Robotic apparatus for automated internal pipeline girth weld ultrasonic inspection

摘要

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for inspecting pipeline girth welds from the inside of a pipeline by means of a robotic cart, remotely controlled externally by either an umbilical cord or a bi-directional wireless link. The robotic cart can be self propelled and can be driven from weld to weld by an operator, assisted by CCTV cameras. An array of ultrasonic probes are deployed from a rotating, robotic arm that extends from the cart front to the pipe wall, allowing the ultrasonic array to be placed at the weld and then rotated around the weld to provide 100% inspection of the weld. The acquired ultrasonic inspection data can be stored on an on-board computer for later analysis, and/or transmitted to an external computer for immediate analysis.