Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for tagging and acoustically characterizing containers.

Methods, systems, and computer storage media for providing an indication of an integrity of an object based on a non-invasive assessment of the integrity of the object using acoustic signature management engine in object integrity sensing system. In operation, an aggregate object-intermediate-medium sound of an object in an intermediate medium is detected (e.g., via sensors). An acoustic signature of the aggregate object-intermediate-medium sound is generated as a processed acoustic channel associated with statistical measurements. A reference acoustic signature of the object and intermediate medium is accessed. The reference acoustic signature is associated with an acoustic signature computation model, that generates reference acoustic signatures based on a mean and standard deviation measurements of input signals transmitted through the object and intermediate medium. A determination whether the object has impaired integrity is determined based on a quantified difference between the acoustic signature of the aggregate object-intermediate-medium sound and the reference acoustic signature.

A method of detecting corrosion in a conduit or container comprises measuring the thickness of a wall of the conduit or container with one or more pulse-echo ultrasound devices, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (i) receiving signals indicative of A-scan data from the one or more pulse-echo ultrasound devices, wherein the A-scan data comprises a plurality of A-scan spectra; (ii) determining which of the A-scan spectra have a distorted waveform such that a reliable wall thickness measurement cannot be determined; (iii) analysing the A-scan spectra identified in step (ii) as having a distorted waveform to determine one or more A-scan spectral characteristics of each spectrum that are causing the distortion; (iv) resolving the waveform characteristics based on the determined spectral characteristics causing the waveform distortion so as to produce modified A-scan spectra; (v) determining thickness measurements of the wall based on the modified A-scan spectra; and (vi) determining the extent to which the wall has been corroded based on the thickness measurements determined in step (v) and additional thickness determined from A-scan spectra.

A method of retrieving a mobile platform from a tank at least partially filled with a non-conductive, energetic substance includes configuring the mobile platform to include at least a retrieval system including a buoyant body, an electrically conductive member, and a tether. The tether electrically isolates the buoyant body from the enclosure. The method further includes the steps of releasing the buoyant body to convey the tether toward a surface of the non-conductive, liquid energetic substance; conveying an electrically conductive cable to the electrically conductive member using the tether; electrically connecting a voltage neutralizing end of the electrically conductive cable to a voltage differential neutralizing body in a spark inhibiting ambient condition; electrically connecting a mobile platform end of the electrically conductive cable to the electrically conductive member of the mobile platform while the electrically conductive member is below the surface of the non-conductive, liquid energetic substance.

An inspection apparatus inspects a pressure vessel using laser ultrasound. The apparatus includes an oscillation device that oscillates an excitation laser for exciting the pressure vessel and a conduit to guide the excitation laser oscillated from the oscillation device to inside the pressure vessel. The conduit is inserted into the pressure vessel with one conduit end located inside the pressure vessel and an opposite end located outside the pressure vessel. The apparatus includes a reflector at one conduit end inside the pressure vessel to reflect the excitation laser guided by the conduit and a detector that detects ultrasonic waves generated in the pressure vessel by the excitation laser reflected by the reflector by oscillating a receiving laser from outside of the pressure vessel. At least the conduit, reflector, or detector moves to correct an optical path of the excitation laser or the receiving laser.

The disclosed technology can include a system for monitoring and detecting a fault in a fluid storage tank. A sensor can be located in, on, or proximate the fluid storage tank and can be configured to detect waveforms produced by the fluid storage tank in response to strain. The sensor can convert such waveforms into electrical signals and transmit such electrical signals in the form of vibration data to a controller. The controller can compare the vibration data to stored data, and based on such comparison, determine if a fault is present in the fluid storage tank.

An example system for non-invasive determination of target properties of a pressure vessel includes: a signal generator acoustically coupled to a fluid contained in the pressure vessel and disposed externally to the pressure vessel, the signal generator to emit acoustic signals into the fluid; a plurality of sensors acoustically coupled to the fluid and disposed externally to the pressure vessel to detect the acoustic signals; a control device interconnected with the signal generator and the plurality of sensors, the control device configured to: control the signal generator to emit acoustic signals into the pressure vessel; obtain sensor data from the plurality of sensors, the sensor data representing the acoustic signals as received by the plurality of sensors; compute, based on the detected signal data, the target properties of the pressure vessel; and output an indication of the target properties.

A compressed fluid source assembly may comprise: a pressure cylinder configured to receive a compressed fluid source therein; and a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor coupled to an external surface of the pressure cylinder.

The present disclosure relates to methods and apparatus for launch and recovery of a remote inspection device within a liquid storage tank. In one embodiment, the tank is accessed by opening an entrance hatch and then injecting a vapor suppression foam across a surface of a stored liquid mass to form a foam layer. A launching system having a remote inspection device is attached to the entrance hatch to define a launch and recovery space sealed from an external environment and isolated from the stored liquid mass in the tank via a valve and the foam layer. The launch and recovery space is purged of hazardous vapors by injection of an inert gas prior to launch and recovery of the remote inspection device. Prior to removal of the launching system, the surface of the stored liquid mass is re-coated with vapor suppression foam.

Methods for quantitatively determining the time (TNI) between (1) the application of this method and (2) the time at which the next out-of-service API 653 internal inspection of a steel, field-erected, aboveground storage tank (AST) containing petroleum/water products should be performed. These methods combine four in-service measurements of the thickness, integrity, and corrosion rate of the tank bottom with an empirical corrosion rate cumulative frequency distribution (CFD) for the tank of interest to develop a Bayesian tank bottom survival probability distribution to determine TNI. During this entire TNI time period, the risk of tank bottom failure is less than at the time these methods were applied. If available, the results of a previous out-of-service API 653 internal inspection are also used. These methods can be applied at any time while the tank is in-service to update the internal inspection interval previously determined in an out-of-service internal inspection of the tank.