The present disclosure discloses a safety pipe loop and method for strain monitoring of mountainous pipelines. The safety pipe loop may include a plurality of magnetic test detectors and a protective shell for protecting the plurality of magnetic test detectors. The number of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be set to 4n, n is an integer number greater than or equal to 1. An angle between any two adjacent detectors of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be 180°/2n. At least two of the plurality of magnetic test detectors may be connected in parallel through a data transmission line and output data through a data transmission interface. An outer layer of the protective shell may include non-magnetic hard alloy, and an inner layer of the protective shell may include non-metallic materials.

A system and methodology for launching, flying and perching on a cylindrically curved surface in an environment without human intervention. The system and methodology include an environment awareness sensor device suite having a depth camera arranged to capture and output image data and 3D point cloud data of a field of view; an asset targeting unit arranged to set an asset as a destination location for a landing; a trajectory path determiner arranged to calculate a trajectory path to the destination location; a flight controller arranged to launch and fly the autonomous aerial vehicle to the destination location according to the trajectory path; a situational status determiner arranged to, in real-time, predict a location of an object with respect to the autonomous aerial vehicle based on 3D point cloud data for the object, determine the object is the asset based on a confidence score and autonomously land on the asset.

A magnetic crawler configured to navigate on and inspect a ferromagnetic cylindrical surface is provided. The crawler includes a chassis, a controller configured to control the crawler, a probe configured to inspect the cylindrical surface under the control of the controller, and only three articulated magnetic wheels configured to tangentially contact and magnetically adhere to the cylindrical surface. The wheels include two drive wheels respectively coupled to the chassis by two articulation joints and configured to drive the crawler in a desired direction on the cylindrical surface by actively rotating the two drive wheels independently about respective drive axes of rotation by respective drive motors under the control of the controller; and a rear wheel coupled to the chassis by a rear articulation joint and configured to passively rotate about a rear drive axis of rotation in response to the active rotations of the two drive wheels.

A method and system for detecting displacements in installed pipeline systems and identifying components and their properties, comprising: arranging/attaching a marker to at least one of the components of the installed pipeline system, recording/scanning/photographing the marker (3) and generating a baseline image of the initial state, assigning properties and data to and depositing them on the marker, storing the baseline image at a memory location, re-recording/re-scanning/re-photographing the marker, autonomously detecting the marker and comparing it with the stored baseline image of the corresponding marker, determining alterations or displacements of the marker, outputting determined values, wherein at least two markers are arranged such that they are recorded together on a baseline image.

A method of determining a flow rate of a gas leak in a pressurized gas system includes applying a liquid soap solution to a region of a component, and capturing, via a camera of a portable electronic device, a plurality of sequential images of bubbles formed in the region by an interaction between the liquid soap solution and a gas leak from the component. The plurality of images are analyzed by a first algorithm executed by a processor to determine a total area of the bubbles in the region produced by the leak. A flow rate of the gas leak is then determined via a second algorithm executed by the processor based on the total area of bubbles in the region, a size of the component, and a pressure of the gas.

A method includes providing a length of pipeline that has a housing defining a central bore extending the length of the pipe and a space formed within the housing and extending the length of the pipe. At least one condition within the space is continuously monitored within the space to detect in real time if a change in the housing occurs.

A monitoring system (500) of an on/off type actuator device (1) for activating a valve for fluid pipelines is described, the actuator device (1) being configured to move a valve member of said valve between a first position and a second position. The actuator device (1) comprises at least one fluid cylinder (6) configured to control a linear movement of an actuator rod (8). The monitoring system (500) comprises a plurality of sensors mounted on the actuator device (1) and configured to detect a plurality of operating parameters of the actuator device, and an electronic processing and control unit (50). The electronic processing and control unit (50) is configured to impart a micro-movement to the valve member, to detect signals indicative of the values of said operating parameters during said micro-movement of the valve member, and as a function of said values of said detected operating parameters to estimate if said actuator device (1) is capable of applying a torque or force value sufficient to make said valve member perform the entire movement from the first position to the second position. The micro-movement is such as to constitute only the start of movement of the movable member of the valve, corresponding only to the overcoming of mechanical clearances and dissipative and deformation effects internal to the actuator (1), and furthermore is such as not to substantially involve any alteration in the flow of fluid controlled by the valve. In this way, it is possible to estimate the state of health of the actuator device (1) without causing variations in the flow of fluid through the aforesaid valve.

A monitoring system (500) of an on/off type actuator device (1) for activating a valve for fluid pipelines is described, the actuator device (1) being configured to move a valve member of said valve between a first position and a second position. The actuator device (1) comprises at least one fluid cylinder (6) configured to control a linear movement of an actuator rod (8). The monitoring system (500) comprises a plurality of sensors mounted on the actuator device (1) and configured to detect a plurality of operating parameters of the actuator device, and an electronic processing and control unit (50). The electronic processing and control unit (50) is configured to impart a micro-movement to the valve member, to detect signals indicative of the values of said operating parameters during said micro-movement of the valve member, and as a function of said values of said detected operating parameters to estimate if said actuator device (1) is capable of applying a torque or force value sufficient to make said valve member perform the entire movement from the first position to the second position. The micro-movement is such as to constitute only the start of movement of the movable member of the valve, corresponding only to the overcoming of mechanical clearances and dissipative and deformation effects internal to the actuator (1), and furthermore is such as not to substantially involve any alteration in the flow of fluid controlled by the valve. In this way, it is possible to estimate the state of health of the actuator device (1) without causing variations in the flow of fluid through the aforesaid valve.

A gas supply line control system and method for preventing flow reversal due to an upstream pressure drop in a natural gas supply line, the system and method include setting a threshold low pressure for the upstream gas flow, continually sensing the upstream pressure, activating a trigger valve when the upstream pressure falls below the threshold low pressure, and closing a control valve in response to the trigger valve to prevent reversal of flow in the gas supply line.

Materials, methods of making, and methods of sensing liquid droplets with high spatial resolution as a signature of the on-set of corrosion using a hierarchical sensor network A hierarchical sensor network for sensing liquid droplets with high spatial resolution as a signature of the on-set of corrosion, including an interrogation system; and an intermediate sensor array layer in communication with the interrogation system. The network includes an interrogation system and an intermediate sensor array layer in communication with the interrogation system.