Non-Invasive Pipe Flow Sensing With Acoustic-Triggered Thermal Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for estimating peak water demand in plumbing systems are outdated, leading to oversized systems that result in higher construction costs, energy waste, and health risks, due to the high cost and invasive nature of deploying waterflow sensors.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive plumbing sensor system using acoustic and thermal flow sensors with a microcontroller unit, battery power, and wireless communication, which selectively activates thermal sensors only when acoustic data indicates waterflow, reducing power consumption and enabling accurate, low-cost deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If waterflow sensors are deployed to collect accurate water usage data, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty increase due to invasive modification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical/physical sensors that require pipe modification with acoustic sensors that detect waterflow through sound waves transmitted through the pipe wall. This substitution eliminates the need for cutting, threading, or otherwise modifying the plumbing infrastructure while maintaining flow detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses acoustic waves as an intermediary to detect waterflow. Instead of directly measuring flow through invasive sensors, the system transmits acoustic signals through the pipe wall and analyzes the resulting sound patterns to infer flow conditions, using sound as a non-invasive mediator between the sensor and the waterflow.
2Measurement precision
If thermal flow sensors are continuously activated to detect waterflow, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of acoustic data at predetermined intervals rather than continuous monitoring. The microcontroller is configured to collect acoustic measurements only at specific time points, which significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining sufficient detection accuracy for determining waterflow conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts sensor activation based on detected conditions. The acoustic sensor continuously monitors for waterflow indicators, and only activates the higher-power thermal sensor when waterflow is detected, creating a dynamic power management strategy that optimizes energy usage based on actual operational needs.
3Measurement precision
If acoustic sensors continuously collect data to detect waterflow, then measurement precision is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic sampling of acoustic data at predetermined intervals rather than continuous monitoring. The microcontroller is configured to collect acoustic measurements only at specific time points, which significantly reduces power consumption while maintaining sufficient detection accuracy for determining waterflow conditions.
4Reliability
If oversized plumbing systems are installed based on traditional estimation methods, then reliability is improved by ensuring sufficient capacity, but loss of substance increases due to water waste from inefficient heating and unused capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system that continuously monitors actual waterflow patterns and usage at individual fixtures. This real-time data feeds back to the control system, enabling dynamic adjustment of water heating and distribution to match actual demand, thereby eliminating the waste associated with oversized systems operating below capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters of the plumbing system from static (fixed capacity based on worst-case estimates) to dynamic (adjustable capacity based on real-time flow data). By continuously measuring actual waterflow and adjusting system operation accordingly, the system optimizes performance to match actual usage patterns rather than relying on conservative overestimates.
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 provides accurate waterflow detection with reduced power consumption, allowing for efficient estimation of peak usage and reducing the need for oversized plumbing systems, thereby minimizing energy waste and health risks.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic flow sensor configured to receive sound from a waterpipe
Implementation Method 2
a thermal flow sensor configured to detect waterflow in the waterpipe
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for monitoring a plumbing system. A sensor module includes an acoustic flow sensor, and is configured to be attached to a water pipe. In response to receiving sound at the acoustic flow sensor above a threshold level, the sensor module wakes up from a low-power sleep mode and begins collecting acoustic data. The acoustic data is analyzed to determine if water is flowing through the pipe, and if so, a thermal flow sensor may also be activated. Flow data is collected while the water is flowing to document the flow event. In response to the sensor module determining the flow of water has stopped, the collected data is transmitted to a remote server, and the sensor module returns to sleep mode. Multiple sensor modules can be deployed to form a sensor network that communicates wirelessly to monitor the plumbing system.