Pipe Assembly Tracer Wire Embedding for Leak Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for locating and detecting leaks in non-metallic underground pipes are inaccurate and prone to false positives due to dislodged or damaged tracer wires, leading to inefficient and costly repairs.
Innovation Solution
A pipe assembly with a securely attached tracer wire using an insulating jacket and attachment base, which generates and receives electrical pulses for reliable traceability and leakage detection, reducing the likelihood of wire dislodgment and false positives by ensuring a secure coupling to the pipe.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a tracer wire is laid alongside or taped to plastic pipes, then the pipe location can be detected more accurately than with dig and locate methods, but the tracer wire can easily be dislodged or knocked off during transit or installation, leading to loss of traceability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the tracer wire with the pipe by embedding it within the pipe wall structure itself, rather than attaching it separately. The wire is positioned in a groove or channel formed in the pipe, and the pipe material is then molded over the wire to secure it permanently. This merging ensures the tracer wire remains attached throughout transit and installation while maintaining its function for location detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The tracer wire is nested within the pipe structure, specifically embedded in a groove or channel that is then covered by the pipe material. This nesting approach protects the wire from dislodgment while keeping it accessible for electrical connection and signal transmission during location detection operations.
2Measurement precision
If a transmission line is used for leak detection, then leakage can be detected through impedance changes, but false positives occur when the transmission line itself becomes dislodged or damaged, leading to unnecessary repairs
Solution Approach 1:
The detection wire is merged with the pipe structure by embedding it within the pipe wall, making it impossible for the wire to become dislodged or damaged independently of the pipe itself. Any change in electrical impedance along the wire directly corresponds to actual pipe damage or leakage, eliminating false positives caused by wire displacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The pipe material itself acts as an intermediary that permanently bonds the detection wire to the pipe structure. This intermediary ensures that the wire moves only with the pipe, providing a reliable mechanical connection that prevents false detection signals while allowing accurate leakage monitoring through impedance changes.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional dig and locate methods are used for non-metallic pipes, then no special equipment is needed, but many holes must be dug and the method is time-consuming and impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical dig-and-locate method with an electrical detection system. By embedding an electrically conductive wire within the non-metallic pipe, the system allows location detection through electrical signals, eliminating the need for multiple trial digs and significantly improving productivity while maintaining simplicity.
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 solution provides accurate and reliable location and leakage detection of non-metallic pipes by securely attaching the tracer wire, minimizing false positives and reducing unnecessary repairs, thus enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of pipe maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
an electric pulse is sent down a transmission line placed in proximity to a pipe being monitored. Reflections of the pulses are monitored and threshold values are established above and below the reflected waveforms.
Implementation Method 2
the location of a metal pipe is easily determined by means of magnetometer devices or by applying RF signals to the pipe
Implementation Method 3
by applying RF signals to the pipe and picking up the radiation from the pipe with a sensing device
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a pipe assembly containing a pipe, an insulating jacket coupled to the pipe via an attachment base; and a tracer wire within the insulating jacket. The width of the attachment base is greater than width of the insulating jacket. Also disclosed herein are methods of locating a pipe concealed below a ground surface, and detecting the presence and the position of a leak in a pipe concealed below a ground surface.