Underground Piping System Inspection

Hello,

Only familiar with CCTV internal inspection for sewerage pipe systems.

For potable water, did hear about some technology five years ago about tethered electromagnetic systems for pressureised water mains and also data recorders inside "balls" that are introduced to the water flow and monitoring impedance and other EM features.

Known challenges distinguishing between general wall thinning and areas with multiple pitting.

Thank you for your reply and information about the tethered electromagnetic systems, first time to heard about it.

I probably should not have replied because I have no experience with this.

I use CCTV almost exclusively. for inspections of santiary sewer, storm sewer, and older water mains.

Something for you to consider, if the pipe you wish to inspect is not ferro based, then the MTM-G technology is of no benefit to you.

Engineers more experienced than me may be able to chime in using sonar type analysis.

Respectfully Yours

<...without requirement of the excavation...>

Excavation of piping systems should be done with appropriate levels of care, as the restraint provided by the burial may well be part of the restraint that is stopping the <...piping system...> from catastrophic, irreversible, and unintended self-disassembly!

I had to replace a water line at one of the facilities Western Iowa. The site was old, and was built on what was once swamp land, so the pH of the soil was quite low. And the water main was buried sometimes at 12'.

We tried electrical tracing to no affect.

Radar, again it was scattered. And by that I mean, we'd find a line, and then it would disappear.

There was a lot of junk down there, such as abandon lines as such.

The plumber even tried water dowsing. Yes we were disparate.

Now, that was at the front of the site. At the back of the site we were putting up an addition, and we hired an out fit that used MRM-G. Other than getting a well defined report, it was pretty good. Pricey but good.

unfortunately, it was not succussed with us. I wish to get another technology.

One other item, we were going to bring in a camera on a ball, we didn’t do that.

What we ended up doing, we abandon the line, and put in a new line at a point where the we knew the line was good.

how we found that the line was good, we brought in a water jet, to cut a hole down to the pipe and inspected it.

I recently had someone tell me about a company called Darkpulse. I read about some of their technology, not sure it would do what you are looking for. Just a random note, maybe you can check them out.

How big is your pipe?

Oil & gas pipelines are inspected all the time with 'smart' pigs. Those pipes are usually pretty big.

Do a search for 'smart pig pipeline inspection'.

There are several methods of inspecting underground piping systems...what you need is a specialist that can determine the best available testing methods for your needs....

• Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR): GPR uses electromagnetic waves to create an image of the subsurface, allowing inspectors to identify the location and extent of buried pipes and potential defects.
• Ultrasonic Testing (UT): UT utilizes ultrasonic waves to measure pipe wall thickness and detect internal defects like cracks or corrosion.
• Remote Visual Inspection (RVI): RVI uses cameras and other visual tools to inspect the inside of the pipe, identifying damage, blockages, or other issues.
• In-Line Inspection (ILI): ILI uses specialized tools, such as "smart pigs" or robotic inspection systems, to travel through the pipe and collect data on its condition.
• Hydrostatic Testing: This method involves pressurizing the piping system with water and monitoring for leaks to identify weak points or damage.
• Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV): CCTV uses video cameras to inspect the inside of pipes, particularly in sewer systems, to identify blockages, damage, or other issues.
• Guided Wave Testing: This technique uses guided ultrasonic waves to inspect buried pipes, detecting wall thickness variations and other defects.

This will depend on system size, accessibility, piping type and material, age, environmental conditions and other factors....