Method and apparatus for monitoring the environment of a vessel

Claim 1

A method for monitoring the environment of a vessel comprising the steps: A) providing a liquid which may contain particles in suspension disposed in a vessel having containment walls; B) inserting a hollow member into the contained liquid near the containment walls, where the hollow member has walls with inner and outer sides, and has disposed therein at least one robotic device which can travel within the length of the inserted hollow member and can emit and receive ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields, where both the ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields can pass through the hollow member and the liquid to the containment walls; C) moving the robotic device while emitting and receiving at least one of: i) low frequency ultrasonic waves, which are absorbed and partially reflected by the hollow member walls and the containment walls, ii) high frequency ultrasonic waves, which are absorbed and partially reflected by any particles in suspension within the liquid in the vessel, and iii) electromagnetic fields, where the fields emitted are selected so that they permeate the interior of the hollow member walls and the containment walls and cause eddy currents therein and also permeate the liquid and interact with any conducting or magnetic particles in suspension; D) measuring i) the absorptions and reflections of any emitted ultrasonic waves and ii) any eddy currents generated by any emitted electromagnetic fields, and E) measuring i) the differences in the absorptions of any emitted and received ultrasonic wave and ii) eddy current differences in any emitted electromagnetic fields; to determine flaws in the hollow member and containment walls, and properties of any particles in suspension.

Claim 2

A method for monitoring the environment of a vessel comprising the steps: A) providing a liquid which may contain particles in suspension disposed in a vessel having containment walls; B) inserting a hollow member into the contained liquid near the containment walls, where the hollow member has walls with inner and outer sides, and has disposed therein at least one robotic device which can travel within the length of the inserted hollow member and can emit and receive ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields, where both the ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields can pass through the hollow member and the liquid to the containment walls; C) moving the robotic device while emitting and receiving at least one of: i) low frequency ultrasonic waves, which are absorbed and partially reflected by the hollow member walls and the containment walls, ii) high frequency ultrasonic waves, which are absorbed and partially reflected by any particles in suspension within the liquid in the vessel, and iii) electromagnetic fields, where the fields emitted are selected so that they permeate the interior of the hollow member walls and the containment walls and cause eddy currents therein and also permeate the liquid and interact with any conducting or magnetic particles in suspension; D) measuring i) the absorptions and reflections of any emitted ultrasonic waves and ii) any eddy currents generated by any emitted electromagnetic fields, and E) measuring i) the differences in the absorptions of any emitted and received ultrasonic wave and ii) eddy current differences in any emitted electromagnetic fields; to determine flaws in the hollow member and containment walls, and properties of any particles in suspension.

Claim 9

An apparatus for monitoring the environment of a vessel, characterized in that the apparatus comprises: A) a hollow member having walls through which ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields can pass and which is insertable in a liquid disposed in a vessel having containment walls, B) at least one robotic device disposed in the hollow member, said device having means for selectively monitoring at least one of: properties of the contained liquid, and hollow member and containment wall flaws, where the robotic device can travel within the length of the hollow member and is adapted to selectively emit and receive, through the wall of the hollow member and through the liquid, at least one of ultrasonic waves of a selected low frequency, ultrasonic waves of a selected high frequency, and electromagnetic fields, C) a measuring device capable of measuring the differences in the absorptions of any emitted and received ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields; and capable of producing output signals effective to determine properties of any particles in liquid suspension and flaws in the hollow member and vessel containment walls.

Claim 10

An apparatus for monitoring the environment of a vessel, characterized in that the apparatus comprises: A) a hollow member having walls through which ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields can pass and which is insertable in a liquid disposed in a vessel having containment walls, B) at least one robotic device disposed in the hollow member, said device having means for selectively monitoring at least one of: properties of the contained liquid, and hollow member and containment wall flaws, where the robotic device can travel within the length of the hollow member and is adapted to selectively emit and receive, through the wall of the hollow member and through the liquid, at least one of ultrasonic waves of a selected low frequency, ultrasonic waves of a selected high frequency, and electromagnetic fields, C) a measuring device capable of measuring the differences in the absorptions of any emitted and received ultrasonic waves and electromagnetic fields; and capable of producing output signals effective to determine properties of any particles in liquid suspension and flaws in the hollow member and vessel containment walls.