Flow Meter Reporting Rate Switching for Seismic Event Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Flow-based metering devices in seismic-prone areas are vulnerable to damage from seismic activity, leading to potential hazards like gas line breaks and leaks, necessitating the need for systems that can detect such activity and adjust reporting rates to facilitate timely response and damage detection.
Innovation Solution
Metering devices equipped with seismic sensors dynamically adjust reporting rates from default to event and exception rates in response to detected seismic activity, allowing for increased communication frequency during seismic events and resource flow monitoring to enable rapid utility response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fixed rate monitoring is used in flow-based metering systems, then device complexity is reduced, but measurement precision deteriorates during transient flow conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system dynamically adjusts the sampling rate based on detected flow conditions. During transient conditions (rapid flow changes), the system increases monitoring frequency to capture accurate measurements. During steady-state conditions, it reduces frequency to minimize processing. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the system complex only when necessary for precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameter (sampling rate) based on flow conditions. It transitions between different monitoring rates (e.g., high frequency during transients, low frequency during steady-state) to optimize the balance between measurement precision and system complexity. This parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain accuracy when needed while reducing complexity during normal operation.
2Measurement precision
If high sampling rate is used continuously, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous high-rate sampling, the system uses periodic action by switching between high sampling rates during transient detection and low sampling rates during steady-state periods. This periodic modulation of monitoring intensity maintains measurement precision when needed while dramatically reducing average energy consumption during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts sampling rate based on real-time flow condition assessment. When transients are detected, it switches to high sampling mode for precise measurement. When flow is stable, it switches to low sampling mode to conserve energy. This dynamic rate adaptation resolves the energy-precision tradeoff.
3Use of energy by moving object
If variable rate monitoring is implemented, then energy consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes operational parameters (sampling rate) based on detected conditions. It implements variable rate monitoring by adjusting the temporal resolution of measurements according to flow dynamics. This parameter change reduces energy consumption during steady-state while maintaining necessary monitoring capability, accepting increased complexity only to the extent needed for energy optimization.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system transitions from static fixed-rate operation to dynamic variable-rate operation. It uses flow condition detection to dynamically adjust sampling frequency, creating a more complex control structure that enables energy savings through intelligent rate adaptation during transient and steady-state conditions.
4Productivity
If low sampling rate is used to save energy, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates during transients
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic action by alternating between low sampling rate (for energy efficiency) and high sampling rate (for precision during transients). This periodic switching allows the system to maintain high processing efficiency during normal operation while periodically increasing measurement intensity when flow transients require accurate capture, thus resolving the productivity-precision contradiction.
Data Source
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AI summary
Certain aspects and features include techniques for reporting resource flow at a metering device. In an example, a metering device measures resource flow by measuring a pressure or a flow rate. The metering device sets a reporting rate to a default reporting rate. The metering device transmits communications indicating the measured resource flow to an external device at the reporting rate. The metering device detects seismic activity at the metering device. The metering device determines that the seismic activity exceeds a seismic threshold. The metering device, in response to determining that the seismic activity exceeds the seismic threshold, adjusts the reporting rate to an event reporting rate, and starts an event time period. The metering device, transmits communications indicating the measured resource flow to the external device at the event reporting rate during the event time period.