Martins Tower 31 Market Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000

(56) Related Art

EP 0825435
US 2003/0173959
US 5454276
US 6023986
US 4769598
EP 0554958
US 3949292
US 4945306
 (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(19) World Intellectual Property

Organization 11111|111||1 111 1110 1 1 1111|111 11111|1111 1111111 ||111
International Bureau 1111111 111111 111111 I 11 11 11 11 11 ii1111li iili

(43) International Publication Date (10) International Publication Number

10 November 2005 (10.11.2005) PCT WO 2005/106451 Al
(51) International Patent Classification 7 : G01N 27/72, (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
27/82, G01R 33/12 kind of nationalprotection available): AE, AG, AL, AM,
AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, ClI, CN,
(21) International Application Number: CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DK, DM, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, H,
PCT/US2005/010295 GB, GD, GE, GIL GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE,
KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, L, LU, LV, MA, MD,
(22) International Filing Date: 28 March 2005 (28.03.2005) MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ, NA, M, NO, NZ, OM, PG,
PH, PL, PT, RO, RU, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, SY, TJ,
(25) Filing Language: English TM, TN, IR, IT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, YU, ZA,
ZM, ZW.
(26) Publication Language: English
(84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every
(30) Priority Data: kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GIL
10/825,873 15 April 2004 (15.04.2004) US GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, NA, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM,

(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): TDW Euran (A ,BG, C, CY, CZ, D, DK, EE, ES,
DELAWARE, INC. [US/US]; 1100 Market Street, Suite FR, GB, GR, HU, IE, IS, IT, L, LU, MC, NL, PL, PT, RO,
780, Wilmington,
- DE 19801 (S).SE,
78, Wlmigto,
DE1981 (US). SI, SK, IR), GAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN,
- GQ, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, ID, IG).
(72) Inventors; and
(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): VEACH, William,
D. [US/US]; 3451 S. Monte Verde Drive, Salt Lake City, Published:
UT 84109 (US). LLOYD, Tyler, S. [US/US]; 5043 S. with internationalsearch report
Escodid,
Escondido, Murray, UT
UT Muray (US). LDLOW
411 (US.
84117 LUDLOW, Je, Jed, C. - before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
[US/US]; 43 East 300 North, North Salt Lake, UT 84054 claims and to be republished in the event of receipt of
(US).amendments

(74) Agent: JOHNSON, Paul, H.; Gable & Gotwals, 1100 For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid
- ONEOK Plaza, 100 W. 5th Street, 10th Floor, Tulsa, OK ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin
74103 (US). ning of each regular issue of the aCT Gazette.

(54) Title: ID-GD DISCRIMINATION SENSOR CONCEPT FOR A MAGNETIC FLUX LEAKAGE INSPECTION TOOL

100

r (57) Abstract: An instrument pig and method of operation thereof for determining the characteristics of a ferromagnetic pipeline
g.Gthrough which it passes, including a pig body, first and second coaxial circumferential, spaced apart magnets of opposed polarities
Supported to the pig body and providing substantially complete magnetic saturation of an area of the pipeline between the magnets,
First instruments between the magnets arranged to generate signals that are responsive to flux leakage providing first information as
'1to anomalies in the pipeline interior and/or exterior surfaces, second instruments supported by the pig body between the magnets and
arranged to generate signals that are responsive to eddy currents induced in the pipeline interior surface providing second information
Sas to anomalies in the pipeline interior surface, signal processing circuitry combining the first and second signals and wherein the
second instruments are energized only in response to signals generated by the signal processing circuitry.
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

ID-OD DISCRIMINATION SENSOR CONCEPT FOR A

MAGNETIC

FLUX LEAKAGE INSPECTION TOOL

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

This application is not referenced in any microfiche appendix.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a pipeline inspection instrument pig having ID-OD

discrimination. The instrument pig functions by flux leakage detection coupled with

an eddy current system providing means for discriminating between anomalies in the

10 pipeline exterior and interior surfaces. ID-OD discrimination is accomplished

employing an eddy current pulser coil and an eddy current detection coil to provide a

signal used to indicate whether a detected flux leakage anomaly is in the pipeline

interior surface.

1
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THE PRIOR ART

The use of magnetic flux leakage inspection tools in pipelines is an established

technology. Flaws in ferromagnetic pipes have been detected by establishing a

5 magnetic field in the wall of the pipe and detecting flux leakage caused by anomalies

in the pipe wall. Distortion of the magnetic field caused by anomalies such as

corrosion, pits, or changes in the structure of the pipe wall, some of which can be

caused by couplings, welds, collars, or so forth, can be found, measured, and

identified in recorded information. Flux leakage pipeline inspection tools therefore

10 provide an established method of determining the characteristics of a pipeline through

which an inspection pig passes.

One problem which has existed with reference to flux leakage inspection tools

is that of identifying whether a detected flux leakage is occasioned by anomalies, such

as corrosion, on the interior or exterior pipe wall surface. When making an inspection

15 of a pipeline it is important to record the location and size of anomalies in the pipe

wall as well as of the anomaly identified as to whether it exists on the pipe interior

surface or the pipe exterior surface.

A known means of measuring flux leakage is by the use of a Hall-effect

device.

20 Flux leakage inspection instrument pigs typically include the use of a plurality

of armatures, each having at one end a positive magnetic pole and at the other end a

negative magnetic pole. The magnets are constructed and dimensioned so as to

substantially magnetically saturate a short circumferential length of the pipe as the

inspection pig moves through the pipe.

2
 WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

For background information relating to instrument pig used for pipeline

inspection and particularly pigs that detect anomalies by measuring flux leakage,

reference can be made to the following previously issued United States Patents:

PATENT DATE OF
NUMBER ISSUE TITLE
3,949,292 4/6/1976 Pipeline Inspection Device with Pivotal Support Structure
4,769,598 9/6/1988 Apparatus for Electromagnetically Testing the Walls of
Pipelines
4,945,306 7/31/1990 Coil and Hall Device Circuit for Sensing Magnetic Fields
4,964,059 10/16/1990 Apparatus for Inspecting A Pipeline
5,283,520 2/1/1994 Method of Determining Thickness of Magnetic Pipe by
Measuring the Time It Takes the Pipe To Reach Magnetic
Saturation
5,293,117 3/8/1994 Magnetic Flaw Detector for Use with Ferromagnetic Small
Diameter Tubular Goods Using A Second Magnetic Field
To Confine A First Magnetic Field
5,506,505 4/9/1996 Apparatus for Remotely Indicating Pipeline Pig Including
A Sensor Housing Having Surface Engaging Orthogonally
Disposed Paramagnetic Materials A Solid State Sensor and
A Flag
5,565,633 10/15/1996 Spiral Tractor Apparatus and Method
5,864,232 1/26/1999 Magnetic Flux Pipe Inspection Apparatus for Analyzing
Anomalies In A Pipeline Wall
6,023,986 2/15/2000 Magnetic Flux Leakage Inspection Tool for Pipelines
6,640,655 11/4/2003 Self Tracking Sensor Suspension Mechanism
6,683,452 1/27/2004 Magnetic Flux Density Apparatus for, e.g., Detecting An
Internal Crack of A Metal or A Shape of the Metal

In addition to the above-listed patents, a relevant reference is an article

5 published in the Society of Petroleum Engineers in May 1991 entitled "Full-Signature

Multiple-Channel Vertilog," G.W. Adams and W.D. Moffat, authors.

3
 -4

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to substantially overcome, or at least
ameliorate, one or more disadvantages of existing arrangements.
The instrument pig of this invention is used for determining the characteristics of
5 a ferromagnetic pipeline through which it passes. The instrument pig comprises a pig
body that is coaxially supported within a pipeline and is configured with cups to cause the
pig body to move within the pipeline in response to fluid flow. "Fluid" as used herein
includes liquids, gases or combinations thereof.
Supported to the pig body are a plurality of first and second coaxial,
io circumferential spaced apart magnets of opposed polarities. The pairs of magnets are
arranged circumferentially around the pig body with the magnetic poles spaced close to
the pipeline interior circumferential wall. The spaced apart magnets of opposed polarities
are configured for providing substantially complete magnetic saturation of a
circumferential area of the pipeline between the magnets, the fully magnetized area of the
15 pipeline constantly moving with the pipeline pig body as it moves through the pipeline.
Affixed to the pig body are first instruments that are supported between the
magnetic poles and arranged to generate signals that are responsive to flux leakage. Flux
leak from the fully magnetized section of the pipeline occurs as a consequence of
anomalies appearing in the interior or exterior circumferential surfaces of the pipeline
20 wall.
A second instrument is supported by the pig body between the poles of the
magnets and arranged to generate signals that are responsive to eddy currents induced in
the pipeline interior surface. By measuring induced eddy currents, indication can be
obtained of whether a detected anomaly exists in the interior surface. If an anomaly is
25 detected that occurs as a consequence of flux leakage and if the eddy current instruments
indicate that the pipeline interior circumferential wall is free of anomalies, then by logic it
is concluded that the detected anomaly is in the pipeline exterior surface. If an anomaly is
detected and simultaneously the eddy current instrumentation indicates the existence of an
anomaly in the interior pipeline surface, then the logic system provides an indication that
30 the detected anomaly is on the pipeline interior surface.
Determining whether a detected anomaly is on the interior or exterior surface is
thereby obtained by combining the first and second signals to indicate both the magnitude
and the interior or exterior location of the pipeline anomalies.
Energy is required to induce eddy currents into the interior surface of a pipeline,
35 and typical eddy current sensing systems can consume substantial amounts of energy for
 -5

continuous operation. It is necessary to introduce and then measure eddy currents only
when measurements need to be recorded. For this reason, in the instrument pig herein,
the eddy current instruments are energized only when requested by a signal processing
circuit.
5 While flux leakage can be detected in various ways, a very successful and a
preferred system for practicing the invention herein includes the use of Hall-effect
devices.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an instrument
pig for determining the characteristics of a ferromagnetic pipeline through which the pig
10 passes, comprising:
a pig body coaxially supported and moving within the pipeline in response to
fluid flow;
first and second coaxial circumferential, spaced apart magnets supported to said
pig body and providing substantially complete magnetic saturation of an area of the
is pipeline between the magnets;
first instruments supported by the pig body between said magnets and arranged
to generate signals that are responsive to flux leakage servicing to provide first
information as to anomalies in the pipeline interior and/or exterior surface;
second instruments employing pulsed and sensing coil pairs supported by the pig
20 body between said magnets and arranged to generate signals that are responsive to eddy
currents induced in the pipeline interior surface servicing to provide second information
as to anomalies in the pipeline interior surface;
signal processing circuitry combining said first and second signals to indicate the
magnitude and interior or exterior location of the pipeline anomalies; and
25 wherein said second instruments are energized only in response to signals
generated by said signal processing circuitry.
The invention herein can be further summarized as a method of determining the
characteristics of the interior and exterior surfaces of a metal pipeline, including the steps
of (a) moving an axially supported pig body through a pipeline; (b) by means carried by
30 the pig body, magnetically saturating a circumferential zone of the pipeline that moves
with the instrument pig; (c) continuously measuring changes of reluctance in the moving
circumferential magnetized zone of the pipeline to provide indications of the presence and
size of anomalies in the pipeline interior or exterior surfaces; (d) electrically actuating a
plurality of pulse coils to induce eddy currents in the internal surface of the moving
35 circumferential zone of the pipeline; (e) by means
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

of a plurality of sensing coils, each paired with a pulse coil, measuring the eddy

currents to determine the presence or absence of an anomaly in the pipeline interior

surface; (f) comparing the results of steps in (c) and (e) to determine whether an

anomaly detected in step (c) is on the interior or exterior of the surface of the pipeline;

5 (g) recording the results of steps (c) and (f) to provide information as to the anomaly's

size and interior/exterior location with respect to the pipeline wall; and (h) energizing

said plurality of pulse coils in step (d) only generated by said signal processing

circuitry.

A better and more complete understanding of the invention will be obtained

10 from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, and the claims,

taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

6
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a pipeline pig assembly of a type that can be

employed in practicing the invention. The pipeline pig in FIG. 1 includes cups for

contacting the interior surface of a pipeline wall and for causing the pig to move by

5 fluid flow, either liquid or gas, through the pipeline.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the instrument portion of the pipeline pig of

FIG. 1 showing a plurality of paralleled, closely spaced apart armatures with

permanent magnets. The armatures are attached by link arms to the pig body.

FIG. 3 is an elevational cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 showing only a top and

10 bottom positioned armature with its magnets, spacers, linkages, and instruments

employed in this invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial isometric view showing a typical pipeline pig body and

representative armatures with associated magnets, instruments, spacers, and linkages

as employed in the invention.

15 FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic elevational, cross-sectional view showing a portion

of a pipeline wall and showing the basic instruments employed in the invention

including a Hall-effect sensor assembly and in combination an eddy current sensor.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a portion of an instrument pig

used to practice the invention. This view illustrates a pig body with one armature

20 with its attached magnets and instrumentation positioned between the magnets. By

block diagram, the basic electronics used to practice the invention are illustrated.

7
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the details of

construction and arrangement of components illustrated in the accompanying

drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or

5 carried out in a variety of ways. Further, the phraseology and terminology employed

herein are for purposes of description and not of limitation.

Elements employed in illustrating the practice of the instrument pig and the

methods of determining the characteristics of the interior and exterior surfaces of a

metal pipeline, as illustrated in the attached drawings, will be identified by numbers

10 indicated hereinbelow:

10 instrument pig 56 head assembly

12 instrumentation section 58 sensed eddy current
14 elastomeric cups 60 Hall-effect process circuitry
16 instrument support package 62 62A-D
18 odometers 64 eddy current pulser circuit
20 pig body 66 eddy current process circuit
22 A&B end plates 68 output signal
24 armatures 70 signal processing and output circuit
26 positive pole magnet 72 Hall-effect instrumentation
29 negative pole magnet 74 eddy current instrumentation
30 forward link arm 76 conductor
32 rearward link arm 78 conductor
34 pin 80 conductor
36 slot 82 conductor
38 spacers 84 conductor
40 Hall-effect sensor 86 odometer wheel
42 interior circumferential surface 88 odometer circuit
44 pipeline 90 positioning signal
46 exterior circumferential surface 92 conductor
48 range of measurement 94 recorder
50 eddy current sensor system
54 induced eddy currents

8
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

Referring to FIG. 1, a typical instrument pipeline pig of the type that can

employ the principals of this invention is illustrated. The overall pipeline instrument

pig is indicated generally by the numeral 10 and includes an instrumentation section

12 to which this invention is specifically directed. The typical instrument pipeline pig

5 10 includes the use of a plurality (5 being shown) of elastomeric cups 14 that have

two basic functions. First, the cups 14 support the pipeline pig centrally within the

pipeline, and second, they have circumferential edges or lips that engage a pipeline

interior wall, forming a piston-like relationship so that fluid flowing through the

pipeline causes a force against the cups that moves the instrument pipe 10 through the

10 pipeline.

In addition to the instrumentation section 12, a typical pipeline pig 10 includes

as illustrated, an instrument support package 16 that typically contains batteries by

which electrical energy is supplied to the instrumentation section 12, and recording

instruments. Instrument support package 16 is connected to the instrumentation

15 section 12 by means of an internal cable (not shown).

Further, the typical pipeline pig includes an odometer 18 that is in the form of

a wheel that engages the pipeline interior wall surface to provide electrical signals by

which the location of detected anomalies in the pipeline wall are recorded.

It must be understood that the instrument pig 10 is illustrated by way of

20 example only and not by limitation. The invention herein lies exclusively within the

arrangement of the instrumentation section 12 and such instrument section can be

used in conjunction with other instrument pig systems.

The instrumentation section 12 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 2-6.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a basic structural arrangement of an instrumentation

25 system by which this invention can be practiced is illustrated. The instrumentation

section 12 includes a pig body 20 having spaced apart end plates 22A and 22B.
9
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

Supported between the end plates are a plurality of elongated armatures 24 that are in

closely spaced parallel arrangement and positioned circumferentially around the pig

body 20. Each armature 24 supports at one end a positive pole magnet 26 and at the

other end a negative pole magnet 28. Rather than being called "negative" and

5 "positive" pole magnets, they are frequently referred to as north pole and south pole

magnets. Magnets 26 and 28 mounted on associated armatures 24 are closely spaced

and of magnetic intensity so that the circumferential portion of the length of the pipe

between magnets 26 and 28 is at least substantially fully magnetically saturated.

Each armature 24 is supported between plates 22A and 22B by a forward link

10 arm 30 and a rearward link-arm 32. Each of the forward link-arms 30 is pivoted at

one end to plate 22A and at the rearward end to an armature 24. The rearward link

arms 32 are each pivoted to an armature 24 at one end and the rearward end has a pin

34 received in a slot 36. The link arms 30 and 32 thereby allow flexible radial

position of each armature 24 with respect to the pig body 20 - that is, each armature

15 can be deflected inwardly and outwardly as required to conform to the internal

cylindrical surface of the pipe wall through which the instrument pig travels.

To maintain the magnets 26 and 28 in close proximity to the interior pipeline

wall but at the same time prevent the magnets from being worn by engagement with

the pipeline wall, spacers 38 are employed. Spacers 38 may be wheels as illustrated

20 in the drawings or may be pads arranged to slide against the internal wall of the

pipeline to thereby space the magnets 26 and 28 in close proximity to the pipeline

wall but without touching the wall. The use of wheels functioning as spacers is a

known technology and not a part of this invention.

The essence of the invention is best illustrated by referring to FIGS. 5 and 6.

25 FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the basic concepts. The instrument pig 10 as

generally indicated in FIG. 5 carries with it instrumentation that includes essentially a

10
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

Hall-effect sensor 40 supported by the instrument in close proximity to the interior

circumferential surface 42 of a cylindrical pipeline 44 that has a corresponding

exterior circumferential surface 46. The use of Hall-effect sensors 40 is known

technique for detecting flux leakage in a magnetically saturated pipe wall. The range

5 of detection of anomalies obtained by Hall-effect sensor 40 is indicated by the dotted

lines 48 in FIG. 5.

If the instrument pig 10 of this invention included instrumentation that

contained only Hall-effect sensors, it would function to provide a record indicative of

anomalies in the pipe wall but such record would not provide information as to

10 whether the detected anomalies are on the pipe interior circumferential surface 42 or

the exterior circumferential surface 46. To provide this lacking information, the

instrument package of the instrument pig of this invention includes the use of eddy

current sensor systems 50. An "eddy current" is, generally speaking, an induced

electric current in an electrically conductive object that typically causes a loss of

15 energy. Eddy currents are sometimes also called "Foucault currents." Eddy currents

move contrary to the direction of a main current and usually in a circular motion. A

unique characteristic of eddy currents is that when induced into a conductive object,

they typically are confined to a shallow depth of the skin surface of the object. This

characteristic is taken advantage of in the present invention in that, as illustrated in

20 FIG. 5, each eddy current sensor system 50 functions by inducing an eddy current

indicated by the dotted lines 54 into the interior circumferential surface 42 of pipeline

wall 44. The eddy currents 54 are induced by pulsing a coil carried by the eddy

currents sensor system 54.

Eddy current sensors are often employed to measure the proximity of

25 electrically conductive materials. They exploit the "skin depth" effects that result

from exposing a conductive material to a high-frequency magnetic field. As such,

11
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

their effective field of view into the material is limited to a few thousandths of an

inch. Additionally, they are able to operate inside a strong low-frequency magnetic

field with little effect on performance.

The sensor concept disclosed in FIG. 5 incorporates both the Hall-effect

5 sensor 40 and the eddy current sensor system 50 that are supported in the same head

assembly, such head assemblies 56 being seen best in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6. The system

of this invention employs Hall-effect sensors 40 as primary quantitative indicators of

metal loss and therefore the existence of anomalies in the pipe wall interior and

exterior circumferential surfaces 42 and 46. This is so since the field of view, that is

10 the range of measurement 48 seen in FIG. 5, includes the entire pipe wall 44.

However the eddy current sensors see only a short depth into the interior pipe wall 42

and responds to metal loss that is localized to the inside wall of the pipe.

The eddy current sensor systems 50 employ the use of a pulse coil design to

minimize the power required. This is illustrated in FIG. 5 by an induced eddy current

15 54 and a sensed eddy current represented by the dotted lines of 58. The quantitative

extent of sensed eddy currents indicate the presence or absence of anomalies, that is

missing metal, from the interior circumferential surface 42 of pipe 44.

An important feature of the present invention is that the eddy current sensor

system 50 is energized or excited to produce the induced eddy current 54 only as

20 requested from the instrument electronics. This is schematically represented in FIG. 6

which shows Hall-effect process circuitry 60 that responds to detected anomalies 62A

through 62D in the wall of pipeline 44. When requested by the signal processing

circuit 70, eddy current pulser circuit 64 is activated to stimulate the eddy current

sensor system 50 to initiate induced eddy current represented by 54 in FIG. 5. An

25 eddy current process circuit 66 responds sensed eddy current 58 (FIG. 5) and provides

an output signal on conductor 68 to signal processing output circuit 70.

12
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

FIG. 6 indicates schematically a portion of the instrument pig 10 of this

invention showing the pig body 20, an armature 24, positive and negative magnets 26

and 28 as supported on the armature and a head assembly 56 positioned between the

magnets that contain Hall-effect instrumentation 72 and eddy current instrumentation

5 74. Eddy current instrumentation 74 responds to eddy current pulser circuit 64 to

cause induced eddy currents 54 as seen in FIG. 5 and for detecting and measuring

resultantsensed eddy current flow indicated by the numeral 58 in FIG. 5. As shown

in FIG. 6, the eddy current pulser signal is carried by conductor 76 to eddy current

instrument 74 while the sensed eddy current is carried by conductor 78 to eddy

10 current processing circuit 66. The conductor 80 carries the signal from Hall-effect

instrumentation 72 to the Hall-effect processing circuitry 60. Initiating signals from

processing circuit 70 to actuate eddy current pulser 64 are carried by conductor 82

while the quantitative process signal generated by the Hall-effect instrument 72 is

passed by conductor 84 to signal processingand output circuit 70,

15 FIG. 6 shows the use of an odometer wheel 86 supplying signals to an

odometer circuit 88 which provides a positioning signal 90 to signal processing and

output circuit 70.

While ID/OD discrimination sensors have conventionally been arranged in a

second array of heads located somewhere away from the magnetizer systems of an

20 instrument pig, in the invention herein the Hall-effect sensor 72 and eddy current

instrumentation 74 are in the same head assembly 56 positioned between magnetic

poles 26 and 28. This system eliminates the need for a secondary sensor array located

elsewhere on a tool and subsequently reduces the number of connectors and cables

required to pass signals from the sensor heads to the data logging electronics.

25 In summary, first instrumentation Hall-effect instrumentation 72 that is

included in head assembly 56 and positioned between magnetic pole 26 and 28 is

13
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

arranged to generate signals by way of conductor 80 that are responsive to flux

leakage and thereby serves to provide first information as to anomalies 62A through

62D in the pipeline interior or exterior surfaces 42 and 46. Second instrumentation,

that is, eddy current instrumentation 74, is supported by head assembly 56 between

5 magnets 26 and 28 and arranged to generate signals that are responsive to eddy
currents 54 and 58 as seen in FIG. 5 that are induced in the pipeline interior surface 42

that provides second informationas to anomalies in the interior wall 42 of the pipeline

44. An important feature of the invention herein as illustrated in the schematic circuit

diagram of FIG. 6 is that the second eddy current instrumentation is energized only in

10 response to signals generated by signal processing circuit 70. In this way the energy

required to operate eddy current instrumentation 74 is employed only when data is

required and thus substantial energy saving is obtained.

The invention described herein is not limited to the specific illustrations

contained in the drawings which are representativeonly of one embodiment of the

15 invention which are presented to be a preferred embodiment at the time of the

preparation of this application, but it is understood that the invention is limited only
by the scope of the attached claim or claims including the full range of equivalency to

which each element or step thereof is entitled.

14
 - 15

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. An instrument pig for determining the characteristics of a ferromagnetic pipeline

through which the pig passes, comprising:
5 a pig body coaxially supported and moving within the pipeline in response to
fluid flow;
first and second coaxial circumferential, spaced apart magnets supported to said
pig body and providing substantially complete magnetic saturation of an area of the
pipeline between the magnets;
10 first instruments supported by the pig body between said magnets and arranged
to generate signals that are responsive to flux leakage servicing to provide first
information as to anomalies in the pipeline interior and/or exterior surface;
second instruments employing pulsed and sensing coil pairs supported by the pig
body between said magnets and arranged to generate signals that are responsive to eddy
is currents induced in the pipeline interior surface servicing to provide second information
as to anomalies in the pipeline interior surface;
signal processing circuitry combining said first and second signals to indicate the
magnitude and interior or exterior location of the pipeline anomalies; and
wherein said second instruments are energized only in response to signals
20 generated by said signal processing circuitry.
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

2. An instrument pig according to Claim 1 wherein said first and second

instruments are arranged in a plurality of closely spaced heads located

circumferentially about said pig body and in a plane perpendicular the axis of

the pipeline.

5 3. An instrument pig according to Claim 1 wherein said first instruments are

Hall-effect devices.

4. An instrument pig according to Claim 1 wherein said magnets are affixed at

opposed ends of elongated armatures that are in spaced apart parallel planes

each including the pipeline axis, the armatures being radially positionably

10 supported to said pig body, said first and second instruments being supported

by the armatures.

5. An instrument pig according to Claim 4 wherein said armatures and magnets

are arranged such that mutual magnetic repulsion attains outward radial

displacement towards the pipeline inner cylindrical wall.

15 6. An instrument pig according to Claim 4 including spacers affixed to said

armatures for engaging the pipeline interior wall and thereby supporting said

magnets and said first and second instruments in close, predetermined spacing

with respect to the pipeline interior wall.

7. An instrument pig according to Claim 4 wherein said armatures are each

20 supported to said body by link arms.

16
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

8. An instrument pig according to Claim 1 wherein said first instruments are

responsive to detected reluctance variations as the pig is moved through the

pipeline.

9. A pipeline pig according to Claim 1 wherein said second instruments are

5 responsive to detected induced current variations in the pipeline interior

surface.

10. A method of determining the characteristics of the interior and exterior

surfaces of a metal pipeline comprising the steps of:

(a) moving an axially supported pig body through a pipeline;

10 (b) by means of magnets carried by the pig body magnetically

saturating a circumferentially zone of the pipeline that moves with the pig;

(c) continuously measuring changes of reluctance in the moving

circumferential zone to provide indications of the presence and size of

anomalies in the pipeline interior or exterior surfaces;

15 (d) electrically energizing a plurality of pulse coils to induce eddy

currents in the internal surface of said moving circumferential zone of the

pipeline;

(e) by means of a plurality of sensing coils each paired with a said

pulsed coil measuring said eddy currents to determine the presence or absence

20 of anomalies in the pipeline interior surface;

(f) comparing the results of steps (c) and (e) in signal processing

circuitry to determine whether the anomaly detected in step (c) is on the

exterior or interior surface of the pipeline;

17
WO 2005/106451 PCT/US2005/010295

(g) recording the results of steps (c) and (f) to provide information

as to the occurrence, size and exterior/interior locations of pipeline wall

anomalies; and

(h) energizing said plurality of pulse coils in step (d) only in

5 response to signals generated by said signal processing circuitry.

11. A method according to Claim 10 in which step (c) and (e) are carried out by

instruments arranged in a plurality of closely spaced heads located

circumferentially about said pig body and in a plane perpendicular the axis of

the pipeline.

10 12. A method according to Claim 10 in which step (c) is carried out using Hall

effect devices.

13. A method according to Claim 10 wherein step (b) is carried out by magnets

affixed at opposed ends of elongated armatures that are spaced apart in parallel

planes of the pipeline axis and radially displaceably supported to the pig body.

15 14. A method according to Claim 13 including arranging said armatures so that

the mutual magnetic repulsion of the magnets supported thereon results in

radially biasing said armatures and instruments affixed thereon towards the

pipeline inner, cylindrical surface.

15. A method according to Claim 14 including affixing spacers to said armatures

20 for engaging said pipeline inner cylindrical surface for thereby supporting said

magnets and said instruments in close, predetermined spacing with respect to

said pipeline inner cylindrical surface.

18
 - 19

16. A method according to Claim 13 including affixing said armature to said pig
body by pivotal link arms.

17. An instrument pig substantially as herein described with reference to any one of
5 the embodiments as that embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings.

18. A method of determining the characteristics of the interior and exterior surfaces
of a metal pipeline substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the
embodiments as that embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings.
10

DATED this Sixth Day of January, 2010

TDW Delaware, Inc.
Patent Attorneys for the Applicant
is SPRUSON & FERGUSON