Research and manufacture of portable device to detect pipeline defects using the magnetic leakage flux method
Abstract
To meet the needs of periodic health inspections of interconnected pipeline systems in factories such as refineries and ammonia plants, the research team developed a portable defect inspection device using the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) method. This device not only enables rapid inspection, but also features color imaging capability through a two-dimensional sensor array, 2D scanning mechanism, colorization technology and integrated mapping - features not previously available worldwide. The device is equipped with 64 flat Hall sensors arranged on a 2D array mounted on a curved base that conforms to the pipe’s radius. The sensor array and curved base are installed on a wheeled frame integrated with the magnetization system. The magnetization system consists of 3 blocks connected by a sliding plate mechanism, allowing adjustment to tightly fit pipes of different diameters. During operation, the device is manually pushed along the pipeline.
To enhance image resolution, the entire sensor is shifted by 1 mm along both the longitudinal and circumferential directions of the pipe after each measurement (image capture). The captured images are then integrated to produce a final image with 1 mm resolution.
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