RFEC PIG designed for long distance inspection

Abstract

This paper presents an innovative approach for the design and development of Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG) which can inspect pipes from 15" up to 30" with a simple change of shirts using the latest technologies such as Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) sensors as well as Remote Field Eddy Current (RFEC) sensors for oil pipes inspection, through the creation of a simulation tool capable of generating simulated images from pipeline using Inertial Navigation System (INS) for highest accuracy and precision inspection to protect the environment and equipment from any unexpected accident. There are several dynamo motors utilized to regenerate green efficient power from the flow of the medium inside the pipeline to elongate the distance of investigation by the mean of reduction of the number of individual pigging processes to save time and cost for companies. The INS uses accelerometers and gyroscopes of the type "Integrated Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems" (iMEMS), to carry out the mapping corresponding to the inspected pipes. Fluid hammer effect is another factor which has been considered during designing this pig. To avoid such case to occur the design has been revised and several arms have been devised around the robot to maintain the speed and position of pig all the way through the pipeline. Copyright © 2014, International Petroleum Technology Conference.