Piezo-electric Pipe Vibration Sensor for Water Usage Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring water usage across enterprise organizations are either too expensive or impractical due to the need for in-line meters at every appliance, and existing ultrasonic sensing technologies are not scalable or affordable for widespread implementation.
Innovation Solution
Inexpensive piezo-electric sensor units are attached to the exterior surfaces of pipes to sense vibrations caused by water flow, converting them into electrical signals for wireless transmission and aggregation, allowing for the collection and analysis of water usage data across multiple appliances and zones within an enterprise organization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If in-line water meters are installed at every appliance to accurately measure water usage, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary vibration sensor that attaches to the external surface of water pipes rather than installing in-line meters inside each appliance. The sensor detects vibrations caused by water flow through the pipe walls, providing measurement data without direct contact with water or intrusion into appliances, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement accuracy and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical in-line metering system with a vibration-based sensing system. Instead of using mechanical flow measurement devices installed within water lines, the system uses piezoelectric or accelerometric sensors that detect mechanical vibrations transmitted through pipe walls, simplifying installation while maintaining measurement capability
2Measurement precision
If ultrasonic meters are used to sense water flow, then measurement capability is achieved, but cost and scalability are worsened due to requirements for larger pipes and conductive grease attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive vibration sensors that can be easily deployed and replaced compared to expensive ultrasonic meters. These sensors do not require complex installation procedures involving conductive grease or specialized mounting on large pipes, making them suitable for widespread deployment across numerous appliances and locations
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using ultrasonic waves that travel through water as the conventional approach, the patent inverts the method by detecting vibrations that travel through the solid pipe wall material. This approach eliminates the need for water coupling media and makes the system applicable to smaller pipes and easier to install
3Ease of manufacture
If vibration sensors are used to monitor water flow externally, then cost and scalability are improved, but measurement precision may be compromised compared to in-line meters
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration sensor system is designed to be universally applicable to various pipe types, sizes, and appliance configurations without requiring appliance-specific installation. The sensor can detect vibrations from different water flow conditions and pipe materials, providing accurate measurements across diverse applications while maintaining cost-effectiveness and scalability
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a vibrational signature copy of the water flow characteristics by detecting pipe wall vibrations. This vibrational pattern serves as a proxy for actual water flow measurement, allowing external sensing to achieve precision comparable to in-line meters while avoiding their installation complexities
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 solution enables efficient and cost-effective monitoring of water usage, allowing for quick identification of leaks and maintenance needs, providing meaningful metrics for planners and consumers, and facilitating a global view of water usage across the organization.
Implementation Method 1
Inexpensive piezo-electric sensor units are attached to the exterior surfaces of pipes to sense vibrations caused by water flow, converting them into electrical signals
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments are disclosed that sense vibrations caused by flow of water in pipes, and covert the sensed vibrations into water usage data which can be analyzed, aggregated, and made available to users. In one embodiment, mechanical vibrations of a pipe are sensed, via a piezo-electric sensor attached to an external surface of the pipe, to form analog electrical signals. The analog electrical signals are converted into time-sampled digital data via a microcontroller having analog-to-digital conversion capability. A frequency analysis is performed on the time-sampled digital data, via at least one processor, to generate spectral data. The spectral data is analyzed, via the at least one processor, to determine whether the vibrations are caused by a fluid flowing through the pipe.