System and method for leak characterization after shutoff of pressurization source

• US 10,094,095 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phyn LLC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Phyn LLC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Enev, Miroslav, Banerjee, Salil, Patel, Shwetak
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, MINH Q
• Application Number:
  US15/344,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20180127957A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 1374875, 137 1511, 702 51
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/003 Arrangement for testing of watertightness of water supply conduits
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/15 Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution

Abstract

The system including a sensing device including a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure of water in a water system of a structure during a testing interval when a system shutoff valve of the water system is closed. The sensing device can be configured to generate pressure measurement data representing the pressure of the water as measured by the pressure sensor. The system also can include one or more processing units comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory storage media storing machine-executable instructions configured when run on the one or more processors to perform estimating an orifice size of a leak in the water system based on the pressure measurement data. Other embodiments are provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a sensing device comprising a pressure sensor configured to measure pressure of water in a water system of a structure during a testing interval when a system shutoff valve of the water system is closed, wherein the sensing device is configured to generate pressure measurement data representing the pressure of the water as measured by the pressure sensor; and

one or more processing units comprising one or more processors and one or more non-transitory storage media storing machine-executable instructions configured when run on the one or more processors to perform;

estimating an estimated orifice size of a leak in the water system based on the pressure measurement data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system shutoff valve is an automatic shutoff valve; and

the machine-executable instructions are further configured to perform;

sending a control signal to close the system shutoff valve.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the machine-executable instructions are further configured to perform:

detecting use of the water in the water system by a fixture or appliance connected to the water system during the testing interval; and

sending a control signal from the one or more processing units to the system shutoff valve to open the system shutoff valve.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak repeatedly throughout the testing interval.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the testing interval is approximately 10 minutes to approximately 20 minutes.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak when the leak in the water system comprises an escape of a gas from the water system and is devoid of the water leaking from the water system.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak when the leak in the water system comprises the water leaking from the water system at a rate of less than approximately 0.25 L/min.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the testing interval recurs at a predetermined periodic interval.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-executable instructions are further configured to perform:

determining whether to perform a reverification test based on the estimated orifice size.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-executable instructions are further configured to perform:

determining a notification type based on the estimated orifice size; and

sending a message based on the notification type.

11. A method comprising:

measuring pressure of water in a water system of a structure during a testing interval when a system shutoff valve of the water system is closed using a pressure sensor of a sensing device to generate pressure measurement data;

communicating the pressure measurement data to one or more processing units; and

estimating, using the one or more processing units, an estimated orifice size of a leak in the water system based at least in part on the pressure measurement data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the system shutoff valve is an automatic shutoff valve; and

the method further comprises, before measuring the pressure of the water in the water system of the structure during the testing interval;

sending a control signal from the one or more processing units to the system shutoff valve to close the system shutoff valve.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

detecting use of the water in the water system by a fixture or appliance connected to the water system during the testing interval; and

sending a control signal from the one or more processing units to the system shutoff valve to open the system shutoff valve.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak repeatedly throughout the testing interval.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the testing interval is approximately 10 minutes to approximately 20 minutes.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak when the leak in the water system comprises an escape of a gas from the water system and is devoid of the water leaking from the water system.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak in the water system further comprises;

estimating the estimated orifice size of the leak when the leak in the water system comprises the water leaking from the water system at a rate of less than approximately 0.25 L/min.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the testing interval recurs at a predetermined periodic interval.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining whether to perform a reverification test based on the estimated orifice size.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining a notification type based on the estimated orifice size; and

sending a message based on the notification type.