Pipeline inspection apparatus comprising multiple barrel sections, articulating components, and radially extending structures
A pipeline inspection apparatus for moving through an interior of a pipeline and inspecting a region surrounding the pipeline, comprising a neutron source and scintillator sensors housed within one or more sections and including a positioning system that cooperates to position the one or more sections within the pipeline.
1 . A pipeline inspection apparatus for moving through an interior of a pipeline and inspecting a region external to the pipeline, comprising:
one or more sections;
a neutron source;
scintillation sensors; and
a positioning system secured to the one or more sections to position the one or more sections within the pipeline,
wherein each of the neutron source and the scintillator sensors being housed within a respective one of the one or more sections, and
wherein the one or more sections being longitudinally flexible to enable the one or more sections to accommodate a curvature in the pipeline.
2 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
articulating components that configure the one or more sections to be longitudinally flexible; and
one or more functional components,
wherein the one or more sections comprise a plurality of sections, each section housing one of the one or more respective functional components, the plurality of sections being connected in-line by the articulating components.
3 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the one or more functional components include the neutron source, the scintillator sensors, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and a logging computer, the logging computer being configured to record data based on measurements acquired by the scintillator sensors and the IMU.
4 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the neutron source is located in a first section of the plurality of sections and the scintillator sensors are located in a second section of the plurality of sections.
5 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the one or more functional components include an odometer system for measuring a travel distance of the pipeline inspection apparatus within the pipeline.
6 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 5 wherein the odometer system comprises one or more odometer wheels mounted to of the plurality of sections and biased to contact an inner surface of the pipeline.
7 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein the positioning system comprises one or more radially extending support structures mounted to each of the plurality of sections, each of the one or more radially extending support structures being configured to slidably engage an inner surface of the pipeline.
8 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the one or more radially extending support structures are releasably mounted to the plurality of sections, enabling the pipeline inspection apparatus to be adapted to different diameters in the pipeline.
9 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the one or more radially extending support structures are flexible disc shaped structures and are configured with a sufficient surface area to enable a fluid flowing within the pipeline to propel the pipeline inspection apparatus through the pipeline under a force of the flowing fluid.
10 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 7 wherein the one or more radially extending support structures are pig cups.
11 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the articulating components comprises a respective knuckle joint, a universal joint, or a ball joint.
12 . A pipeline inspection apparatus, comprising:
a first component housing section including a neutron source;
a second component housing section coupled to the first component housing section and including one or more gamma ray sensors for measuring gamma rays;
one or more support structures extending outward from each of the first component housing section and the second component housing section;
the first component housing section, the second component housing section, and the one or more support structures being cooperatively configured such that as the pipeline inspection apparatus moves through an interior of a pipeline;
the one or more support structures support the first component housing section and the second component housing section centrally within the pipeline;
the first component housing section and the second component housing section can articulate relative to each other as the pipeline inspection apparatus moves through curves in the pipeline;
the neutron source can emit neutrons into regions surrounding the pipeline; and
the one or more gamma ray sensors can measure gamma rays entering the pipeline from the regions surrounding the pipeline.
13 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
an articulating joint,
wherein the second component housing section is coupled to the first component housing section by the articulating joint.
14 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:
a further articulating joint; and
a third component housing section coupled to the second component housing section by the further articulating joint, the third component housing section including a power source for one or both of the neutron source and the one or more gamma ray sensors.
15 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 12 comprising further comprising:
an inertial measurement unit (IMU); and
a logging computer,
the IMU being configured to generate pose data indicating a position and an orientation as the pipeline inspection apparatus moves through the interior of a pipeline,
the logging computer configured to log the pose data in a synchronization with data obtained based on measurements by the one or more gamma ray sensors.
16 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 12 wherein each of the one or more support structures comprises a radially extending disc configured to slidably engage an inner wall of the pipeline, the one or more support structures providing a surface area to enable a fluid moving within the pipeline to propel the pipeline inspection apparatus through the pipeline.
17 . The pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
a sensor configured to measure a travel distance relative to an interior surface of the pipeline.
18 . A method for inspecting regions surrounding a subterranean pipeline that is used to transport a fluid from a first location to a second location, comprising:
causing the pipeline inspection apparatus of claim 12 to move through the subterranean pipeline with the neutron source emitting neutrons and the one or more gamma ray sensors measuring gamma rays; and
computing and storing density information for the surrounding regions based on the measured gamma rays.
19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising:
mapping the density information for the surrounding regions to material types and generating a profile of material types along a length of the subterranean pipeline.
20 . The method of claim 18 wherein causing the pipeline inspection apparatus to move through the subterranean pipeline comprises subjecting the one or more support structures to a fluid pressure of a fluid flowing through the subterranean pipeline.