Solar self-powered pipe network monitoring device

By employing a solar-powered self-powered system and photovoltaic panel protection design, the problems of power supply dependence and damage from severe weather for pipeline monitoring devices have been solved, achieving comprehensive energy conservation, safety protection, and monitoring, while reducing maintenance costs and failure risks.

CN120969743AInactive Publication Date: 2025-11-18SHANDONG WATER INVESTMENT CO LTD
View PDF 0 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
CN202511083790.9
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2025-08-04
Publication Date
2025-11-18
Estimated Expiration
Not applicable · inactive patent

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing pipeline monitoring devices require separate power supplies, making troubleshooting difficult after the power supply lines are damaged. They are also prone to damage in severe weather, increasing maintenance costs.

Method used

It adopts a solar self-powered mode, combining photovoltaic panels and photoelectric conversion components to provide continuous power for the monitoring device and serve as a protective barrier in harsh environments. At the same time, electric valves, drain pipes and auxiliary components are designed to facilitate emergency detection and maintenance.

Benefits of technology

It achieves sustainable energy use, reduces operating costs, improves equipment safety and ease of maintenance, and ensures continuous monitoring and data accuracy.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure CN120969743A_ABST
    Figure CN120969743A_ABST
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The invention provides a solar self-powered pipe network monitoring device, and relates to the technical field of pipe network monitoring devices. The connecting pipe is connected to a pipeline of a water service pipe network, first pipelines are symmetrically welded to the connecting pipe, each first pipeline is connected with a second pipeline through a flange, and the second pipelines are connected with the water storage tank. The photovoltaic panel absorbs solar energy and converts the solar energy into electric energy to provide continuous power for the monitoring device main body and related electrical elements, so that the dependence on a traditional power grid is thoroughly eliminated, the energy consumption cost in the operation process is greatly reduced, the consumption of electric power resources is reduced, and the current green and environment-friendly development trend is conformed; sustainability of energy utilization is realized; and meanwhile, the photovoltaic panel is ingeniously arranged right above the monitoring device main body to form a natural protective screen, so that external impact and erosion can be effectively shielded in severe environments such as rainstorm, hail and strong ultraviolet rays, and the monitoring device main body is prevented from being damaged due to direct exposure.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of pipeline monitoring device technology, and in particular to a solar-powered pipeline monitoring device. Background Technology

[0002] A pipeline monitoring device is a device or system used to monitor, collect, and analyze data on the real-time operating status of various pipeline systems (such as water supply networks, drainage networks, gas networks, and oil pipelines). By integrating multiple sensors, data transmission modules, and control units, it achieves continuous tracking of key pipeline parameters, thereby promptly detecting anomalies and ensuring the safe and stable operation of the pipeline network.

[0003] The existing equipment requires a separate power supply during use, and troubleshooting is difficult when the power supply line is damaged. When monitoring outdoor pipelines in real time, the monitoring equipment is easily damaged during severe weather, which increases the subsequent maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention relates to a solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device, which solves the problems of existing devices requiring separate power supply during use, making troubleshooting difficult when the power supply line is damaged; and the fact that in real-time monitoring of outdoor pipelines, the monitoring equipment is easily damaged during severe weather, increasing subsequent maintenance costs.

[0005] This invention provides a solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device, specifically comprising: a connecting pipe; the connecting pipe is connected to a pipeline in a water supply network, and first pipes are symmetrically welded onto the connecting pipe. Each first pipe is connected to a second pipe via a flange, and the second pipes are all connected to a water storage tank. A first mounting frame is fixed on the second pipe, and the main body of the monitoring device is mounted on the first mounting frame. A second mounting frame is fixed on the upper end face of the first mounting frame, and a photovoltaic panel is fixed on the second mounting frame. The photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the main body of the monitoring device via an existing photoelectric conversion component, and the photovoltaic panel is located directly above the main body of the monitoring device.

[0006] Furthermore, each of the first pipes is equipped with an electric valve.

[0007] Furthermore, a drain pipe is welded onto the water storage tank, and a manually adjustable valve is fixed to the drain pipe.

[0008] Furthermore, the main body of the monitoring device is connected to an inlet pipe, which is connected to a water storage tank.

[0009] Furthermore, a flow rate sensor is installed inside the first pipe. The flow rate sensor is electrically connected to the main body of the monitoring device. The first mounting bracket, the main body of the monitoring device, the inlet pipe, and the flow rate sensor together form a detection assembly.

[0010] Furthermore, a sliding frame is fixed on the second mounting bracket, and a base block slides on the sliding frame. The base block is a rectangular block structure, the same size as the photovoltaic panel, and is made of metal. The base block is located directly above the photovoltaic panel.

[0011] Furthermore, a cleaning block is attached to the bottom surface of the base block. The cleaning block is made of sponge material and its bottom surface is in contact with the photovoltaic panel. An electric cylinder is fixed on the sliding frame, and the extended end of the electric cylinder is fixed on the base block. The second mounting frame, photovoltaic panel, sliding frame, base block, cleaning block and electric cylinder together form an auxiliary component.

[0012] Furthermore, a cover plate is fixed on the water storage tank. The cover plate has a stepped structure, with the outer wall of the lower half of the cover plate in contact with the inner wall of the water storage tank, and the bottom end face of the upper half of the cover plate in contact with the top surface of the water storage tank.

[0013] Furthermore, a control box is fixed on the upper surface of the first mounting bracket. The photovoltaic panel is electrically connected to the control box through existing photoelectric conversion components. A microprocessor and a 4G module are installed inside the control box. The microprocessor and the 4G module are electrically connected. The microprocessor is also electrically connected to the electric valve, the main body of the monitoring device, and the electric cylinder.

[0014] This invention provides a solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device, which has the following beneficial effects: In terms of energy supply, this application innovatively adopts a power supply mode that combines photovoltaic panels with existing photoelectric conversion components. The photovoltaic panels absorb solar energy and convert it into electrical energy, providing continuous power to the main body of the monitoring device and related electrical components. This completely eliminates the dependence on the traditional power grid, which not only significantly reduces energy consumption costs during operation and reduces the consumption of electricity resources, but also conforms to the current trend of green and environmentally friendly development and achieves sustainable energy utilization. At the same time, the photovoltaic panels are cleverly set directly above the main body of the monitoring device, forming a natural protective barrier. In the event of severe weather such as rainstorms, hail, and strong ultraviolet radiation, they can effectively shield the main body of the monitoring device from external impacts and corrosion, preventing damage to the main body of the monitoring device due to direct exposure. This significantly improves the safety and service life of the equipment and reduces the risk of monitoring interruption due to equipment failure.

[0015] In terms of the comprehensiveness and emergency response capabilities of pipeline network monitoring, this application demonstrates superior performance of the device. Within the detection components, a flow velocity sensor installed inside the first pipe can capture the flow velocity parameters of the liquid in the connecting pipe in real time and transmit the data to the main body of the monitoring device. This, combined with the main body's water quality monitoring by drawing liquid from the storage tank through the inlet pipe, achieves simultaneous monitoring of the two core indicators of flow velocity and water quality during pipeline network operation. This significantly improves the comprehensiveness and accuracy of monitoring, providing multi-dimensional data support for the stable operation of the pipeline network. Furthermore, the drain pipe and manual valve installed on the storage tank constitute an emergency detection mechanism. When the main body of the monitoring device malfunctions and cannot operate normally, personnel can manually open the valve and collect liquid through the drain pipe for manual testing. This effectively avoids monitoring gaps caused by equipment failure, enhances the device's flexibility and emergency response capabilities, and ensures the continuity of pipeline network monitoring.

[0016] This application's structural design fully considers maintenance convenience and equipment protection requirements, significantly reducing operation and maintenance costs. The electric valve design on the first pipeline is particularly crucial. When the device needs repair or component replacement, simply closing the electric valve disconnects the second pipeline from the main pipeline, allowing for safe disassembly of the second pipeline for operation. Meanwhile, the liquid in the main pipeline continues to flow normally, eliminating the need to shut off the main water supply valve. This completely solves the inconvenience caused to users by water outages during traditional maintenance, ensuring the continuous operation of the water supply network and greatly improving the efficiency and convenience of maintenance work. Simultaneously, the base block and cleaning block design in the auxiliary components take into account both the protection and cleaning functions of the photovoltaic panels. The base block is made of metal of the same size as the photovoltaic panels and can cover the photovoltaic panels during severe weather to prevent damage from external impacts, reducing equipment maintenance costs. The sponge-material cleaning block is driven by an electric cylinder to move back and forth, periodically cleaning the surface of the photovoltaic panels and removing dust, stains, and other debris that affect light-gathering efficiency, ensuring that the photovoltaic panels always maintain high power generation efficiency and guaranteeing the stability of energy supply.

[0017] In terms of intelligence and sealing, this device also performs excellently. The microprocessor inside the control box serves as the core control unit, enabling precise control of components such as electric valves, the main body of the monitoring device, and electric cylinders. Simultaneously, it transmits data such as flow rate parameters and water quality monitoring results to the staff's mobile terminal in real time via a 4G module, allowing managers to remotely monitor the pipeline network's operating status, promptly detect and handle abnormalities, and achieve intelligent remote monitoring and management, thus improving the response speed and management efficiency of the pipeline network operation. The stepped cover design on the water tank, through the tight contact between the lower half and the inner wall of the water tank and the fit between the upper half and the top surface, significantly improves the sealing performance between the two, effectively preventing external impurities from entering the water tank and contaminating the liquid sample, ensuring the accuracy of water quality monitoring results, while also preventing the evaporation and leakage of the liquid inside the water tank, ensuring the availability of samples during emergency testing.

[0018] In summary, through the synergistic effect of its components, this device achieves a unified overall advantage in terms of energy conservation, safety protection, comprehensive monitoring, emergency response, convenient maintenance, intelligent management, and sealing performance. It provides strong technical support for the efficient, stable, and safe operation of water pipe networks and has broad application value and promotion prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments will be briefly described below.

[0020] The accompanying drawings described below are only related to some embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0021] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the axial view structure of the solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the left-side structure of the solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device of the present invention is shown; Figure 3 The present invention is shown. Figure 2 A magnified structural diagram at point A; Figure 4 This shows a schematic diagram of the main structure of the solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device of the present invention; Figure 5 This shows an axial view of the adjusted base block structure in the solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device of the present invention; Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the axial view structure of the auxiliary component of the present invention is shown; Figure 7 The present invention is shown. Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the axial view structure after partial cross-section; Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the system configuration of the present invention is shown.

[0022] List of reference numerals 1. Connecting pipe; 101. First pipe; 102. Second pipe; 103. Water tank; 104. Electric valve; 105. Cover plate; 106. Drain pipe; 107. Valve; 2. Detection components; 201. First mounting bracket; 202. Monitoring device body; 203. Inlet pipe; 204. Flow sensor; 3. Auxiliary components; 301. Second mounting bracket; 302. Photovoltaic panel; 303. Sliding bracket; 304. Base block; 305. Cleaning block; 306. Electric cylinder; 4. Control box; 401. Microprocessor; 402. 4G module. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0024] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in embodiments of this invention have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. It should also be understood that terms such as those defined in a common dictionary should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art, and not as being interpreted in an idealized or highly formalized sense, unless expressly defined in this embodiment of the invention.

[0025] The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in the embodiments of this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms "an," "a," or "the" do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. Likewise, the terms "comprising" or "including" mean that the element or object preceding the word encompasses the elements or objects listed after the word and their equivalents, without excluding other elements or objects. In the following description, spatial and directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "vertical," and "horizontal" may be used to describe embodiments of the invention; however, it should be understood that these terms are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments shown in the figures and do not require the actual device to be constructed or operated in a specific orientation. In the following description, the use of terms such as "connect," "link," "fix," and "attach" can refer to a direct connection between two elements or structures without other elements or structures, or to an indirect connection between two elements or structures through an intermediate element or structure, unless otherwise expressly stated herein.

[0026] Example 1: Please refer to Figures 1 to 8 : This invention proposes a solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device, comprising: a connecting pipe 1; the connecting pipe 1 is connected to a pipeline in a water supply network, and first pipes 101 are symmetrically welded onto the connecting pipe 1. Each first pipe 101 is connected to a second pipe 102 via a flange, and each second pipe 102 is connected to a water storage tank 103. A first mounting bracket 201 is fixed on the second pipe 102, and a monitoring device body 202 is mounted on the first mounting bracket 201. A second mounting bracket 301 is fixed to the upper end face of the first mounting bracket 201. A photovoltaic panel 302 is fixed on the mounting bracket 301. The photovoltaic panel 302 is electrically connected to the main body 202 of the monitoring device through the existing photoelectric conversion components. The photovoltaic panel 302 is located directly above the main body 202 of the monitoring device. In use, the photovoltaic panel 302 and the existing photoelectric conversion components can supply power to the main body 202 of the monitoring device, achieving the purpose of energy saving. Moreover, the photovoltaic panel 302 can shield the main body 202 of the monitoring device, preventing damage to the main body 202 of the monitoring device in harsh environments, thus improving the safety of the device.

[0027] Each of the first pipes 101 is equipped with an electric valve 104. During maintenance, the two electric valves 104 are closed, and the second pipe 102 can be removed from the first pipe 101. This does not affect the normal flow of liquid in the water pipes, and there is no need to close the valves of the water pipes, thus achieving maintenance without affecting the normal use of the water pipes.

[0028] The water storage tank 103 is welded with a drain pipe 106, and a manually adjustable valve 107 is fixed on the drain pipe 106. When the main body of the monitoring device 202 is damaged and cannot monitor the water quality, the valve 107 is manually opened, the liquid discharged from the drain pipe 106 is collected with a cup, and the liquid is tested for water quality, thus realizing emergency detection and improving the flexibility and emergency response of the device.

[0029] The monitoring device body 202 is connected to a liquid inlet pipe 203, which is connected to a water storage tank 103. When in use, the monitoring device body 202 draws liquid from the water storage tank 103 through the liquid inlet pipe 203 for water quality monitoring.

[0030] A flow rate sensor 204 is installed in the first pipe 101. The flow rate sensor 204 is electrically connected to the main body 202 of the monitoring device. The first mounting bracket 201, the main body 202 of the monitoring device, the inlet pipe 203 and the flow rate sensor 204 together form the detection component 2. In use, the main body 202 of the monitoring device can monitor the flow rate of the liquid in the connecting pipe 1 through the flow rate sensor 204, thereby improving the comprehensiveness of the monitoring.

[0031] The second mounting bracket 301 is fixed with a sliding bracket 303, and a base block 304 slides on the sliding bracket 303. The base block 304 is a rectangular block structure, the same size as the photovoltaic panel 302, and is made of metal. The base block 304 is located directly above the photovoltaic panel 302. When severe weather occurs, the base block 304 can protect the photovoltaic panel 302, avoiding damage to the photovoltaic panel 302 and thus increasing maintenance costs.

[0032] The base block 304 has a cleaning block 305 attached to its bottom surface. The cleaning block 305 is made of sponge and its bottom surface is in contact with the photovoltaic panel 302. An electric cylinder 306 is fixed on the sliding frame 303. The extended end of the electric cylinder 306 is fixed on the base block 304. The second mounting frame 301, photovoltaic panel 302, sliding frame 303, base block 304, cleaning block 305 and electric cylinder 306 together form the auxiliary component 3. When cleaning the photovoltaic panel 302, the electric cylinder 306 can be driven to extend and retract. When the electric cylinder 306 extends and retracts, it drives the base block 304 and the cleaning block 305 to move back and forth. When the cleaning block 305 moves back and forth, the photovoltaic panel 302 can be cleaned through the cleaning block 305.

[0033] The first mounting bracket 201 has a control box 4 fixed on its upper surface. The photovoltaic panel 302 is electrically connected to the control box 4 through the existing photoelectric conversion components. The control box 4 is equipped with a microprocessor 401 and a 4G module 402, which are electrically connected. The microprocessor 401 is also electrically connected to the electric valve 104, the monitoring device body 202, and the electric cylinder 306. During use, the microprocessor 401 can control the operation of the electric valve 104, the monitoring device body 202, and the electric cylinder 306. The flow rate sensor 204 transmits the flow rate parameters to the monitoring device body 202, and the monitoring device body 202 transmits the flow rate parameters and water quality monitoring results to the microprocessor 401. The microprocessor 401 transmits the data to the operator's mobile terminal through the 4G module 402, thus realizing intelligent real-time monitoring.

[0034] Example 2, based on Example 1, such as Figures 1-8 As shown, a cover plate 105 is fixed on the water storage tank 103. The cover plate 105 has a stepped structure. The outer wall of the lower half of the cover plate 105 contacts the inner wall of the water storage tank 103, and the bottom surface of the upper half of the cover plate 105 contacts the top surface of the water storage tank 103. During use, the stepped structure of the cover plate 105 can improve the sealing performance between the cover plate 105 and the water storage tank 103.

[0035] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: The flow rate sensor 204 transmits the flow rate parameters to the main body 202 of the monitoring device. The main body 202 of the monitoring device transmits the flow rate parameters and water quality monitoring results to the microprocessor 401. The microprocessor 401 transmits the data to the mobile terminal of the staff via the 4G module 402. During water quality monitoring, the main body 202 of the monitoring device draws liquid from the water storage tank 103 through the liquid inlet pipe 203 for water quality monitoring. When cleaning the photovoltaic panel 302, the electric cylinder 306 can be driven to extend and retract. When the electric cylinder 306 extends and retracts, it drives the base block 304 and the cleaning block 305 to move back and forth. When the cleaning block 305 moves back and forth, the photovoltaic panel 302 can be cleaned through the cleaning block 305. During maintenance, the two electric valves 104 are controlled to close, and the second pipe 102 can be removed from the first pipe 101. At this time, the normal flow of liquid in the water pipe is not affected, and there is no need to close the switch valve of the water pipe, so that maintenance does not affect the normal use of the water pipe.

[0036] The above are merely specific embodiments of this disclosure, but the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited thereto. The scope of protection of this disclosure shall be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device, characterized in that, include: Connecting pipe (1); The connecting pipe (1) is connected to the pipeline of the water supply network. A first pipe (101) is symmetrically welded on the connecting pipe (1). A second pipe (102) is connected to each first pipe (101) through a flange. The second pipe (102) is connected to the water storage tank (103). A first mounting bracket (201) is fixed on the second pipe (102). A monitoring device body (202) is installed on the first mounting bracket (201). A second mounting bracket (301) is fixed on the upper end face of the first mounting bracket (201). A photovoltaic panel (302) is fixed on the second mounting bracket (301). The photovoltaic panel (302) is electrically connected to the monitoring device body (202) through the existing photoelectric conversion components. The photovoltaic panel (302) is located directly above the monitoring device body (202).

2. The solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device according to claim 1, characterized in that, An electric valve (104) is fixed on each of the first pipes (101).

3. The solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device according to claim 2, characterized in that, A drain pipe (106) is welded onto the water storage tank (103), and a manually adjustable valve (107) is fixed on the drain pipe (106).

4. A solar-powered self-supplied pipeline monitoring device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main body (202) of the monitoring device is connected to an inlet pipe (203), which is connected to a water storage tank (103).

5. A solar-powered self-supplied pipeline monitoring device according to claim 4, characterized in that, A flow rate sensor (204) is installed inside the first pipe (101). The flow rate sensor (204) is electrically connected to the main body of the monitoring device (202). The first mounting bracket (201), the main body of the monitoring device (202), the inlet pipe (203) and the flow rate sensor (204) together form the detection component (2).

6. A solar-powered self-powered pipeline monitoring device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second mounting bracket (301) is fixed with a sliding bracket (303), and a base block (304) slides on the sliding bracket (303). The base block (304) is a rectangular block structure. The base block (304) is the same size as the photovoltaic panel (302). The base block (304) is made of metal and is located directly above the photovoltaic panel (302).

7. A solar-powered self-supplied pipeline monitoring device according to claim 6, characterized in that, A cleaning block (305) is attached to the bottom surface of the base block (304). The cleaning block (305) is made of sponge material. The bottom surface of the cleaning block (305) is in contact with the photovoltaic panel (302). An electric cylinder (306) is fixed on the sliding frame (303). The extended end of the electric cylinder (306) is fixed on the base block (304). The second mounting frame (301), photovoltaic panel (302), sliding frame (303), base block (304), cleaning block (305) and electric cylinder (306) together form the auxiliary component (3).

8. A solar-powered self-supplied pipeline monitoring device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The water storage tank (103) is fixed with a cover plate (105). The cover plate (105) has a stepped structure. The outer wall of the lower half of the cover plate (105) is in contact with the inner wall of the water storage tank (103), and the bottom surface of the upper half of the cover plate (105) is in contact with the top surface of the water storage tank (103).

9. A solar-powered self-supplied pipeline monitoring device according to claim 8, characterized in that, A control box (4) is fixed on the upper surface of the first mounting bracket (201). The photovoltaic panel (302) is electrically connected to the control box (4) through the existing photoelectric conversion components. A microprocessor (401) and a 4G module (402) are installed inside the control box (4). The microprocessor (401) and the 4G module (402) are electrically connected. The microprocessor (401) is electrically connected to the electric valve (104), the main body of the monitoring device (202), and the electric cylinder (306).