In Situ Monitoring of Environmental Conditions for Stress Corrosion Cracking

Author(s):  
Fraser King ◽  
Katherine Ikeda-Cameron ◽  
Greg Van Boven ◽  
Tom Jack ◽  
Robert Sutherby ◽  
...  

TransCanada Pipelines have been involved with monitoring environmental conditions at pipe depth for almost 10 years. The purpose of this monitoring is to understand the mechanism of SCC as it occurs in the field and to assist in the development of site-selection models for identifying locations where SCC might be occurring. Monitoring can either be done at many locations along the right-of-way at a given time or continuously at discrete locations in order to observe seasonal variations. A range of environmental parameters can be monitored. Early work focussed on parameters relevant to corrosion, such as soil resistivity, redox potential, temperature, pH, and on- and off-potentials. More recently, parameters relevant to SCC have also been monitored, such as soil CO2 and permeable hydrogen concentrations. In addition, the extent to which these parameters change seasonally has been monitored to determine if the environment is conducive to SCC continuously or whether cracking might only occur at certain times of the year. In terms of implementation, the results of in situ monitoring can be used as part of a larger integrity management program to decide where and when to mitigate SCC. Correlations between soil parameters measured using the portable probe and known SCC sites can be used to identify other susceptible locations or to prioritize different lines for inspection. Seasonal variations at a particular location can be used to derive effective crack growth rates from accelerated laboratory testing in order to determine re-inspection intervals. Examples are provided of both portable and permanent NOVAProbe measurements for low-pH and high-pH SCC.

Author(s):  
Matthew D. Flournoy ◽  
Michael C. Coniglio ◽  
Erik N. Rasmussen

AbstractAlthough environmental controls on bulk supercell potential and hazards have been studied extensively, relationships between environmental conditions and temporal changes to storm morphology remain less explored. These relationships are examined in this study using a compilation of sounding data collected during field campaigns from 1994–2019 in the vicinity of 216 supercells. Environmental parameters are calculated from the soundings and related to storm-track characteristics like initial cell motion and the time of the right turn (i.e., the time elapsed between the cell initiation and the first time when the supercell obtains a quasi-steady motion that is directed clockwise from its initial motion.). We do not find any significant associations between environmental parameters and the time of the right turn. Somewhat surprisingly, no relationship is found between storm-relative environmental helicity and the time elapsed between cell initiation and the onset of deviant motion. Initial cell motion is best approximated by the direction of the 0–6-km mean wind at two-thirds the speed. This is a result of advection and propagation in the 0–4- and 0–2-km layers, respectively. Unsurprisingly, Bunkers-right storm motion is a good estimate of post-turn motion, but storms that exhibit a post-turn motion left of Bunkers-right are less likely to be tornadic. These findings are relevant for real-time forecasting efforts in predicting the path and tornado potential of supercells up to hours in advance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 254-258
Author(s):  
Asif Rahman Rumee

In-situ monitoring of mangrove forests is expensive, cumbersome, time consuming and error-prone, hence remote approaches are being used widely nowadays. Remote sensing using satellites, UAVs and other devices is incapable of collecting many important types of data required for processing, therefore a prototype of an  IoT device is designed and built for monitoring environmental parameters of the largest mangrove forest in the world, the Sundarbans in Bangladesh. The prototype is tested for a few hours in a simulated environment where the readings are updated every 2 seconds and alert notifications are received if an emergency event occurs. The simulation results prove the effectiveness of the proposed device and the feasibility of it for low cost remote monitoring of the mangrove forest.


Author(s):  
Joshua Nasrallah ◽  
Bailey Theriault ◽  
Andreas Kammereck

Abstract This study presents the implementation of a multidisciplinary team approach to geohazard identification, characterization, assessment, and mitigation \, that includes landslide subject matter experts (SMEs) in geotechnical and hydrotechnical engineering and geology and pipeline stress analysis with the pipeline owner/operator (Owner). This approach provided targeted and programmatic geohazard training, identification, exploration, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring, and hase been coin as the “TIEAMM” approach. The Owner worked with the geohazard SMEs to develop a system-wide geohazard pipeline integrity management program, including a phased geohazard assessment along the right-of-way, office and field-based training for the local operations staff, risk-based design mitigation approaches, on-site construction support, and continued monitoring. The landslide discussed in this study is used as an example to demonstrate the TIEAMM approach; this site was identified by local operations staff, documenting differential movement of approximately 15 feet between November 2018 and February 2019. A more detailed geological exploration and assessment as well as a pipeline strain assessment was completed. The work allowed for mitigation efforts and corresponding costs to be optimized. The mitigation design was flexible to address ongoing monitoring, and then field-fit to address site conditions observed during the construction work. The approach to geohazard management completed for this site provided the data and information needed to make informed decisions to support targeted optimization for the scope and scale of mitigation work, and thereby avoided over-conservative (and thereby overly-costly) mitigation efforts.


Author(s):  
Bruce Hansen ◽  
Jeff Wiese ◽  
Robert Brown

In 2000 and 2002, the US Department of Transportation’s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) published new regulations requiring integrity management programs for hazardous liquid pipeline operators. OPS had four fundamental objectives: 1) to increase the level of integrity assessments (i.e., in-line inspection or pressure testing) for pipelines that can affect high consequence areas; 2) to improve operator integrity management systems; 3) to improve government oversight of operator integrity management programs; and 4) to improve public assurance in pipeline safety. At the core of this new rule is a set of management-based requirements (referred to as “Program Elements” in the rule) that are fundamentally different from the existing, largely prescriptive pipeline safety requirements. The evaluation of operator compliance with these requirements requires the examination of management and analytical processes-aspects of operator’s business that are not reviewed in standard OPS compliance inspections. OPS realized a fundamentally different approach to oversight was needed to assure operators are developing and implementing effective integrity management programs. This paper describes the comprehensive changes to the OPS inspection program that were developed to perform integrity management inspections. OPS completed the initial integrity management inspection of all large hazardous liquid pipeline operators in early 2004, and is making progress in reviewing the programs of smaller liquid operators. During this initial year OPS gained substantial knowledge about the state of hazardous liquid pipeline operator integrity management programs. At a high level, OPS learned that operators generally understand what portions of their pipeline systems can affect high consequence areas, and are making the appropriate plans and progress in conducting integrity assessments for these areas. However, the development of effective management and analytical processes, and quality data and information to support these processes takes time. While most operators appear to be headed in the right direction, fundamental changes to management systems require time. OPS recognizes this situation and has developed an inspection and enforcement approach that not only assures compliance with the rule requirements, but also fosters continuous improvement in operator integrity management programs. This paper describes the lessons learned from the initial inspections, and OPS expectations for future integrity management program development. Finally, the intial year of integrity management inspections provided some valuable insights about how to perform these new type of inspections and improve external communication. This paper also addresses what OPS learned about its inspection program, and how this program is being positioned to support on-going inspections of hazardous liquid operator integrity management programs.


Author(s):  
Ma´rcia Cauduro

Objective: This work aims to present to the Plan of Communications and Relationship with Communities implemented by TBG as a tool for the Bolivia-Brazil Pipeline integrity management. Scope: In studies carried out by the European Gas Pipeline Incident Data Group (EGIG), global statistics demonstrate that most accidents involving pipelines are caused by improper actions of third parties. The expansion of sugar cane crops and the improvements in utilities, such as telephone, electricity, water and sewage services in the cities along the pipeline have increased the number of events of interference in the right-of-way. These facts have evidenced the need for creating a Plan of Communications and Relationship with landowners and neighboring communities to assure the continuous monitoring of the Bolivia-Brazil Pipeline right-of-way. The Plan of Communications and Relationship with Communities is designed to reduce the risk of accidents caused by the improper action of third parties. The strategy of action is focused on strengthening the relationships among the right-of-way technical staff, TBG subcontractors, and other publics affected by the pipeline. It also encourages the use of the toll-free Gas Hotline (0800 026 0400) - TBG main communication channel with communities. The intensive publicity targeted at specific audiences ensures that local populations and other relevant publics raise their awareness on the importance of preserving the right-of-way, and the precautions that must be taken in their neighborhoods, mainly in cases of interferences, such as urban improvement projects and farming activities by keeping permanent contact with TBG through the Gas Hotline. This work will also present the interfaces among the right-of-way technical staff, the corporate communications team, and specific target audiences; communication resources, guidelines, technical training programs, Gas Hotline monitoring and management plans, indicators of services provided to the communities and landowners, and the results of the Gas Pipeline Management Program.


Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (8) ◽  
pp. 2685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otavio Andre Chase ◽  
Mailson Borges Teles ◽  
Marinaldo de Jesus dos Santos Rodrigues ◽  
José Felipe Souza de Almeida ◽  
Wilson Negrão Macêdo ◽  
...  

In this paper, we present a low-cost, stand-alone sensory platform developed for in situ monitoring of environmental parameters, for use in the Amazon region in the north of Brazil. The mission of the platform is to perform monitoring and identification of overirradiance (solar irradiance > 1000 W/m2) and extreme overirradiance events (solar irradiance > 1300 W/m2) using a photovoltaic based irradiance sensor. The sensory platform was built using the ESP8266 microcontroller, an open embedded computer capable of Wi-Fi communication using the IEEE 802.11 standard, and small photovoltaic modules, air temperature, atmospheric pressure, voltage, and current sensors, enabling the development of a low-cost system (€70/R$350.00 BRL). Calibration and tests were conducted at the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), Belém campus, Pará, where the platform measured an extreme overirradiance of 1321 W/m2 at a low-latitude (1 °S) and low altitude (7 m above sea level).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahesh Prasad ◽  
Sajeev Chanakath ◽  
Abhishek Kumar

Abstract Every scientific or engineering assessment made in today’s life is with respect to a specific approach — prescriptive or performance-based. In India for a newly laid pipeline (approx. 443 Km) — there are various prescriptive regulations ascertained by OISD and PNGRB for the pipelines’ safe routine operations. In a prescriptive system, it becomes mandatory for a pipeline owner to have the most accurate coatings and Cathodic Protection (CP) data irrespective of the external soil environmental conditions. This will also require the other external aggravators such as AC interference, Railway Crossings, Temporal phenomena etc. to be taken into consideration while the survey data is being collected. Only then sufficient data is available for the Owner to make correct integrity-based decisions and step forward towards a performance-based integrity management program. Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL)-Rewari Kanpur Pipeline (RKPL) started the external line inspection (XLI) program as a prescriptive procedure for ascertaining the health of the in-place CP system and assess the integrity of the coating.This pipeline with length of approx. 443 Kms stretching across three (3) states of Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh traverses through a truly varying surrounding soil and ambient environmental conditions. As per NACE Standard Practice SP0502, it is known that different aboveground survey tools are to be utilized by the pipeline owner for varying soil conditions. To overcome the complexity of dealing with varying environments, weather conditions (resulting in varying soil resistivity) for specific pipeline lengths to be surveyed by the various different technologies that may be applicable, HPCL-RKPL opted to deploy an integrated indirect inspection system which allows to perform the following aboveground surveys simultaneously, at the same time: DCVG, ACVG, ACCA (CAT), CIPS – AC & DC with all recorded raw logs for authenticity. Using these raw logs, HPCL-RKPL were able to ascertain few intricate concerns with the in-place CP system which would have otherwise been veiled. This was possible due to the extremely high frequency of data capture on several times per second basis. The integrated CP and Coating Integrity data also aligned and correlated very well with the historically conducted in-line inspection information. This paper shall discuss the unique findings obtained during the survey.


Author(s):  
Jimmy D. Thornton ◽  
Douglas L. Straub ◽  
Benjamin T. Chorpening ◽  
E. David Huckaby ◽  
Geo. A. Richards ◽  
...  

The implementation of sophisticated combustion control schemes in modern gas turbines is motivated by the desire to maximize thermodynamic efficiency while meeting NOx emission restrictions. To achieve target NOx levels, modern turbine combustors must operate with a finely controlled fuel-air ratio near the fuel-lean flame extinction limit, where the combustor is most susceptible to instabilities. In turbine configurations with multiple combustors arranged around the annulus, differences in flow splits caused by manufacturing variations or engine wear can compromise engine performance. Optimal combustion control is also complicated by changes in environmental conditions, fuel-quality, or fuel-type. As a consequence, engines must be commissioned in the field with adequate stability margin such that manufacturing tolerances, normally expected component wear, fuel-quality, and environmental conditions will not cause unstable combustion. A lack of robust combustion in-situ monitoring has limited the ability of modern turbines to achieve stable ultra-low emission performance over the entire load range. This paper describes a combustion control and diagnostics sensor (CCADS) that can potentially revolutionize the manner in which modern gas turbines are controlled. This robust sensor uses the electrical properties of the flame to detect key events and monitor critical operating parameters within the combustor. The CCADS is integrated into the fuel nozzle such that low cost and long life are achieved. Tests conducted at turbine conditions in laboratory combustors instrumented with CCADS have demonstrated the following potential capabilities: 1) detection of incipient flashback and autoignition 2) detection of incipient lean blowout 3) detection of dynamic pressure oscillations 4) and a qualitative measure of equivalence ratio within the combustor. Many of these capabilities have been reported in other publications with data from an atmospheric combustion rig. This paper will summarize each of the capabilities with recent data at turbine conditions. The expectation is that CCADS will provide the key in-situ monitoring for diagnostics and control of modern gas turbines, allowing them to achieve stable ultra-low emissions performance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline M. Kiefer ◽  
Craig B. Clements ◽  
Brian E. Potter

Abstract Direct measurements of wildland fire plume properties are rare because of difficult access to regions near the fire front and plume. Moisture released from combustion, in addition to added heat, can enhance buoyancy and convection, influencing fire behavior. In this study, a mini unmanned aircraft system (miniUAS) was used to obtain in situ measurements of temperature and relative humidity during a prescribed fire. The miniUAS was successfully maneuvered through the plume and its associated turbulence and provided observations of temperature and humidity profiles from near the centerline of the plume. Within the plume, the water vapor mixing ratio increased by 0.5–3.5 g kg−1 above ambient and was caused by the combustion of fuels. Potential temperature perturbations were on the order of 2–5 K. These results indicate that significant moisture and temperature enhancement can occur and may potentially modify convection dynamics of fire plumes.


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