Gas leakage treatment method and aerial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10520387-B2
Application number	US-201715582025-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2017
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A gas leakage treatment method includes detecting a target gas concentration of a target gas in an environment at a corresponding position of a gas delivery pipeline in a process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline. The method further includes, if the target gas concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, determining that gas leakage occurs and performing a gas leakage treatment operation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A gas leakage treatment method, comprising:
controlling a mobile detection device to move along a gas delivery pipeline, the mobile detection device being coupled with an air chamber exposed to the air and configured to hold gas;
detecting, using the mobile detection device, a target gas concentration of a target gas in an environment at a corresponding position of the gas delivery pipeline in a process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, wherein detecting the target gas concentration comprises:
controlling the mobile detection device to be in a stationary state at the corresponding position;
starting timing when the detection device enters the stationary state;
performing, when a timing duration reaches a preset duration threshold, a gas analysis operation on the gas held in the air chamber to determine the target gas concentration in the air chamber; and

if the target gas concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, determining that gas leakage occurs and performing a gas leakage treatment operation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the mobile detection device comprises an aerial vehicle, and
controlling the mobile detection device to move along the gas delivery pipeline comprises:
generating flight path information according to acquired installation position trajectory information of the gas delivery pipeline, and controlling the aerial vehicle to fly along a path indicated by the flight path information; or
shooting an image that includes a visual pattern disposed on the gas delivery pipeline, and controlling the aerial vehicle to fly along the gas delivery pipeline according to feature points on the visual pattern in the shot image.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein controlling the mobile detection device to move along the gas delivery pipeline further comprises:
in the course of the flight of the aerial vehicle, if calibration information sent by a calibrator disposed on the gas delivery pipeline is received, correcting flight data of the aerial vehicle according to the received calibration information,
wherein the flight data includes a flight position, or the flight position and a flight attitude.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target gas comprises natural gas, and the gas analysis operation comprises a non-dispersive infrared gas analysis operation.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing the gas leakage treatment operation comprises:
sending an alarm indication signal; or
sending an indication signal that carries a position coordinate.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the target gas concentration comprises:
in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, detecting the target gas concentration in the environment at the corresponding position of the gas delivery pipeline according to a preset detection interval, the preset detection interval including a detection time interval or a moving distance interval; or
in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, detecting whether a position indicated by a preset position coordinate is reached, and, if the position indicated by the preset position coordinate is reached, detecting the target gas concentration in the environment of the gas delivery pipeline at the position.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the target gas concentration comprises:
in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, judging whether detection trigger information is acquired; and
if the detection trigger information is acquired, detecting the target gas concentration of the environment of the gas delivery pipeline at a current position.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein judging whether the detection trigger information is acquired comprises:
in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, collecting a visual image in real time, and if the collected visual image comprises a pattern used for indicating performing target gas concentration detection, determining that the detection trigger information is acquired; or
in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, if a wireless signal used for indicating performing the target gas concentration detection is received, determining that the detection trigger information is acquired.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before detecting the target gas concentration:
detecting whether an ambient temperature is lower than a preset temperature threshold and, if the ambient temperature is lower than the preset threshold, performing a temperature compensation operation.

10. An aerial vehicle, comprising:
a power assembly;
a flight controller configured to control a power output of the power assembly to make the aerial vehicle move along a gas delivery pipeline;
a gas detection device; and
an air chamber coupled to the gas detection device, the air chamber being exposed to the air and configured to hold gas;
wherein the gas detection device is configured to:
detect a target gas concentration of a target gas in an environment at a corresponding position of the gas delivery pipeline in a process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline by:
controlling the aerial vehicle to be in a stationary state at the corresponding position,
starting timing when the aerial vehicle enters the stationary state, and
performing, when a timing duration reaches a preset duration threshold, a gas analysis operation on the gas held in the air chamber to determine the target gas concentration in the air chamber, and

if the target gas concentration is greater than a preset concentration threshold, determine that gas leakage occurs and perform a gas leakage treatment operation.

11. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein,
the flight controller is further configured to control the power output of the power assembly according to installation position trajectory information of the gas delivery pipeline, or
the aerial vehicle further comprises an image collection device configured to collect an image of a visual pattern preset on the gas delivery pipeline, and the flight controller is further configured to control the aerial vehicle to fly along the gas delivery pipeline according to feature points on the visual pattern in the image obtained by the image collection device.

12. The aerial vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising:
a communication device configured to receive an external signal,
wherein the flight controller is further configured to, in the course of the flight of the aerial vehicle, if the communication device receives calibration information sent by a calibrator disposed on the gas delivery pipeline, control the power output of the power assembly according to the received calibration information, to correct flight data of the aerial vehicle, the flight data including a flight position, or the flight position and a flight attitude.

13. The aerial vehicle of claim 10 , wherein:
the gas detection device is further configured to, in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, detect the target gas concentration in the environment at the corresponding position of the gas delivery pipeline according to a preset detection interval, the preset detection interval comprising a detection time interval or a moving distance interval; or
the gas detection device is further configured to, in the process of moving along the gas delivery pipeline, detect whether a position indicated by a preset position coordinate is reached and, if the position indicated by the preset position coordinate is reached, detect the target gas concentration in the environment of the gas delivery pipeline at the position.

Assignees

• Sz Dji Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Qiguang
• Li Yao
• Zhao Yongjian
• Sun Hui
• Guo Yuanzhen

Classifications

• G08B17/005

  for forest fires, e.g. detecting fires spread over a large or outdoors area (fire fighting forest fires A62C3/02) · CPC title

• G08B13/194

  using image scanning and comparing systems · CPC title

• G08B21/12

  responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms · CPC title

• G01M3/22

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; {for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators} · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title