Acoustic Sensor System for Dendritic Fluid Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dendritic fluid systems face challenges in monitoring and controlling fluid flow due to limitations in sensor technology, including high costs, sensitivity to environmental factors, and the need for frequent maintenance, which can lead to inefficiencies and increased costs in detecting leaks and managing fluid distribution systems.
Innovation Solution
A sensor system comprising magnetic field sensors, acoustic sensors, encapsulated sensor systems, and valve controllers that use wireless communication and Hadamard sampling techniques to monitor fluid flow and detect leaks, allowing for remote data transmission and efficient management of fluid levels and pressure, while reducing the number of sensors needed and minimizing installation costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional sensor systems are deployed in dendritic fluid systems, then fluid flow monitoring and leak detection can be performed, but the system cost increases and maintenance frequency increases due to sensitivity to environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical/optical sensors with acoustic sensors that detect fluid flow and leaks through sound wave analysis. This substitution eliminates the need for complex mechanical components and optical systems that are sensitive to environmental factors, thereby reducing both system cost and maintenance requirements while maintaining reliability in harsh dendritic fluid system environments
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic waves as an intermediary medium to detect fluid flow and leaks. Instead of directly measuring fluid properties with sensitive sensors, the system uses sound waves that propagate through the fluid and pipe walls, providing indirect but robust measurement that is less susceptible to environmental interference and system complexity
2Measurement precision
If more sensors are deployed to improve monitoring coverage, then detection accuracy improves, but installation cost increases and system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs acoustic sensors that perform multiple functions: detecting normal fluid flow, identifying leak locations, and monitoring system-wide acoustic patterns. This multi-functionality allows a single sensor to replace what would traditionally require multiple specialized sensors, reducing system complexity while maintaining or improving detection accuracy through advanced signal processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from point-based sensor measurements to distributed acoustic field analysis. By analyzing sound wave propagation across the entire fluid system and interpreting acoustic patterns in multiple dimensions (time, frequency, spatial distribution), the system achieves comprehensive monitoring coverage with fewer sensors, reducing complexity while enhancing detection precision
3Speed
If wireless technology is used for sensor data transmission, then temporal precision and sampling rate improve, but bandwidth limitations and transmission reliability in harsh environments worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling and transmission of acoustic data at optimized intervals. Rather than continuous high-bandwidth transmission, the system periodically captures acoustic signatures and transmits only when changes exceed thresholds, reducing bandwidth requirements while maintaining detection reliability through strategic timing of data communication in harsh dendritic fluid system environments
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances the accuracy and efficiency of fluid flow monitoring and leak detection, reduces maintenance needs, and lowers operational costs by using fewer sensors and improving signal-to-noise ratio, enabling real-time control and management of fluid distribution systems.
Implementation Method 1
the first sensor is oriented to measure a magnetic field generated by a water meter along a first axis, where the second sensor is oriented to measure the magnetic field along a second axis different from the first axis
Implementation Method 2
where the first sensor is a hall-effect sensor; where the first sensor is configured to measure a rate of change of the magnetic field generated by the water meter along the first axis
Data Source
AI summary
An improved sensor system is provided that monitors and controls a dendritic fluid system. A dendritic fluid system can include artificial components and/or natural components that carry fluid from a source to a destination through a series of paths. The sensor system can include magnetic field sensors, acoustic sensors, encapsulated sensor systems, pressure regulators, and valve controllers to monitor and control the dendritic fluid system. For example, magnetic field sensors, acoustic sensors, and/or pressure regulators can be used to measure the flow of fluid within a dendritic fluid subsystem and/or to detect potential leaks. The encapsulated sensor systems and/or valve controllers can be used to detect fluid levels in a contained system and control valves to adjust the fluid levels in the contained system to a desired level.