System and method for collection, analysis and data archiving of pipe defects

摘要

A system for collecting, analyzing, and archiving pipeline defect data, comprising in combination: an electrical probe (60) sized to fit within an underground pipeline; an electrically conductive cable (50) having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being electrically bonded to said probe (60); a voltage source (40) coupled to said cable and separated from said probe; a ground interface (20) coupled to said proximal end of said cable; an electrical meter (30) placed to measure an electrical signal in a circuit that includes said cable (50), said voltage source (40) and said ground interface, said electrical signal correlating with defects in the pipeline adjacent to said probe (60); at least two data processors (190), including an on-site processor and a remote processor; said processor in place including a display for unconditioned data and a transmitter attachable to the remote processor; said remote processor including a processor, memory and software adapted to condition said data and a transmitter capable of sending data back to said processor on site; and said processor being in the place adapted to display conditioned data; wherein both said unconditioned data and said conditioned data include at least one two-dimensional data set, each entry in said two-dimensional data set including a current amplitude field and a probe location field, suitable for displaying on a graph two-dimensional representing current amplitude versus probe position; wherein said conditioned data includes position data correlated to a joint location in the pipeline, the joint position being predetermined or detected from regular electrical amplitude peaks within said unconditioned data.