Simulation and experimental research on metal loss detection in the interior of pipelines based on array eddy current detection method

Oil and gas pipelines, serving as a carrier for energy transportation, will give rise to oil and gas leakage and even explosion and other major safety accidents once they malfunction during the long-term service process. Pipelines are highly prone to incurring safety risks such as metal loss on the inner wall during the manufacturing or construction process. This not only poses severe security risks to pipeline enterprises but also leads to serious environmental protection incidents and significant economic losses. Based on the array eddy current testing technology, this paper employs finite element software to establish a three-dimensional simulation model of the pipeline, analyzes the variation law of eddy current detection signals for different defect parameters, fabricates array eddy current detection probes and defect test blocks, and conducts detection tests for defects of various sizes. The results demonstrate that the developed array eddy current probe can effectively detect the metal loss defects on the inner wall of the pipeline, and the amplitude of the detection signal rises along with the increase in the size and depth of the defects. The simulation results are in excellent agreement with the actual detection results of the array eddy current sensor, and the detection technology is anticipated to be widely applied in the high-precision detection of pipelines. During the test, there exists a favorable mapping relationship between the sensor amplitude and the volume equivalent size and shape of the metal loss defect. The entire system performs well in the test and can effectively identify the metal loss area of the pipeline and assess the severity.