• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.311-316
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• 2010

Defects positioning of underground gas pipelines using MFL(magnetic flux leakage) inspection which is one of non-destructive evaluation techniques is proposed in this paper. MFL signals acquired from MFL PIG(pipeline inspection gauge) have nonlinearity and distortion caused by various external disturbances. SQI(self quotient image), a compensation technique for nonlinearity and distortion of MFL signal, is used to correct positioning of pipeline defects. Through the experiments using artificial defects carved in the KOGAS pipeline simulation facility, it is found that the performance of proposed defect detection is greatly improved compared to that of the conventional DCT(discrete cosine transform) coefficients based detection.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.357-360
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• 2013

A modified SQI method using magnetic leakage flux (MFL) signal for underground gas pipelines' defect detection and characterization is presented in this paper. Raw signals gathered using MFL signals include many unexpected noises and high frequency signals, uneven background signals, signals caused by real defects, etc. The MFL signals of defect free pipelines primarily consist of two kinds of signals, uneven low frequency signals and uncertain high frequency noises. Leakage flux signals caused by defects are added to the case of pipelines having defects. Even though the SQI (Self Quotient Image) is a useful tool to gradually remove the varying backgrounds as well as to characterize the defects, it uses the division and floating point operations. A modified SQI having low computational complexity without time-consuming division operations is presented in this paper. By using defects carved in real pipelines in the pipeline simulation facility (PSF) and real MFL data, the performance of the proposed method is compared with that of the original SQI.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.343-350
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• 2016

Remaining lifetime prediction of the underground gas pipeline plays a key role in maintenance planning and public safety. One of main causes in the pipeline failure is metal corrosion. This paper deals with estimating the pipeline reliability in the presence of corrosion defects. Because a pipeline has uncertainty and variability in its operation, probabilistic approximation approaches such as first order second moment (FOSM), first order reliability method (FORM), second order reliability method (SORM), and Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) are widely employed for pipeline reliability predictions. This paper presents a fuzzy inference based reliability method (FIRM). Compared with existing methods, a distinction of our method is to incorporate a fuzzy inference into quantifying degrees of variability in corrosion defects. As metal corrosion depends on the service environment, this feature makes it easier to obtain practical predictions. Numerical experiments are conducted by using a field dataset. The result indicates that the proposed method works well and, in particular, it provides more advisory estimations of the remaining lifetime of the gas pipeline.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.202-206
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• 2013

In this paper, the MFL (magnetic flux leakage) signals of complex defects on the underground gas pipeline are analyzed and their depths are estimated. Since closely-located defects (complex defects) affect each other, accelerate the progress of defection, and are finally combined to one (cluster), it's meaningful to differentiate complex defects from single defects by analyzing their characteristics. Various types of complex defects are characterized and analyzed by defining the safety distance for interference. 26 artificial defects are carved on the pipeline simulation facility (PSF) to analyze the characteristics of complex defect and demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed complex defect estimation. The proposed method shows average length error of 5.8 mm, average width error of 15.55 mm, and average depth error of 8.59%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.453-458
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• 2001

Pipelines have the highest capacity and are the safest and the least environmentally disruptive way for gas or oil transmission. Recently, failures due to corrosion defects have become of major concern in maintaining pipeline integrity. A number of solutions have been developed for the assessment of remaining strength of corroded pipelines. However, these solutions are known to be dependent on material properties and pipeline geometries. In this paper, a Fitness-For-Purpose type limit load solution for corroded gas pipelines made of the X65 steel is proposed. For this purpose, a series of burst tests with various types of corrosion defects are performed. Finite element simulations are carried out to derive an appropriate failure criterion. And then, further, extensive finite element analyses are performed to obtain the FFP type limit load solution for corroded X65 gas pipelines as a function of defect depth, length and pipeline geometry. And also, a window based computer program far the assessment of corrosion defect, which is named as COPAP(COrroded Pipeline Assessment Program) has been developed on the basis of proposed limit load solution.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.876-883
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• 2007

The magnetic flux leakage(MFL) type nondestructive testing(NDT) method is widely used to detect corrosion, defects and mechanical deformation of the underground gas pipelines. The object pipeline is magnetically saturated by the magnetic system with permanent magnet and yokes. Hall sensors detect the leakage fields in the region of the defect. The defects are sometimes occurred in group. The accuracy of the detecting signals in this defect cluster become lowered because of the complexity of the defect cluster. In this paper, the effects of the multi -defects are analyzed. The detecting signals are computed by 3-dimensional finite element method and compared with real measurement. The results say that, rather than the size of the defects, the effects of the relative position of the multi-defects are very important on the detecting signals.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.339-344
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• 2001

The transmission pipeline industry spends many millions of dollars annually performing inline inspections, excavating sites of possible corrosion, and repairing or replacing damaged sections of pipe. New criteria for evaluation the integrity of corroded pipe have been developed in recent years to help in controlling these costs. These new criteria vary widely in their estimates of integrity and the most appropriate criterion for a given pipeline is not always clear. This paper presents an overview, comparison and evaluation of acceptability criteria for corrosion defects in pipelines. By full scale burst tests, this paper have assessed the relative accuracy of each of theses criteria in predicting failure and remaining strength. Many of the criteria appear to be excessively conservative and indicate that defects must be repaired when none is needed, based upon burst test data.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.24-30
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• 2016

MFL (Magnetic flux leakage) type nondestructive testing has been used for inspection of underground gas pipelines to find metal defects by detecting magnetic leakage signal. Because the underground gas pipeline is exposed by environment such as high pressure with great humidity, external defects are easily formed on the surface of pipelines and they are being grouped respectively. These adjacent defects cause the signal distortion of leakage flux so that it is hard to estimate the shape information of defects. In this paper, we performed to study of the signal distortion and compensating method for multiple defects in MFL type nondestructive testing system by using 3D FEM simulation. This paper proposes the basic algorithm of defect signal analysis on multiple defects on the surface of 30 inch diameter pipeline.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.269-274
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• 2008

For fitness-for-service analyses of underground natural gas pipelines, engineering assessment methods against possible defects need to be developed. The assessment methods for high pressure pipeline of KOGAS, was developed using the full size pipe burst tests and the finite element analysis. It included the defect assessment methods for a single and multi-corrosion, corrosion in girth welding part, corrosion in seam welding part, the mechanical damage defects as dent and gouge, crack and large plastic deformation of API 5L X65 pipe. In addition, we developed method to assess pipeline integrity by internal and external load to buried pipeline. Evaluation results were compared with other methods currently being applied to the gas pipeline. The program of Windows environment is made for easily using assessment methods. It provides a consistent user interface, so non-professional technician can easily and friendly use the FFS program from company intranet. Several evaluation programs is easily installed using one installer. Each program constitutes a common input interface and the output configuration program, and evaluation result store and can be recalled at any time. The FFS program based on independent evaluation method is used to evaluate the integrity and safety of KOGAS pipeline, and greatly contribute to safe and efficient operation of pipeline. This paper presents experimental, analytical and numerical investigations to develop the FFS methods for KOGAS pipeline, used as high pressure natural gas transmission pipeline within KOREA. Also, it includes the description of the integrated program for FFS methods.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.27-32
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• 2011

In this paper a new defect length estimation algorithm using SQI(self quotient image) is presented for the MFL(magnetic flux leakage) inspection of underground gas pipelines. Gas pipelines are magnetized by the permanent magnets of the MFL PIG(pipeline inspection gauge) when the PIG runs through pipelines. If defects or corrosions exist in the pipeline, magnetic leakage flux is increased. The MFL signals measured by hall sensors are analyzed to estimate defect length using SQI. For 74 real defects carved in KOGAS pipeline simulation facility(KPSF) the accuracy of defect length estimation of the proposed algorithm was compared with that of conventional methods.