Sensor Installation in Pressurized Liquid Pipelines
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Solution Overview
Problem
The installation and removal of sensors in pressurized liquid lines underground are hindered by the need for direct access, which is often not available due to the limited size of shaft structures and the expense of excavations, leading to interruptions in supply and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A device set comprising gripping tools with adjustable lengths, a docking bell, and a transfer device allows for the insertion and removal of sensors through a narrow shaft pipe by sealing the pipe port with a shut-off element, enabling the sensor to be positioned in the flow cross-section without requiring direct access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sensor is installed in a pressurized liquid pipeline through direct access (walk-in or excavation), then the sensor can be properly positioned in the flow cross-section, but the installation requires interrupting supply, excavating the pipeline, and incurs high labor costs and time loss
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline is prepared in advance with a through-hole and pipe port that can be sealed with a blind cover. The shut-off element is pre-installed in the pipe port. This preliminary preparation allows sensor installation without excavation or supply interruption, as the access point and sealing mechanism are already in place.
Solution Approach 2:
A docking bell is introduced as an intermediary device that couples the sensor to the pipe port. The docking bell includes a coupling element that connects to the pipe port and another coupling element for the gripping tool, mediating between the sensor and the installation apparatus. This intermediary enables precise positioning and secure installation through the narrow shaft pipe.
2Ease of operation
If a technician enters a manhole to install the sensor, then direct access to the pipeline is achieved, but shaft structures providing such access are rarely located at the desired installation point and require labor-intensive excavations
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from horizontal access (manhole entry) to vertical access (narrow shaft pipe). By extending the shaft pipe vertically from the surface down to the pipeline, the system enables sensor installation through a different spatial dimension. This allows access to pipelines at locations where manholes are not available, eliminating the need for labor-intensive excavations.
3Productivity
If the pipe port is accessible through a narrow shaft pipe, then excavation and manhole construction are avoided, but the inner diameter is insufficient for technician entry and freedom of movement with tools
Solution Approach 1:
The technician is extracted from the installation process, replacing human manual operation with automated gripping tools. The gripping tool, controlled from the surface, performs all manipulation tasks inside the narrow shaft pipe. This extraction eliminates the need for technician physical presence in the confined space while maintaining full installation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical operations by the technician are replaced with a automated gripping tool system. The gripping tool includes gripping elements that can grasp and manipulate the sensor and docking bell, substituting human hands and tools with a remotely controlled mechanical system. This allows precise manipulation through the narrow shaft pipe without requiring technician entry.
4Reliability
If the pipe port is sealed with a shut-off element, then the pipeline remains pressurized and supply is maintained, but the sensor must be installed through a sealed opening
Solution Approach 1:
The docking bell is pre-loaded with the sensor assembly outside the pressurized pipeline. The gripping tool grasps the docking bell and pushes it through the sealed pipe port opening. Once positioned, the coupling elements engage with the pipe port, securing the sensor in place without requiring the shut-off element to be opened.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking bell serves as an intermediary that bridges the sealed pipe port and the sensor. It includes a coupling element that interfaces with the pipe port's coupling element, allowing the sensor to be installed through the sealed opening without compromising the pipeline pressure. The docking bell effectively mediates between the pressurized pipeline and the external installation apparatus.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 1E~1F
AI summary
The device set comprises two interlocking gripping tools (5, 6) and optionally a transfer device (7), which are designed for installing and/or removing a sensor (41) inserted into the flow cross-section of a pressurized, underground liquid pipeline (1). The sensor (41) is part of a sensor unit (4) with a docking bell (44) and is guided through a through-hole (11) in the pipe wall (10) of the liquid pipeline (1), above which a pipe port (2) is arranged. The pipe port (2) can be sealed to the outside by means of a shut-off element (26). The liquid pipeline (1) carries, for example, water from a public supply network. The sensor (41) is, for example, designed as a hydrophone with a leak detection function, and the pipe port (2) can typically have the shape of a tapping saddle.The pipe port (2) is usually accessible through a narrow shaft pipe (36) of a shaft structure (3), which is therefore inaccessible to a technician. The additional transfer device (7) serves to remove any blanking plate (25) that may be covering the pipe port (2) before the sensor (41) is installed, or to replace the blanking plate (25) after the sensor (41) has been removed. Furthermore, procedure steps for installing and removing the sensor unit (4) using the device set are proposed.