DETERMINATION OF THE AVERAGE DISTANCE BETWEEN A MEASUREMENT DEVICE AND A CONDUCTOR

Abstract

A method for determining the average distance between a measurement device and a conductor includes determining a profile of a horizontal component using the horizontal position of the device that indicates the orthogonal distance between the device and the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the earth's surface, measured at at least two different horizontal positions, determining a profile of the vertical component, which is associated with the determined profile of the horizontal component, using the horizontal position of the device, wherein the vertical profile is determined by measuring the vertical components associated with the horizontal components, determining the ratio of the profiles as a function using the horizontal position of the device, determining the derivative of the ratio according to the horizontal position, determining the reciprocal of the derivative, and determining the average distance between the devices and the conductor from the reciprocal of the derivative.

Claims

1. A method for determining the average distance (v) of a measuring device from a conductor, wherein the measuring device comprises a measuring system, wherein an electrical current flows through the conductor so that a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density (B[T]) is formed, the magnetic flux density (B[T]) having a horizontal component (B.sub.H) and a vertical component (B.sub.V), the method comprising: determining (S1) a profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring device, wherein the horizontal position (h[m]) indicates the orthogonal distance of the measuring device from the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the Earth's surface, wherein the profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) is determined by measuring the horizontal components (B.sub.H) at at least two different horizontal positions (h[m]) using the measuring system of the measuring device, which changes the horizontal position (h[m]), and determining (S2) a profile, associated with the profile that has been determined of the horizontal component (B.sub.H), of the vertical component (B.sub.V) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring device, wherein the profile of the vertical component (B.sub.V) is determined by measuring the vertical components (By), associated with the horizontal components (B.sub.H) that have been determined, using the measuring system, determining (S3) the ratio (M) of the profile of the vertical component (B.sub.V) to the profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) as a function of the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring device, determining (S4) the derivative of the ratio (M) with respect to the horizontal position, determining (S5) the inverse of the derivative, and determining (S6) the average distance (v) of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverse of the derivative.

2. A method for determining the average distance (v) of at least two mutually separated measuring devices from a conductor, wherein each measuring device comprises a measuring system, wherein an electrical current flows through the conductor so that a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density (B[T]) is formed, the magnetic flux density (B [T]) having a horizontal component (B.sub.H) and a vertical component (B.sub.V), the method comprising: determining (S1) a profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring devices, wherein the horizontal position (h[m]) indicates the orthogonal distance of the measuring device from the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the Earth's surface, wherein the profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) is determined by measuring the horizontal components (B.sub.H) using the measuring systems of the measuring devices, determining (S2) the profile, associated with the profile that has been determined of the horizontal component (B.sub.H), of the vertical component (B.sub.V) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring devices, wherein the profile of the vertical component (B.sub.V) is determined by measuring the vertical components (B.sub.V), associated with the horizontal components (B.sub.H) that have been determined, using the corresponding measuring systems, determining (S3) the ratio (M) of the profile of the vertical component (B.sub.V) to the profile of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) as a function of the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring devices, determining (S4) the derivative of the ratio (M) with respect to the horizontal position (h[m]), determining (S5) the inverse of the derivative, and determining (S6) the average distance (v) of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverse of the derivative.

3. A method for determining the average distance (v) of a measuring device from a conductor, wherein the measuring device comprises at least two measuring systems, the measuring systems being arranged at different vertical positions (P[m]), wherein an electrical current flows through the conductor so that a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density (B[T]) is formed, the magnetic flux density (B[T]) having a horizontal component (B.sub.H) and a vertical component (B.sub.V), the method comprising: determining (S1) profiles of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring systems, wherein the horizontal position (h[m]) indicates the orthogonal distance of the measuring device from the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the Earth's surface, wherein the profiles of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) are determined by measuring the horizontal components (B.sub.H) at at least two different horizontal positions (h[m]) using the measuring systems of the measuring device, which changes the horizontal position (h[m]), and determining (S2) the profiles, associated with the profiles that have been determined of the horizontal component (B.sub.H), of the vertical components (B.sub.V) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring device, wherein the profiles of the vertical components (B.sub.V) are determined by measuring the vertical components (B.sub.V), associated with the horizontal components (B.sub.H) that have been determined, using the corresponding measuring systems, determining (S3) the ratios (M) of the profiles of the vertical component (B.sub.V) to the profiles of the horizontal component as a function of the horizontal position (B.sub.H) of the measuring device, determining (S4) the derivatives of the ratios (M) with respect to the horizontal position (h[m]), determining (S5) the inverses of the derivatives, and determining (S6) the average distance (T) of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverses of the derivatives.

4. A method for determining the average distance (v) of at least two mutually separated measuring devices from a conductor, wherein each measuring device comprises an equal number of at least two measuring systems, the measuring systems of the same measuring device being arranged at different vertical positions (P[m]), wherein an electrical current flows through the conductor so that a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density (B [T]) is formed, the magnetic flux density having a horizontal component (B.sub.H) and a vertical component (B.sub.V), the method comprisinghaving the steps: determining (S1) profiles of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) against the horizontal positions (h[m]) using measuring systems that correspond in respect of the vertical position (P[m]), wherein the horizontal position (h[m]) indicates the orthogonal distance of the measuring device from the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the Earth's surface, wherein the profiles of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) are determined by measuring the horizontal components (B.sub.H) using the measuring systems of the measuring devices, and determining (S2) the profiles, associated with the profiles that have been determined of the horizontal component (B.sub.H), of the vertical components (B.sub.V) against the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring devices, wherein the profiles of the vertical components (B.sub.V) are determined by measuring the vertical components (B.sub.V), associated with the horizontal components (B.sub.H) that have been determined, using the corresponding measuring systems, determining (S3) the ratios (M) of the profiles of the vertical component (B.sub.V) to the profiles of the horizontal component (B.sub.H) as a function of the horizontal position (h[m]) of the measuring device, determining (S4) the derivatives of the ratios (M) with respect to the horizontal positions (h[m]), determining (S5) the inverses of the derivatives, and determining (S6) the average distance (T) of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverses of the derivatives.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein best-fit lines to take into account the different vertical positions (P[m]) of the measuring systems are compiled and included for determining the average distance (v) of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverses of the derivatives.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each measuring system comprises three coils, the coils being mutually orthogonal.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein the induction voltage generated in the coils by the magnetic field is filtered.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a bandpass filter is used for the filtering, the bandpass filter being adapted according to the frequency of the current of the current-carrying conductor.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor is part of a pipeline for transporting oil and/or gas.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conductor is part of a cathodic corrosion protection system of a pipeline.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical current which flows through the conductor has a frequency range of from 30 Hz to 2 kHz.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical current which flows through the conductor has a sinusoidal characteristic.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the measuring device is transported by a manned or unmanned flying object.

14. A measuring device for determining the average distance between the measuring device and a conductor through which a current flows, the measuring device being arranged in or on an aircraft, comprising: at least two measuring systems arranged vertically with respect to one another, each measuring system comprising three coils, the coils being mutually orthogonal.

15. A measuring device for determining the average distance between the measuring device and a conductor through which a current flows, the measuring device being arranged in or on an aircraft, comprising: at least two measuring systems arranged vertically with respect to one another, each measuring system comprising three coils, the coils being mutually orthogonal, wherein the measuring device configured and programmed to carry out a the method as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] The particularities and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following explanations of a plurality of exemplary embodiments with the aid of schematic drawings, in which

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the method according to the invention,

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the conductor, the magnetic field and the coordinate system,

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a profile of the horizontal and vertical components of the magnetic flux density against the horizontal position of the measuring apparatus,

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a profile of the horizontal and vertical components of the magnetic flux density against the horizontal position of the measuring apparatus with the assumption of a perturbation due to a parallel second conductor at a large distance,

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a profile of the ratio of vertical component to horizontal component of the magnetic flux density against the horizontal position of the measuring apparatus,

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a coil system for measuring the horizontal component and the vertical component of the magnetic flux density,

[0043] FIG. 7 shows a profile of the ratio of vertical component to horizontal component of the magnetic flux density against the horizontal position of the measuring system with the assumption of a perturbation due to a second parallel conductor at a large distance,

[0044] FIG. 8 shows a profile as in FIG. 7 with a finer resolution,

[0045] FIG. 9 shows a profile of the distance of the measuring apparatus from the conductor as a function of the position of the individual measuring systems (with the assumption of a perturbation due to a parallel second conductor at a large distance), and

[0046] FIG. 10 shows a schematic representation of the measuring device consisting of three coil systems (measuring systems).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of the steps S1-S6 of the method according to the invention for determining the average distance of a measuring device from a conductor, wherein the measuring device comprises a measuring system, wherein an electrical current flows through the conductor, so that a magnetic field having a magnetic flux density is formed, the magnetic flux density having a horizontal component and a vertical component.

[0048] The steps of the method are in detail:—method step S1: determining a profile of the horizontal component against the horizontal position of the measuring device, the horizontal position indicating the orthogonal distance of the measuring device from the longitudinal axis of the conductor parallel to the Earth's surface, the profile of the horizontal component being determined by measuring the horizontal components at at least two different horizontal positions using the measuring system of the measuring device, which changes the horizontal position, and —method step S2: determining a profile, associated with the profile that has been determined of the horizontal component, of the vertical component against the horizontal position of the measuring device, the profile of the vertical component being determined by measuring the vertical components, associated with the horizontal components that have been determined, using the measuring system,—method step S3: determining the ratio of the profile of the vertical component to the profile of the horizontal component as a function of the horizontal position of the measuring device,—method step S4: determining the derivative of the ratio with respect to the horizontal position,—method step S5: determining the inverse of the derivative, and—method step S6: determining the average distance of the measuring devices from the conductor from the inverse of the derivative.

[0049] Extensions of the method with a plurality of measuring devices (in this case, the measuring devices may be immobile) and extensions with a plurality of measuring systems on the measuring device(s) are possible. A plurality of measuring systems have the advantage that measurement perturbations may be compensated for.

[0050] One aspect of the invention consists in providing a method for determining the distance between a measuring device and a conductor through which an electrical current flows (for example as part of a pipeline). In order to record the distance of a pipeline through which an AC current flows or a conductor, a measurement of the horizontal and vertical components of the magnetic field strength, or the magnetic flux density, is required.

[0051] For the vertical component (v* coordinate axis), a coil in the vertical direction may be used. For the horizontal component, it is generally necessary to use two coils, one in the h* coordinate axis and one in the z* coordinate axis.

[0052] FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of the conductor 1, the magnetic field (horizontal component B.sub.H of the magnetic flux density and vertical component B.sub.V of the magnetic flux density) and the coordinate system (h*, v* and z* coordinate axis).

{right arrow over (B)}.sub.H={right arrow over (B)}.sub.X+{right arrow over (B)}.sub.YB.sub.H=√{right arrow over (B.sub.X.sup.2+B.sub.Y.sup.2)}  (1)

[0053] If there are no ferromagnetic materials in the environment of the conductor/pipeline—the pipeline itself may be uniformly ferromagnetic, but does not have to be—then the magnetic field generated by the current in the pipeline in the environment of a long, relatively straight pipeline may be calculated as follows:

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}{B}_H=\frac{{\mu }_0.Math.I}{2_{\pi }}.Math.\frac{-v}{\left(v^2+h^2\right)}{B}_v=\frac{{\mu }_0.Math.I}{2_{\pi }}.Math.\frac{h}{\left(v^2+h^2\right)}& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

[0054] Here, h is the horizontal position on the h coordinate axis and v is the vertical position on the v coordinate axis of the measuring system (coil system) relative to the pipeline and I is the current strength. The profile of the horizontal component B.sub.H and of the vertical component B.sub.V of the magnetic flux density B in tesla T against the horizontal position h in meters m of the measuring system of the measuring apparatus is represented in FIG. 3.

[0055] FIG. 4 represents the profile of the horizontal component B.sub.H and of the vertical component By of the magnetic flux density against the horizontal position of the measuring system of the measuring apparatus with the assumption of a perturbation due to a parallel second conductor at a large distance.

[0056] By forming the ratio M (represented in FIG. 5) of the vertical component B.sub.V to the horizontal component B.sub.H, the measurement result becomes independent of the strength of the exciting current I, so that changes in the current I over the length of the pipeline, for example because of leakage currents, etc., or over time due to a drift of the feeding current source no longer have an effect.

[00002]$\begin{array}{cc}M=\frac{B_V}{B_H}=\frac{-h}{v}& \left(3\right)\end{array}$

[0057] If the measurement of the horizontal component B.sub.H and the vertical component B.sub.V (for example by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)) is now carried out at different horizontal positions h (for example by a movement horizontally over the conductor/pipeline), the vertical position v of the measuring apparatus/measuring system above the pipeline (and therefore the depth of the pipeline) may be calculated relatively accurately by differentiating the ratio M with respect to the vertical position v (gradients of M). The depth of the midpoint of the pipeline is the inverse of the derivative.

[0058] The zero point of the differentiated inverted ratio M reflects the vertical position v of the pipeline.

[00003]$\begin{array}{cc}{\left(\frac{\partial M}{\partial h}\right)}_{M=0;h=0}^{-1}=v_{\mathrm{Pipeline}}& \left(4\right)\end{array}$

[0059] FIG. 6 represents by way of example a triaxial measuring system 2 in the form of a coil system consisting of three coils for measuring the horizontal component B.sub.H of the magnetic flux density, which is calculated from the h* and z* coordinates, and the vertical component B.sub.V. which with a favorable orientation of the measuring system 2 corresponds to the v* coordinate.

[0060] The induction voltage generated in the coils by the time-varying magnetic field may be narrow-band filtered with a bandpass filter, which is adjusted to the frequency of the current fed in by means of the CCP system, amplified and digitized.

[0061] If a second or third coil system of the same type is carried simultaneously, for example by the UAV—but with a different defined vertical position v above the pipeline/conductor—then the influence of external perturbations on the position determination of the pipeline may be minimized as follows:

[0062] There are now for example three ratios M.sub.v1(h), M.sub.v2(h), M.sub.v3(h) of the vertical and horizontal components (see FIGS. 7 and 8). These are considered against the horizontal position h of the measuring apparatus. In the event of external perturbations, the profile of the ratio M (FIG. 5, unperturbed) changes. At the point of intersection h.sub.s (Equation (5)) of the ratios M.sub.v1(h), M.sub.v2(h), M.sub.v3(h)—this should again be in the vicinity of the zero crossing—the derivatives with respect to the horizontal position h are again formed.

M.sub.V1(h.sub.s)=M.sub.V2(h.sub.s)=M.sub.V3(h.sub.s)  (5)

[0063] This may be done by calculating a local best-fit line (fitting line or Moore-Penrose inverse). For each measuring system 2, there is then a different value since each measuring system 2 has a different vertical position v.

[00004]$\begin{array}{cc}{\left(\frac{\partial M_{V1}}{\partial h}\right)}_{h_s\mathrm{with}{M}_{V1}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V2}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V3}\left(h_s\right)}^{-1}=v{1}_{\mathrm{Pipeline}}& \left(6\right)\\ {\left(\frac{\partial M_{V2}}{\partial h}\right)}_{h_s\mathrm{with}{M}_{V1}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V2}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V3}\left(h_s\right)}^{-1}=v{2}_{\mathrm{Pipeline}}& \left(7\right)\\ {\left(\frac{\partial M_{V3}}{\partial h}\right)}_{h_s\mathrm{with}{M}_{V1}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V2}\left(h_s\right)=M_{V3}\left(h_s\right)}^{-1}=v{3}_{\mathrm{Pipeline}}& \left(8\right)\end{array}$

[0064] The associated best-fit lines have the form:

[00005]$\begin{array}{cc}{M}_{V1}\left(h\right)=\frac{h}{v1}+m_{0v1}& \left(9\right)\\ M_{V2}\left(h\right)=\frac{h}{v2}+m_{0v2}& \left(10\right)\\ M_{V3}\left(h\right)=\frac{h}{v1}+m_{0v3}& \left(11\right)\end{array}$

[0065] The horizontal position h of the pipeline may be determined as follows from the calculated values.

h.sub.Pipeline=⅙(v.sub.1.Math.M.sub.0V1+v.sub.2.Math.m.sub.0V2+v.sub.3 m.sub.0V3)+½h.sub.s  (12)

[0066] Since the relative distance of the measuring systems 2 from one another is known (for example −1 m, 0 m and 1 m), the distances of the pipeline/conductor from the individual measuring systems 2 that have been determined may be plotted against their position in the measuring apparatus, as represented in FIG. 9.

[0067] FIG. 9 shows a profile of the depth T of the conductor (relative distances v1, v2 and v3) according to the position P in meters m of the individual measuring systems 2 of the measuring apparatus (with the assumption of a perturbation due to a parallel second conductor at a large distance). In the procedure described here using a plurality of measuring systems (coil system), T corresponds to the vertical distance between the central measuring apparatus and the midpoint of the conductor/pipeline. It is therefore the vertical position v of the measuring apparatus in the middle of the measuring apparatuses (in the case of a plurality of measuring systems).

[0068] A best-fit line of the type:

γ=a.Math.x+b  (13)

is then formed.

[0069] Placed through the three relative distances v1, v2 and v3 that have been determined. The depth T of the conductor/pipeline in the relative coordinate system of the measuring apparatus may then be calculated as follows:

[00006]$\begin{array}{cc}T=\frac{b}{2}.Math.\left(1+\frac{1}{a}\right)& \left(14\right)\end{array}$

or alternatively:

[00007]$\begin{array}{cc}T=\frac{b}{3}.Math.\left(2+\frac{1}{a}\right)& \left(15\right)\end{array}$

[0070] A schematic representation of the measuring device 3 consisting of three measuring systems 2 (coil systems), for example, is represented in FIG. 10.

[0071] Although the invention has been illustrated and described in greater detail by way of the exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted by the examples disclosed, and other variants may be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the protective scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0072] 1 conductor [0073] 2 measuring system [0074] 3 measuring device [0075] B.sub.H horizontal component of the magnetic flux density [0076] B.sub.V By vertical component of the magnetic flux density [0077] B[T] magnetic flux density in tesla [0078] h horizontal position relative to the conductor [0079] h.sub.s point of intersection [0080] h[m] horizontal position in meters [0081] h* h coordinate axis [0082] I current strength [0083] M ratio of By to BH [0084] M.sub.vi(h) ratio of By to B.sub.H in the case of a plurality of measuring systems with i=[1; ∞[ [0085] Si method step Si with i=[1; 6] [0086] T depth of the conductor/average vertical position v [0087] P[m] position of the measuring system in the measuring apparatus in meters [0088] v vertical position relative to the conductor [0089] vi relative distances with i =[1; ∞[ [0090] v* v coordinate axis [0091] z* z coordinate axis