1. Pipeline PIG Data Recording
Feasibility of a Programmable SOC based Data Recorder.
By: Bruce Hewitt

2. Outline Why Inspect Pipelines Pipeline Environment
Magnetic Flux Leakage
Recorder Functions
Microprocessor Based Implementation
Programmable System on Chip SOC Implementation

3. Why Inline Inspection
To Expose hidden Corrosion and Mechanical Damage that is in a pipeline.
Repair Prevents Serious Accidents
Extensive Property Damage
Serious Environmental Damage

4. Pipeline Environment -- Pressure -- Navigate Bends at 10km/hr
-- Changes in wall thickness
-- Valves and Tees

5. Principle of Magnetic Flux Leakage
Leakage Flux
Defect
Pipe Wall
Sensor Head
Brush
Brush
Magnet
Magnet
MFL Tool – Backing Bar 5

6. Recorder Function 1 -- Normalization
Sensor Input from a linear Hall Sensor – Normalized so that all channels provide the same response to the same magnetic field

7. Recorder Function 2 – Misalignment Correction
Sensors are not perfectly aligned to a heads frame

8. Recorder Function 3 -- Block Based Compression
Premise – Need “Loss-Less” compression and Corrosion is localized
Process Blocks of N samples
Pass 1 – Calculate histogram of sample variations
Pass 2 – Encode the samples that have large variations with more bits
Pass 3 – Encode the samples that have smaller variations with fewer bits

9. DSP/Micro Controller Based Implementation
Recorder Processing Functions
Recorder Storage

10. System on Chip -- SOC

11. Custom FPGA Component for Data Recorder

12. Custom FPGA Resources

13. SOC Based Implementation

14. Benefits & Possibilities
Higher Compliance Tools – Smaller Electronics Package
Inspect Longer Lines – Power needed for Data Processing reduced by 50% for 36 inch tool
Improve Reliability – Remove 1 level of interconnect
Improve Defect Detection and Characterization – Can Support higher sample rates
Smaller Traps – Consider a single body tool

15. Thank You