Fiber-Optic Sewer Pipe Diagnosis for Inflow and Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sewer pipe detection methods, such as CCTV, are costly and inefficient, especially for high-water-level operations, and fail to accurately diagnose inflow and infiltration issues in sewer systems, leading to reduced collection efficiency and water quality deterioration.
Innovation Solution
A distributed fiber-optic temperature measurement system using an optical time-domain reflectometer, data interpretation module, and temperature sensing fiber-optic cable to continuously monitor and map water temperature within sewer pipes, identifying abnormal points and determining inflow and infiltration locations through noise elimination and data analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If CCTV detection is used for sewer pipe testing, then visual inspection capability is improved, but operation complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical CCTV inspection system with an optical sensing system. A fiber optic cable is laid along the sewer pipe, and optical time-domain reflectometry is used to detect temperature variations caused by inflow and infiltration, eliminating the need for complex mechanical plugging, emptying, and dredging operations required by CCTV.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a fiber optic cable as an intermediary sensing element that transmits optical signals through the sewer pipe environment. The cable acts as a distributed temperature sensor, allowing remote detection of thermal anomalies without direct mechanical intervention in the pipe.
2Measurement precision
If CCTV detection is used for sewer pipe testing, then visual inspection capability is improved, but cost increases to 50,000-250,000 yuan per kilometer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a relatively inexpensive fiber optic cable that can be laid along the sewer pipe and used for multiple measurements. The cable itself is a low-cost component compared to CCTV systems, and the optical measurement system provides repeated use without the high per-kilometer costs of traditional inspection methods.
3Measurement precision
If plugging and emptying operations are performed for CCTV detection, then visual inspection is enabled, but operational difficulty increases for high water level pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical inspection methods requiring plugging and emptying with optical sensing through fiber optic cables. The system can measure temperature distributions in flowing water conditions, making it feasible for high water level pipes where traditional methods cannot operate.
4Measurement precision
If distributed fiber-optic temperature measurement is used, then monitoring precision and frequency are improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber optic cable serves multiple functions: it acts as both the transmission medium for optical signals and the distributed temperature sensor itself. The same infrastructure can potentially be used for other sensing applications, reducing overall system complexity despite the advanced measurement capabilities.
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
This method provides precise, cost-effective, and high-frequency monitoring of sewer pipe conditions, enabling accurate identification of inflow and infiltration points, thereby improving diagnostic efficiency and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
S2: feeding back, by the temperature sensing fiber-optic cable, a modulated optical signal to the optical time-domain reflectometer due to a temperature effect
Implementation Method 2
S3: subjecting, by the distributed fiber-optic temperature measurement instrument, the modulated optical signal to photoelectric conversion, so as to acquire binary information
Data Source
AI summary
A sewer pipe inflow and infiltration diagnosis method based on a distributed fiber-optic temperature measurement system is provided. The inflow and infiltration diagnosis method includes the following steps: S1: transmitting, by an optical time-domain reflectometer, an original optical signal to a temperature sensing fiber-optic cable provided in a sewer pipe; S2: feeding back, by the temperature sensing fiber-optic cable, a modulated optical signal to the optical time-domain reflectometer due to a temperature effect; S3: subjecting the modulated optical signal to photoelectric conversion, so as to acquire binary information; S4: converting the binary information into decimal information; S5: drawing a spatiotemporal map of a water temperature; and S6: eliminating a background noise value, identifying an abnormal water temperature point, determining an inflow and infiltration point of the sewer pipe, and determining an abnormal inflow and infiltration point of the sewer pipe.