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 Dacon started developing the IRISpig in 1998 because Total France and PTT-EP Thailand demanded an accurate inspection method for inspection of their pipe lines. In 2000 Dacon joined forces with Pan American Industries, who were involved in IRIS development from the early days, to further develop the IRISpig. In 2001 the first PIG was successfully completed and field tested in the full scale testing facility at the Dacon office in Thailand. In 2002 the first inspection was completed successfully in the Gulf of Thailand. Since then the PIG has proven itself through numerous jobs in most parts of the world to be a rugged and reliable inspection tool capable of reporting pipeline defects with the greatest accuracy. |
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 There are techniques that may have higher ‘through pipeline’ speed than ILI, but when it comes to inspection accuracy the ILI tool can provide owner or operator with the best remaining thickness data available.
The inspection principle used in the ILI system is based on the original IRIS system developed under. The system consists of a horizontally placed ultrasonic transducer contained within the centre body of the ILI tool. The transducer sends it’s sound waves horizontally where they hit a 45° rotating mirror, which then directs the sound waves perpendicular towards the pipe wall. Every time the signal hits a surface a proportion of it will refl ect back to the transducer the same way it came. The difference in time between the sent and received signal allows the computer to calculate the time of travel which is then converted to distance and the measurement recorded. These measurements are made by the transducer at up to 1,600 times per second depending on the diameter of the pipe.
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The mirror rotates twice per second, allowing up to 1,600 measurements around the circumference of the pipe per second.
This allows for thickness measurements as little as 0.04 mm apart. |
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 The computer software will plot the thickness recorded from each revolution, or from continuous revolutions. To ease data analyzing and overview, the thicknesses are colour coded in the software which allows variations in thicknesses to be seen as a colour change.
Large diameter piping up to 64” and non-metal pipelines such as HDPE can also be inspected by the ILI system. Dacon are currently the World leader in Intelligent Ultrasonic Pigging of HDPE pipelines.
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 Riser
The ILI system can also be used for riser inspections, whether with or without production outage. A real time cable operated system is also available, where inspection results are immediately seen by the technicians on a control computer as the ILI tool descends down the riser.
The ILI tethered system can also be used for underground lines, road crossings, jetty lines etc., where external access is limited. Again the advantage is in the extremely accurate and immediate inspection results.
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 Dacon’s research and development department is continuously working on upgrades or specific developments to suit clients’ requirements. With today’s availability of advanced technology such as GPS systems, inclinometers, accelerometers, sensors etc., there is virtually no limit to the amount of data that can be gathered from an ILI tool run down a pipeline.
The ILI tools can be fitted with distance and angle encoders, sub sea and topside tracking systems, GPS coordinate trackers, elevation trackers to mention but a few of the combinations available.
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Dacon’s research and development department is continuously working on upgrades or specific developments to suit clients’ requirements. With today’s availability of advanced technology such as GPS systems, inclinometers, accelerometers, sensors etc., there is virtually no limit to the amount of data that can be gathered from an ILI tool run down a pipeline.
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The ILI tools can be fitted with distance and angle encoders, sub sea and topside tracking systems, GPS coordinate trackers, elevation trackers to mention but a few of the combinations available.
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