Determining average wall thickness and wall-thickness variation of a liquid-carrying pipe

摘要

The average wall thickness and the wall-thickness variation of a liquid-carrying pipe are determined. An elastic wave is generated and is measured after traveling a distance along the pipe. From the received wave, the average radius of the pipe, the average inside diameter of the pipe, and the inside diameter variation of the pipe are determined. From the average radius of the pipe and the average inside diameter of the pipe, the average wall thickness of the pipe is determined. From the variations in the average radius of the pipe and the inside diameter variation of the pipe, the wall-thickness variation of the pipe is determined. To determine the average inside diameter of the pipe, the invention relies upon the coupling between the elastic wave modes propagating in the wall of the pipe and the modes propagating in the liquid within the pipe.