Development of a Position Measuring Device of a Deep-Sea Pipeline Based on Flange Center Positioning

Abstract

A deep-sea pipeline position and attitude-measuring device based on pipeline outer circle positioning can measure the spatial relative positions of the end faces of two oil pipelines in the deep sea. This device can provide the necessary data to make a transition pipeline connecting two sections of oil pipelines together. However, after analyzing the data measured by this device, it is found that the measurement data has a large error because the error transmission coefficient of the measurement value is too large. In order to reduce the error transfer coefficient, a new measuring device for measuring the posture of deep-sea pipelines by a tensioning rope was proposed. Unlike previous measuring devices, this measuring device is based on the positioning of the flange center of the pipe instead of the pin on the outer circle of the pipe. With the comparison of positioning methods between fixing in the center of flange and fixing the outer wall of pipeline, the former can reduce the transition matrix in the process of solving the relative position of the two pipes, and then reduce the magnification of the measurement sensor error. It also reduces two measurement parameters. The solving formula of the position and attitude of the measuring device based on the outer circle positioning of the pipeline is analyzed. It is proved that the error transmission coefficient of the measuring device based on the flange center positioning is smaller. Experiments show that compared with the positioning method based on the outer circle of the pipe, the positioning method based on the flange center has a higher accuracy.