Hydrocarbons extracted from downhole formations generally need to be refined before they are distributed as an end-product. One example refining process is referred to as alkylation. During the alkylation process hydrocarbons are mixed with an acid such as hydrofluoric acid or sulphuric acid. Facilities that refine hydrocarbons may employ many source material units (e.g., to provide hydrocarbons or acids), process units to mix the source materials together, storage units to store the end-product, and connective pipes. As an example, a refinery may have hundreds to thousands of pipes that are interconnected using flanges. Over time, refinery components including pipes and flanges are subject to corrosion, servicing, and replacement. The customary inspection process for flanges involves disassembly of a flange-to-flange pipe arrangement and then visual inspection of the flange. The amount of time and cost to inspect and service refinery components is undesirably high.
Accordingly, there is provided herein novel non-invasive flange inspection systems and methods. In at least some embodiments, a non-invasive flange inspection system comprises an ultrasonic scanning control unit. The system also comprises a probe with acoustic transducers coupled to the ultrasonic scanning control unit. The system also comprises an output device that stores or displays ultrasonic scanning results, obtained using the ultrasonic scanning control unit and the probe on a flange in an assembled flange-to-flange pipe arrangement, for multiple radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange.
In at least some embodiments, a non-invasive flange inspection method comprises aligning an ultrasonic scanning probe with a flange in an assembled flange-to-flange pipe arrangement. The method also comprises outputting control signals, by an ultrasonic scanning control unit, to the ultrasonic scanning probe to obtain ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange. The method also comprises storing or displaying the ultrasonic scanning results for the multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange.
Each of the foregoing embodiments may be implemented in combination and/or may include one or more of the following features in any combination: (a) a wedge is positioned between the probe and the flange while collecting ultrasonic scanning results; b) wherein the probe is a 10 MHz probe; c) the ultrasonic scanning control unit is programmed to perform beam steering at a plurality of angles without moving the probe to obtain the ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; d) the probe angle relative to the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange is adjusted manually to obtain the ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; e) the ultrasonic scanning control unit, the probe, and the output device are part of a portable phased-array tool; f) the ultrasonic scanning results correspond to S-scans and related A-scans, wherein the S-scans and related A-scans are analyzed to identify a level of corrosion or tapering at different radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; g) wherein a user manually analyzes displayed S-scans and related A-scans to identify a level of corrosion or tapering at different radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; h) wherein a computer executes a program to automate analysis of the S-scans and related A-scans to identify a level of corrosion or tapering at different radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; i) a computer with a processor and a computer-readable storage medium stores an inspection report program, wherein the inspection report program, when executed, is used to create an inspection report for the flange based on the ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; j) wherein aligning an ultrasonic scanning probe with an assembled flange comprises positioning a wedge between the probe and the flange; k) the ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange are obtained by adjusting an angle of the probe relative to the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; l) the ultrasonic scan results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange are obtained using beam steering without moving the probe; m) programming the ultrasonic scanning control unit to perform the beam steering at a plurality of angles relative to the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; n) wherein outputting control signals comprises directing transducers of a 10 MHz probe; o) performing the non-invasive flange inspection method for different areas around the flange to obtain a set of inspection points at different azimuths and radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; p) analyzing S-scans and related A-scans, corresponding to the ultrasonic scanning results, to identify a level of corrosion or tapering at different radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange; q) using a portable phased-array tool to perform said outputting and said storing or displaying; r) using a computer with an inspection report program to create an inspection report for the flange based on the ultrasonic scanning results for multiple radial distances along the hidden gasket sealing surface of the flange.
In the drawings:
It should be understood that the drawings and corresponding detailed description do not limit the disclosure, but on the contrary, they provide the foundation for understanding all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the appended claims.
In the following description, “flange” refers to a pipe flange that is added to the end of a pipe to facilitate connecting different pipe segments together (flange-to-flange). There are many different pipe flange standards, dimensions, materials, ratings, connection styles, and related gaskets. As used herein, a flange's “hidden gasket sealing surface” refers to at least one surface that contacts a gasket and is hidden when the flange is in an assembled condition (e.g., part of an assembled flange-to-flange pipe assembly).
Disclosed herein are novel non-invasive flange inspection systems and methods. In accordance with at least some embodiments, the disclosed non-invasive flange inspection systems and methods involve ultrasonic scanning. For example, an illustrative ultrasonic scanning tool includes an ultrasonic scanning control unit and a probe with acoustic transducers coupled to the ultrasonic scanning control unit. In operation, the ultrasonic scanning control unit outputs control signals to the acoustic transducers of the probe resulting in different ultrasonic scanning options. In at least some embodiments, a wedge can be positioned between the probe and a flange being scanned to further vary the ultrasonic scanning options available. With proper programming of the ultrasonic scanning control unit, selection/adjustment of probe options (e.g., probe type and orientation), and/or selection/adjustment of wedge options (e.g., wedge type and orientation), ultrasonic scanning results can be obtained for multiple radial distances along a hidden gasket sealing surface of a flange. As desired, ultrasonic scanning can be performed for a flange such that ultrasonic scanning results corresponding to multiple radial distances and/or multiple azimuthal angles of a hidden gasket sealing surface are obtained. In this manner, the condition of the entire hidden gasket sealing surface is accurately revealed.
It should be understood that the number of ultrasonic scanning results used to identify the condition of the hidden gasket sealing surface of a flange can vary for different embodiments (e.g., the resolution of measurement points across the hidden gasket sealing surface can be increased or decreased according to different service provider or customer criteria). The same ultrasonic scanning process can be repeated for a plurality of assembled flanges in a refinery (or other facility), and a report is provided to a customer, where the condition of hidden gasket sealing surfaces of flanges can be known without disassembly. In some embodiments, inspected flanges can be flagged for subsequent disassembly and visual inspection based on the results of the non-invasive flange inspection technique described herein (e.g., inspected flanges can be identified as good, bad, or questionable). Also, an estimated lifetime or subsequent inspection schedule can be provided for flanges based on the non-invasive flange inspection technique described herein.
As desired, ultrasonic scanning can be performed for the flange 22 such that ultrasonic scanning results corresponding to multiple radial distances and/or multiple azimuthal angles of the hidden gasket sealing surface 30 are obtained. In this manner, the condition of the entire hidden gasket sealing surface 30 of the flange 22 can be accurately revealed. It should be understood that the number of ultrasonic scanning results used to identify the condition of the hidden gasket sealing surface 30 can vary for different embodiments (i.e., the resolution of measurement points across the hidden gasket sealing surface can be increased or decreased). Such variations in condition identification are included in a set of scanning/condition rules 108, which can be updated as needed to account for variations in different ultrasonic scanning control units 102, different ultrasonic scanning control unit programming options, different probes 104, different wedges 106, different types of flanges 22, different types of flange-to-flange arrangements, different customer requests, laboratory tests, trial-and-error results, etc.
In at least some embodiments, the scanning/condition rules 108 include rules regarding how to interpret ultrasonic scanning results for a particular ultrasonic scanning control unit 102 with a given programming, probe 104, and/or wedge 106 to identify a level of tapering and/or corrosion along a hidden gasket sealing surface 30. As an example, ultrasonic scanning results may be displayed to an operator, who is able to apply scanning/condition rules 108 manually (or by interacting with graphic user interface) to identify the condition of the hidden gasket sealing surface 30. As another option, the data corresponding to ultrasonic scanning results can be analyzed by a computer based on a predetermined set of rules (e.g., image analysis rules) to identify the condition of the hidden gasket sealing surface 30. Even if a computer is employed to perform condition analysis on obtained ultrasonic scanning results, an operator of the ultrasonic scanning control unit 102 may still view ultrasonic scanning results (e.g., via the output device 110) to ensure the captured ultrasonic scanning results include a threshold level of meaningful data. In some embodiments, identifying the condition of a flange's hidden gasket sealing surface 30 may be performed in real-time once ultrasonic scanning results are obtained. Additionally or alternatively, identifying the condition of a flange's hidden gasket sealing surface 30 may be performed or re-verified after the ultrasonic scanning results are obtained and stored for later analysis. In different embodiments, the output device 110 represents a tablet, a touchscreen, a computer monitor, a printer, a computer, a computer-readable storage medium, and/or a combination of such components, whereby ultrasonic scanning results are reviewed manually or programmatically (e.g., using a computer and one or more programs) based on the scanning/condition rules 108 to identify the condition of a flange's hidden gasket sealing surface 30. The scanning/condition rules 108 may include thresholds related to different levels (e.g., good/bad, a score of 1-5, a score 1-10, etc.) of tapering and/or corrosion. Such thresholds can be used to manually or programmatically (e.g., using a computer) provide a report 112 to a customer regarding the condition of one or more flanges 22 based on the non-invasive inspection technique 100 described herein.
The report 112 includes a list of flanges inspected and the relevant details of any tapering and/or corrosion. The report 112 is provided to a customer as an electronic file and/or as a hardcopy document for use in making decisions regarding subsequent maintenance, replacement, and/or inspection of flanges. While only a few flanges are represented in the report 112 of
These and numerous other modifications, equivalents, and alternatives, will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. For example, the non-invasive flange inspection technique 100 described herein can be applied to other flange arrangements or other components with a hidden gasket sealing surface (the technique 100 is not limited to assembled flange-to-flange pipe arrangements). It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such modifications, equivalents, and alternatives where applicable.
The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/502,416, filed May 5, 2017, entitled “Non-Invasive Flange Inspection”, and hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62502416 | May 2017 | US |