A Thickness Monitoring Solution for Pipeline Integrity Management and Corrosion Detection

The aim of this study was to investigate a pipe wall thickness monitoring technology that enhances the structural integrity of ferromagnetic steel pipelines. The pipeline integrity management system presented was able to identify the changes in wall thickness. This will lead to development where the occurrence of corrosion in pipes can be detected, aiding operators to assess asset condition and prevent failure at an early stage, providing a greater control over the operation and performance of the facility. The system consists of a sensor which uses an inductor to monitor the changes in inductance in the pipe wall, a permanent magnet that magnetically penetrates the pipe wall thickness and a PCB with a microcontroller and wireless connectivity. An algorithm was developed to translate the captured inductance into thickness measurements. The data was wirelessly transmitted in real-time and was accessed via a user-friendly app. The system was tested on ferromagnetic materials of different thickness, ranging from 1mm to 12mm. The results confirm that the inductance measured is a function of the material thickness that is able to detect a thickness loss down to 1mm. The system was developed with the goal of being permanently installed on areas of high erosion/corrosion risk and provides thickness measurements when interrogated remotely.