Noisemaker for pipe systems

• US 10,067,092 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burtea, Valentin Mircea, Robertson, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Saint Surin, J M
• Application Number:
  US14/974,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20170176395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 73597
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/003 Arrangement for testing of watertightness of water supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 9/02 Hydrants; Arrangements of valves therein; Keys for hydrants
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/00 Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/023 Solids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0289 Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/043 in the interior, e.g. by shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/045 by imparting shocks to the workpiece and detecting the vibrations or the acoustic waves caused by the shocks measuring resonant frequency G01H13/00; measuring strength properties by application of mechanical stress G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/07 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves

Abstract

A noisemaker system includes a node of an infrastructure system; and a noisemaker connected in fluid communication with the node, the noisemaker including a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, and a pulsing device positioned within the noisemaker cavity, the pulsing device configured to contact a fluid within the noisemaker cavity and generate an acoustic signal within the fluid.

Claims

1. A noisemaker system comprising:

a node of an infrastructure system; and

a noisemaker connected in fluid communication with the node, the noisemaker comprising;

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, and

a pulsing device positioned within the noisemaker cavity, the pulsing device configured to contact a fluid within the noisemaker cavity and generate an acoustic signal within the fluid,

wherein the noisemaker housing is a piston housing and the noisemaker cavity is a piston cavity, and

wherein the pulsing device is a piston comprising a piston rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the piston rod is positioned exterior to the piston cavity, and wherein the second end of the piston rod is connected to a piston positioned within the piston cavity.

2. The noisemaker system of claim 1, further comprising a purge valve in fluid communication with the noisemaker, the purge valve configured to remove air from the noisemaker system.

3. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure system is a water infrastructure system, and wherein the node is a fire hydrant.

4. The noisemaker system of claim 1, wherein the piston includes an O-ring positioned on the piston rod between the first end and the piston, and wherein the O-ring is positioned within the piston cavity.

5. The noisemaker system of claim 1, further comprising a displacement mechanism configured to displace the piston within the piston cavity.

6. The noisemaker system of claim 1, further comprising an adapter connected to the node, wherein the noisemaker is connected to the node via the adapter.

7. A noisemaker comprising:

a noisemaker housing, the noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, the noisemaker cavity in fluid communication with an infrastructure pipe system; and

a pulsing device, the pulsing device positioned within the noisemaker cavity and configured to generate an acoustic signal within a fluid of the infrastructure pipe system,

wherein the noisemaker housing is a piston housing and the noisemaker cavity is a piston cavity, and

wherein the pulsing device is a piston, wherein the piston includes a piston rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the piston rod is positioned exterior to the piston cavity, and wherein the second end of the piston rod is connected to a piston positioned within the piston cavity.

8. The noisemaker of claim 7, further comprising a displacement mechanism configured to displace the piston within the piston cavity.

9. The noisemaker of claim 8, wherein the displacement mechanism is an adjustable speed and adjustable force vibrator.

10. A method comprising:

mounting a noisemaker on a node of an infrastructure system, the noisemaker comprising;

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, and

a pulsing device positioned within the noisemaker cavity;

generating an acoustic signal in a fluid within the noisemaker cavity by contacting the pulsing device with the fluid;

recording the acoustic signal generated by the pulsing device;

estimating a power spectral density; and

determining a carrier frequency based on the power spectral density.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a pseudo-random binary sequence;

modulating the pseudo-random binary sequence to the carrier frequency to generate an excitation sequence; and

generating a second acoustic sign in the fluid with the pulsing device based on the excitation sequence.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the noisemaker housing is a piston housing and the noisemaker cavity is a piston cavity, wherein the pulsing device is a piston comprising a piston rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the piston rod is positioned exterior to the piston cavity, wherein the second end of the piston rod is connected to a piston positioned within the piston cavity, and wherein generating the acoustic signal comprises moving the piston rod within the piston cavity.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the noisemaker housing is a valve housing and the noisemaker cavity is a valve cavity, wherein the pulsing device is a valve, wherein the valve is positioned within the valve cavity, and wherein generating the acoustic signal comprises rotating the valve within the valve cavity.

14. A method comprising:

mounting a noisemaker on a node of an infrastructure system, the noisemaker comprising;

a noisemaker housing defining a noisemaker cavity, and

a pulsing device positioned within the noisemaker cavity; and

generating an acoustic signal in a fluid within the noisemaker cavity by contacting the pulsing device with the fluid,

wherein the noisemaker housing is a piston housing and the noisemaker cavity is a piston cavity, wherein the pulsing device is a piston comprising a piston rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the piston rod is positioned exterior to the piston cavity, wherein the second end of the piston rod is connected to a piston positioned within the piston cavity, and wherein generating the acoustic signal comprises moving the piston rod within the piston cavity.