Detection of low gas pressure without pressure sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11971285-B2
Application number	US-202017127809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2020
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Apr 30, 2024
Grant date	Apr 30, 2024

Abstract

Techniques detect a low gas-pressure condition within a region without the use of pressure sensors. In an example, gas usage at a service site is disaggregated to show use by individual appliances. A flowrate of gas at an appliance (e.g., a gas hot water tank) having a generally fixed-rate of gas-consumption is determined. Based at least in part on the flowrate of gas at the appliance, and an historical gas flowrate at that appliance, it is determined if gas pressure at the service site is lower than expected. In an example, failure of the appliance to use its typical fixed-flowrate may indicate low gas pressure at the service site. Information is obtained from a second gas meter at a second service site. Based on the gas pressure at the first and second service sites being lower than expected, a low gas pressure situation may exist in a regional area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
obtaining a flowrate of gas at a first device;
disaggregating the flowrate of gas to obtain a representation of a flowrate of gas corresponding to an appliance having a generally fixed-rate of gas consumption;
determining, based at least in part on the representation of the flowrate of gas corresponding to the appliance, and based at least in part on a representation of historical gas flowrate to the appliance, that gas pressure at the first device is lower than expected;
obtaining information from a second device indicative of its gas pressure;
determining, based on the gas pressure at the first device being lower than expected and based on the obtained information from the second device indicative of its gas pressure, whether a low gas pressure situation exists in a regional area;
generating a message, based at least in part on the determination; and
transmitting the message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method is performed by a headend device; or
the method is performed at least in part by an endpoint associated with a gas service site.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the message comprises at least one of:
transmitting the message to a headend device;
transmitting the message to an endpoint associated with a gas service; or
transmitting the message to service personnel.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message tells a headend device that an endpoint associated with a gas service site is experiencing low gas pressure.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the low gas pressure situation exists for the regional area comprises:
determining that the flowrate of gas corresponding to the appliance is less than the representation of historical gas flowrate by the appliance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the low gas pressure situation exists for the regional area comprises:
determining if at least one fixed-rate gas appliance in each of at least two service locations has a lower than historical flowrate.

7. The method of claim 1 , additionally comprising:
determining if a gas pipeline serves at least one fixed-rate gas appliance having a lower than historical flowrate in each of at least two service locations.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method is performed at least in part by a first endpoint and performed at least in part by a second endpoint; and
the first endpoint and the second endpoint are on a same gas supply pipeline.

9. The method of claim 8 , additionally comprising:
re-pressurizing a low gas-pressure area using a quantity of gas based at least in part on a size of the regional area affected by low gas pressure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method is performed by a first endpoint and performed by a second endpoint; and
the first endpoint and the second endpoint are on a same gas supply pipeline.

11. A gas meter, comprising:
a processor;
a metrology unit controlled by the processor;
a radio controlled by the processor; and
a memory device in communication with the processor, and containing statements, which when executed by the processor perform actions comprising:
obtaining a flowrate of gas at a first device;
disaggregating the flowrate of gas to obtain a representation of a flowrate of gas corresponding to an appliance having a generally fixed-rate of gas consumption;
determining, based at least in part on the representation of the flowrate of gas corresponding to the appliance, and based at least in part on a representation of historical gas flowrate to the appliance, that gas pressure at the first device is lower than expected;
obtaining information from a second device indicative of its gas pressure;
determining, based on the gas pressure at the first device being lower than expected and based on the obtained information from the second device indicative of its gas pressure, whether a low gas pressure situation exists in a regional area;
generating a message, based at least in part on the determination; and
transmitting the message.

12. The gas meter of claim 11 , wherein the message is transmitted to a second gas meter, and wherein the message indicates a need for the second gas meter to determine if it is within the low gas pressure situation.

13. The gas meter of claim 11 , wherein the message is transmitted to a headend device, and wherein the message indicates that the gas meter is within the regional area.

14. The gas meter of claim 11 , wherein the message is updated when the gas meter is no longer associated with the low gas pressure situation.

15. The gas meter of claim 11 , wherein the memory device contains at least one representation of historical gas flowrate of at least one appliance.

16. A method, comprising:
acquiring a first representation of a first flowrate at a first service site;
acquiring a second representation of a second flowrate at a second service site;
determining, based at least in part on the first representation, and based at least in part on the second representation, whether a low-pressure condition is present for a region; and
taking an action to overcome the low-pressure condition.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the method is performed by a headend device; or
the method is performed by an endpoint associated with a gas service site.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the action comprises one or more of:
sending a message indicating a possible need to re-pressurize gas in the region; and
re-pressurizing the region to overcome the low-pressure condition.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
acquiring the first representation comprises disaggregating a flowrate of gas of the first service site to obtain the first representation, wherein the first representation comprises gas used by an appliance at the first service site having a generally fixed-rate of gas consumption; and
acquiring the second representation comprises disaggregating a flowrate of gas of the second service site to obtain the second representation, wherein the second representation comprises gas used by an appliance at the second service site having a generally fixed-rate of gas consumption.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method additionally comprises:
disaggregating flowrates at the first service site and at the second service site to obtain:
the first flowrate at the first service site, wherein the first flowrate represents gas used by a first generally fixed-rate of gas use appliance at the first service site; and
the second flowrate at the second service site, wherein the second flowrate represents gas used by a second generally fixed-rate of gas use appliance at the second service site;

obtaining gas pressure information based at least in part on the first flowrate, the second flowrate, and historical gas usage at the first service site and the second service site.

Assignees

• Itron Inc

Inventors

• Cornwall Mark K
• Kann James Lee
• Clevenger Peter

Classifications

• G01F15/10 Primary

  Preventing damage by freezing or excess pressure or insufficient pressure · CPC title

• G01F9/00

  Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine · CPC title

• G01F15/02

  Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature · CPC title

• G01F15/04

  of gases to be measured · CPC title

• G01F15/043

  using electrical means · CPC title