G01N29/44

Detecting and quantifying liquid pools in hydrocarbon fluid pipelines

Pressure-inducing devices and pressure transducers can be used to detect and quantify liquid pools in hydrocarbon fluid pipelines. Pressure fluctuations can be detected by a pressure transducer, where the pressure fluctuations are the response of a pressure-inducing device outputting a pressure signal in a pipe carrying hydrocarbons. Variation in a pipe diameter caused by pooling or deposition can be estimated using an inverse model. The pooling or depositions can be classified by applying a machine-learning model to the pressure fluctuations. The variation in pipe diameter can be converted to an equivalent liquid volume for pooling locations. A pooling or deposition location and volume can be output and used for determining an action on the pipe to remove the pooling or deposition.

Detection system and detection method

A sound source device and a signal receiver are disposed at first and second ports of a target object, respectively. A sound of a specific frequency of the sound source device is introduced into the target object to generate a resonant sound wave. A computer simulates a signal generated when the resonant sound wave is received by the signal receiver and regarding the signal as reference information. The reference information comprises first data having characteristics of the resonant sound wave, and data having features of an imaginary defect formed on the target object. The features of the imaginary defect correspond to the characteristics of the resonant sound wave. When the target object has a real defect, the sound of the specific frequency of the sound source device is introduced into the target object. Features of the real defect are derived by comparing the first data with the second data.

Method for ultrasonic inspection of structure having radiused surface using multi-centric radius focusing
11525810 · 2022-12-13 · ·

Multi-centric radius focusing is used to inspect a radiused surface of a radiused part having a varying radius without mechanically adjusting the array sensor. A plurality of focal laws are designed to electronically steer and focus ultrasound at respective focal points corresponding to centers of curvature of a simulated radiused surface having a varying radius. The mechanical probe that carries the array sensor is located to two physical places that are outside of the radiused area and have a spatial relationship that varies less than the radius of the radiused surface varies. As the probe is moved along the radiused part, the probe maintains the array sensor at a constant location relative to the radiused part. As the array sensor scans the radiused part, the array sensor is electronically adjusted to focus at the respective focal points in sequence.

Method for ultrasonic inspection of structure having radiused surface using multi-centric radius focusing
11525810 · 2022-12-13 · ·

Multi-centric radius focusing is used to inspect a radiused surface of a radiused part having a varying radius without mechanically adjusting the array sensor. A plurality of focal laws are designed to electronically steer and focus ultrasound at respective focal points corresponding to centers of curvature of a simulated radiused surface having a varying radius. The mechanical probe that carries the array sensor is located to two physical places that are outside of the radiused area and have a spatial relationship that varies less than the radius of the radiused surface varies. As the probe is moved along the radiused part, the probe maintains the array sensor at a constant location relative to the radiused part. As the array sensor scans the radiused part, the array sensor is electronically adjusted to focus at the respective focal points in sequence.

Systems and methods for determining life of a motor using electrocardiogram (EKG) sensors
11525861 · 2022-12-13 · ·

A method for measuring health of a motor includes: (a) measuring, by an electrocardiogram sensor, vibration of the motor to obtain at least two electrical signals with each of the at least two electrical signals representing a harmonic of the vibration of the motor; (b) comparing each of the at least two electrical signals with a corresponding baseline; (c) based on the comparison, determining whether any one of the at least two electrical signals includes one or more artifacts wherein an artifact in a respective one of the at least two electrical signals is a deviation from a respective one of the corresponding baseline; and (d) based on any one of the at least two electrical signals including the one or more artifacts, providing an estimated time to failure for the motor.

Systems and methods for determining life of a motor using electrocardiogram (EKG) sensors
11525861 · 2022-12-13 · ·

A method for measuring health of a motor includes: (a) measuring, by an electrocardiogram sensor, vibration of the motor to obtain at least two electrical signals with each of the at least two electrical signals representing a harmonic of the vibration of the motor; (b) comparing each of the at least two electrical signals with a corresponding baseline; (c) based on the comparison, determining whether any one of the at least two electrical signals includes one or more artifacts wherein an artifact in a respective one of the at least two electrical signals is a deviation from a respective one of the corresponding baseline; and (d) based on any one of the at least two electrical signals including the one or more artifacts, providing an estimated time to failure for the motor.

Active Temperature Compensation Technique for Structural Health Monitoring Sensors

A system and method for detecting an anomaly in a structure using an adaptive filter to compensate for variations in piezoelectric transducer performance due to environmental factors such as temperature. A first voltage signal having a first amplitude is sent to a reference piezoelectric actuator. Thereafter, a first reference voltage signal is received from a reference piezoelectric receiver which is acoustically coupled to detect the guided wave generated by the reference piezoelectric actuator. A second amplitude is determined using an optimization algorithm of an adaptive filter to compensate for nonlinear behavior of the reference piezoelectric actuator and receiver based on the first reference voltage signal. Then the adaptive filter sends a second voltage signal having the second amplitude to the reference and test piezoelectric actuators. Reference and test voltage signals are received from the reference and test piezoelectric receivers in response to the second voltage signal. A difference voltage signal representing differences between the reference and test voltage signals received is then recorded.

Ultrasonic transducer system and method for bi-modal system responses

A transducer system. The system comprises a transducer and circuitry for applying an excitation waveform to excite the transducer during an excitation period. The circuitry for applying has: (i) circuitry for applying a first waveform at a first frequency; and (ii) circuitry for applying a second waveform at a second frequency differing from the first frequency.

Machine learning device and machine learning method for learning fault prediction of main shaft or motor which drives main shaft, and fault prediction device and fault prediction system including machine learning device
11521105 · 2022-12-06 · ·

A machine learning device which learns fault prediction of one of a main shaft of a machine tool and a motor driving the main shaft, including a state observation unit observing a state variable including at least one of data output from a motor controller controlling the motor, data output from a detector detecting a state of the motor, and data output from a measuring device measuring a state of the one of the main shaft and the motor; a determination data obtaining unit obtaining determination data upon determining one of whether a fault has occurred in the one of the main shaft and the motor and a degree of fault; and a learning unit learning the fault prediction of the one of the main shaft and the motor in accordance with a data set generated based on a combination of the state variable and the determination data.

Non-destructive testing for tubular product having a complex shape
11519880 · 2022-12-06 · ·

An automated device for non-destructive testing for the detection of defects of a complex tubular product includes at least one ultrasound transducer arranged to emit an ultrasound beam having an emission orientation. The automated device further includes control and processing electronics configured to define at least one ultrasound burst parameter as a function of the longitudinal and/or circumferential position of the ultrasound emission means, so as to detect defects in the tube wall. The at least one parameter being chosen from the burst emission orientation, the gain or the position of the temporal filter.