Systems and methods for detecting conditions of a fluid conduit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12264992-B1
Application number	US-202217955963-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2022
Priority date	Sep 29, 2021
Publication date	Apr 1, 2025
Grant date	Apr 1, 2025

Abstract

A system configured to monitor a condition of a fluid conduit includes a leak detection sensor assembly having a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor positioned on the fluid conduit. The system also includes one or more additional sensor assemblies positioned on the fluid conduit. The system further includes a controller configured to determine a presence of a leak along the fluid conduit in response to a resistance of a leak detection electrical circuit formed by the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor indicating that the leak detection electrical circuit is closed and data from the one or more additional sensor assemblies indicating the presence of the leak along the fluid conduit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system configured to monitor a condition of a fluid conduit that supports a flow of a fluid, the system comprising:
a leak detection sensor assembly comprising a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor positioned on the fluid conduit;
one or more strain gauges positioned on the fluid conduit; and
a controller configured to determine a presence of a leak of the fluid along the fluid conduit in response to:
a resistance of a leak detection electrical circuit formed by the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor indicating that the leak detection electrical circuit is closed; and
data from the one or more strain gauges indicating the presence of the leak of the fluid along the fluid conduit corresponding to one or more strain signatures indicative of a strain pattern, wherein the one or more strain gauges are positioned at one or more bends of the fluid conduit.

2. The system of claim 1 , comprising a fluid-absorbing member positioned between the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor, wherein the fluid-absorbing member is configured to absorb the fluid to close the leak detection electrical circuit.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate a measurement based on the data from the one or more strain gauges, compare the measurement to a threshold, and determine that the data indicates the presence of the leak along the fluid conduit in response to the measurement meeting or exceeding the threshold.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the threshold is one or more baseline strain signatures.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to provide a control signal to close a valve in response to determining the presence of the leak along the fluid conduit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to instruct an output device to provide an audible alert or a visible alert in response to determining the presence of the leak along the fluid conduit.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises an inner annular wall, an outer annular wall, an annular space defined between the inner annular wall and the outer annular wall, and a fluid-activated material in the annular space.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the fluid-activated material is configured to change state, to interact with the fluid when exposed to the fluid, or both to block travel of the fluid across the inner annular wall.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises a rigid pipe.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fluid conduit comprises an inner annular wall, an outer annular wall, an annular space defined between the inner annular wall and the outer annular wall, and the leak detection sensor assembly in the annular space.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the bend comprises an elbow connected to a straight portion of the fluid conduit.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein a first number of the one or more strain gauges are positioned on the elbow and a second number of the one or more strain gauges are positioned on the straight portion of the fluid conduit, and wherein the first number is greater than the second number.

13. A system configured to monitor a plurality of fluid conduits that each support a flow of a fluid associated with a structure, the system comprising:
a plurality of sensor assemblies positioned on the plurality of fluid conduits, wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises one or more strain gauges, and wherein the one or more strain gauges are positioned at one or more bends of the plurality of fluid conduits; and
a controller configured to:
determine a presence of a leak of the fluid along the plurality of fluid conduits based on data from the plurality of sensor assemblies corresponding to one or more strain signatures indicative of a strain pattern; and
in response to determining the presence of the leak of the fluid, provide an output to a display screen, a speaker, a valve, or any combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate a measurement based on the data from the one or more strain gauges, compare the measurement to a threshold strain signature, and determine that the data indicates the presence of the leak along the plurality of fluid conduits in response to the measurement being below the threshold strain signature.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to:
determine that the data indicates a respective presence of a high strain condition in response to the measurement meeting or exceeding the threshold strain signature for a threshold period of time; and
in response to determining the presence of the high strain condition, provide a respective output to the display screen, the speaker, the valve, or any combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of sensor assemblies comprises one or more leak detection sensor assemblies, and each leak detection sensor assembly of the one or more leak detection sensor assemblies comprises a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fluid conduits comprises a plurality of rigid pipes.

18. A method of monitoring a condition of a fluid conduit that supports a flow of fluid, the method comprising:
receiving, at one or more processors, data from one or more strain gauges positioned on the fluid conduit;
determining, using the one or more processors, a presence of a leak of the fluid or a failure condition along the fluid conduit based on data from the one or more strain gauges corresponding to one or more strain signatures indicative of a strain pattern, wherein the one or more strain gauges are positioned at one or more bends of the fluid conduit; and
instructing, using the one or more processors, an output via a display screen, a speaker, a valve, or any combination thereof in response to determining the presence of the leak of the fluid or the failure condition.

19. The method of claim 18 , comprising:
receiving, at one or more processors, additional data from one or more leak detection assemblies positioned on the fluid conduit, wherein each leak detection sensor assembly of the one or more leak detection sensor assemblies comprises a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor; and
determining, using the one or more processors, the presence of the leak along the fluid conduit based on data from the one or more strain gauges and the additional data from the one or more leak detection assemblies.

20. The method of claim 18 , comprising determining, using the one or more processors, the failure condition along the fluid conduit in response to the data from the one or more strain gauges meeting or exceeding a threshold strain signature for at least a threshold period of time.

Assignees

• Usaa

Inventors

• Schroeder Eric David
• Philbrick Ashley Raine
• Chavez Carlos J P
• Amann Manfred
• Moncrief Brown Donnette L

Classifications

• G08B21/20

  responsive to moisture · CPC title

• G01M3/28

  for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves {; for welds} · CPC title

• G01M3/243

  for pipes · CPC title

• G01M3/182 Primary

  for tubes · CPC title