Radiographic inspection system for pipes and other structures using radioisotopes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11733182-B2
Application number	US-202016852279-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2019
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

Some embodiments include a radiographic inspection system, comprising: a detector; a support configured to attach the detector to a structure such that the detector is movable around the structure; a radioisotope collimator; and a collimator support arm coupling the detector to the radioisotope collimator such that the radioisotope collimator moves with the detector.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A radiographic inspection system, comprising:
a detector;
a support configured to attach the detector to a structure such that the detector is movable around the structure;
a radioisotope collimator; and
a collimator support arm coupling the detector to the radioisotope collimator such that the radioisotope collimator moves with the detector;
wherein the collimator support arm is adjustable to change a position and/or rotation of the radioisotope collimator relative to the detector.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
control logic configured to rotate the detector and the radioisotope collimator around the structure.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the collimator support arm comprises at least two degrees of freedom.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the support comprises a flexible belt configured to attach the detector to the structure.

5. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a radioisotope disposed within the radioisotope collimator and configured to emit radiation towards the detector;
wherein the control logic is further configured to continuously acquire data from the detector in response to the radiation as the detector rotates.

6. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a radioisotope disposed within the radioisotope collimator and configured to emit radiation towards the detector;
wherein the control logic is further configured to acquire a plurality of images from the detector in response to the radiation, and each image is acquired at a different rotational position.

7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a wireless communication system;
wherein the control logic is further configured to communicate data from the detector through the wireless communication system.

8. The system of claim 2 , further comprising:
a radioisotope disposed within the radioisotope collimator and configured to emit radiation towards the detector;
wherein the control logic is further configured to generate scanning parameters based on at least one of the structure and the radioisotope.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control logic is further configured to combine the plurality of images into a composite image.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control logic is further configured to determine at least one of a dwell time and a number of the plurality of images.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the control logic is further configured to select an active area of the detector less than an entire active area of the detector for the acquisition of the plurality of images.

12. The system of claim 4 , wherein the flexible belt is further configured to move with the detector as the detector moves around the structure.

13. A method, comprising:
exposing a radioisotope;
acquiring a plurality of images using a detector positioned with a structure between the exposed radioisotope and the detector;
rotating the detector around the structure between the acquisition of at least two of the plurality of images;
retracting the radioisotope only after completing the acquiring of the plurality of images.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising rotating the radioisotope around the structure with the detector.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein rotating the detector around the structure comprises rotating the detector around the structure between the acquisitions of each sequential pair of the plurality of images.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising combining the plurality of images into a composite image.

17. The method of claim 13 , further comprising selecting a number of the plurality of images based on attributes of the structure.

18. A system, comprising:
means for generating radiation;
means for collimating the radiation;
means for generating images in response to the radiation;
means for attaching the means for generating images in response to the radiation to the means for collimating the radiation and for adjusting a position and/or rotation of the means for collimating the radiation relative to the means for generating images in response to the radiation; and
means for movably attaching the means for generating images in response to the radiation to an object.

19. The system of claim 18 , comprising:
means for combining a plurality of images from the means for generating images in response to radiation into a composite image.

20. A radiographic inspection system, comprising:
a detector;
a support configured to attach the detector to a structure such that the detector is movable around the structure;
a radioisotope collimator;
a radioisotope disposed within the radioisotope collimator and configured to emit radiation towards the detector;
a collimator support arm coupling the detector to the radioisotope collimator such that the radioisotope collimator moves with the detector; and
control logic configured to rotate the detector and the radioisotope collimator around the structure;
wherein the control logic is further configured to generate scanning parameters based on at least one of the structure and the radioisotope.

Assignees

• Varex Imaging Corp

Inventors

• May Clyde
• Nisius David T
• Venkatachalam Rajashekar

Classifications

• G01N23/18 Primary

  Investigating the presence of flaws defects or foreign matter · CPC title

• G01N23/04 Primary

  and forming images of the material · CPC title

• G01N23/083

  the radiation being X-rays · CPC title

• G01N2223/628

  tubes, pipes · CPC title

• G01N2223/629

  welds, bonds, sealing compounds · CPC title