Method and sensor mount for measuring seam peaking in pipes by means of ultrasonic inspection

摘要

For ultrasonic measurement of pipe seam peaking, optionally with simultaneous ultrasonic wall thickness measurement using ultrasonic probes mounted on sensor holders on a sensor mount, it is proposed to use a sensor mount with sensor holders mounted on movable skids, which are pressed outward by spring elements and bear against the internal pipe surface, and skids having a large skid breadth greater than the seam peak breadth measured in the pipe's circumferential direction in the region of a measured seam peak, and sensor holders equipped with sensors only in a measuring region situated half way between two skid contact surfaces, wherein the measuring region breadth is less or equal to half of the skid breadth such that the stand off deviation of the sensors resulting in the seam peak region remains below a threshold value.

主权项

1. A method for measuring seam peaking in a pipe, more particularly in a pipeline, by means of ultrasonic measurement with the aid of ultrasonic probes mounted on sensor holders attached to a sensor mount, which is moved in a direction of transport through said pipe, wherein
the sensor mount used is a sensor mount on which the sensor holders are mounted on movable skids, which movable skids are pressed radially outward by means of spring elements so as to cause the movable skids to bear against an internal surface of said pipe, such that said sensor mount has a size reducibility and such that sensors used as said ultrasonic probes are at a fixed stand off from said internal surface of said pipe except for a region of a seam peak, the movable skids used are movable skids that have a large skid breadth, which is greater than a seam peak breadth measured in a circumferential direction of the pipe in the region of the seam peak to be measured, and said sensor holders are equipped in each case with the sensors only in a measuring region that is situated half way between two skid contact surfaces, wherein the breadth of the measuring region is smaller than, or equal to, half of the skid breadth, such that a stand off deviation of the sensors resulting in the region of the seam peak remains below a specified threshold value, and said sensor mount comprises at least three successive rings, wherein the rings are disposed one behind the other as regarded in the direction of transport of said sensor mount and have the sensors carried by the sensor holders, wherein said sensors are disposed on the respective rings with a track distance and the sensors on the succeeding rings are in a gap-covering manner in staggered relationship to each other, thus achieving full coverage of tracks of the sensors over a circumference of said pipe.