Trident SMART Gauge

The Trident SMART Gauge System allows the condition of a pipeline to be assessed without the need to recover the pig from the subsea receiver, saving significant time and costs during pipelay operations. The SMART gauge system is designed to be fitted to a standard bi-directional pig, enhancing the gauging capability.

Trident SMART gauge is available with acoustic or EM operation and can be detected using ANY receiving equipment from the Trident range.

Trident SMART Gauge range:

  • Standard SMART Gauge – Conventional Gauge Plate                    (Acoustic or EM) [Single Hit]
  • Multi-Diameter Electromagnetic SMART Gauge – Hinged Gauge Plate [Multi-Hit Non-Measuring]
  • Multi-Diameter Electromagnetic SMART Gauge – Hinged Gauge Plate [Multi-Hit Measuring]
  • Wheeled Measuring System
  • Through-Wall Communication (EM)
  • Multiple SMART Gauge Plates linked to ONE system   (Acoustic & EM) [Single Hit]

Standard SMART Gauge
Conventional Gauge Plate (Acoustic or EM) [Single Hit]

Acoustic SMART Gauge

Linked to a conventional aluminium plate complete with contacts on each gauge segment.

If the gauge plate is deflected (by a pipeline defect), a contact is broken which automatically changes the signal rate.

Larger pulse intervals

show no damage

Smaller pulse intervals

show pipeline damage.

EM SMART Gauge

Like the Acoustic system, the EM system is also linked to a conventional aluminium plate. If the gauge plate is deflected (by a pipeline defect), a contact is broken which automatically changes the signal rate. For example;

As an option this system can also log when the change happens with a timestamp which can be downloaded upon pig retrieval. There is a further option to communicate this data through the pipe wall (see Through-Wall Communications).

Larger pulse intervals

show no damage

Smaller pulse intervals show pipeline damage.

Signal can also switch to a continuous pulse

at 20Hz or to a different frequency altogether.

Multi-Diameter Electromagnetic SMART Gauge - Hinged Gauge Plate [Multi-Hit Non-Measuring]

Trident Multi-Hit SMART Gauge allows gauging of a multi-diameter pipeline using a special hinged gauge plate system. With this arrangement the conventional gauge plate is removed and replaced with gauge ‘arms’ or segments, which are allowed to deflect through the sections of the pipeline. The on-board logging system continuously monitors the condition of the gauge plate and records to solid state drive. Data can then be downloaded on recovery.

These units are perfect for when reduced bore features such as hubs or spools are present in the pipeline system. This technology allows for a true gauge of the main pipeline system, removing the requirement to consider the smaller ID features within gauge plate calculations.

Pig entering and exiting

a reduced bore hub

Example of a deflection on

one or more of the segments

Multi-Diameter Electromagnetic SMART Gauge - Hinged Gauge Plate [Multi-Hit Non-Measuring]

The latest advancement of Trident SMART Gauge takes the Multi-Hit SMART system to the next level. An on-board data logger records the status of each independent gauge segment against time. Data on which segment deflected and the size of deflection can be downloaded and viewed upon pig receipt.

Gauge plate data can then be correlated against Gyroscope data to identify if arm deflections happened within bends of if it was caused by an anomaly in the pipeline.

30inch Multi-Hit SMART-1

  The example field data below shows that the system registered deflections when passing the reduced bore PLET bends at the start and        end of the pipeline as planned. This confirmed a successful gauge of the pipeline system.

Zoomed data shows

that arms 4, 5 & 6 made

contact, registering

a 1.9mm deflection.

Zoomed data shows

that arms 6, 7 & 8 made

contact, registering a 3mm

deflection

Multi-Diameter Electromagnetic Wheeled Measuring System

As an alternative to gauging OR a more complex caliper tool, the Trident diameter measuring system delivers an average internal diameter of the pipeline.

The system utilises the wheeled suspension systems of the pig to measure the diameter of the pipeline run. This is done by measuring the position of the central piston (inside the pig) to which all wheel arms are connected.

The accuracy of this system is +/- 0.2mm change in diameter.

Field data shown below is form a 30” x 24” system.

Pipe sections easily identified
WMS - Pipe Spool
WMS - Pipe Spool-1
Smooth transition from 30” (719mm) to 24” (564mm)
WMS - Diameter Change
When zoomed into the data each weld bead profile can be seen
WMS - Weld Bead Profile
Through-wall Communications

If required, data from either a conventional OR Multi-Hit SMART Gauge system can be conveyed through the pipe wall. This can be useful as the condition of the pipeline can be assessed prior to pig recovery. The information is typically date & time of any deflection (s). Data is transferred to the Trident DeepBlue Receiver and then decoded using the PigView software.

Thru Wall