SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING AND PREVENTING FLUID LEAKS

• US 20100212748A1
• Filed: 02/20/2009
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Andrew Davidoff
• Original Assignee: John Andrew Davidoff
• Inventors: Davidoff, John Andrew
• Application Number:
  US12/389,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20100212748A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/10
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/02 Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0368 By speed of fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for detecting and preventing fluid leaks. A rate of flow of a portion of fluid flowing through a fluid distribution network over a period of time is monitored. A determination is made whether the rate of flow of the fluid over the period of time is greater than zero but so low that it indicates a leak in the water pipe. If the rate of flow over the period of time indicates a leak, then the flow of the liquid through the system is stopped and an indication is provided that a leak has been detected.

Claims

1. A system for detecting leaks in a fluid distribution network (304), comprising:

a first conduit (102);

a second conduit (300) coupled to said first conduit (102), said second conduit (300) having a flow control valve (308) and said second conduit (300) being coupled to said fluid distribution network (304) downstream of said flow control valve (308);

a third conduit (302) having an upstream end (310), a flowmeter (104) and a downstream end (312), said upstream end (310) coupled to one of said first and second conduits (102, 300) upstream from said flow control valve (308), and said downstream end (312) coupled to said fluid distribution network (304), said third conduit (302) being configured to accept at least a portion of fluid flowing through said first conduit (102); and

a system controller (106) coupled to said flowmeter (104) and said flow control valve (308), said system controller (106) being configured to control a state (404) of said flow control valve (308) and to monitor said flowmeter (104) to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304).

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said flow control valve (308) is a second flow control valve (308), said system further comprising:

a first flow control valve (306) positioned in said first conduit (102);

a pressure sensor (112) downstream of said first flow control valve (306);

wherein said system controller (106) is coupled to said pressure sensor (112), and is further configured to monitor said pressure sensor (112) to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304).

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller (106) is configured to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304) by determining whether a rate of flow (313) measured by said flowmeter (104) is less than a minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) and greater than zero for a predetermined period of time (336).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller (106) is configured to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304) by determining whether a rate of flow (313) measured by said flowmeter (104) is less than a minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) for a predetermined period of time (336).

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) is less than two ounces per minute.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said flowmeter (104) measures a rate of flow (313) over a range of flow rates (414), wherein an upper limit (416) of said range of flow rates (414) is greater than said minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) and a lower limit (418) of said range of flow rates (414) is substantially zero.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said third conduit further comprises a flow-limiting orifice (314) upstream of said flowmeter (104).

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said flow control valve (308) is a second flow control valve (308);

said system further comprises a first flow control valve (306) positioned in said first conduit (102); and

said system controller (106) is further configured to control said first flow control valve (306) to a closed state (342) when a leak is determined to exist.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said system controller (106) is configured to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304) by setting said flow control valve (308) to a closed state (330), and then determining whether a rate of flow (313) measured by said flowmeter (104) becomes greater than zero for at least a predetermined period of time (336) while said flow control valve is in said closed state.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said predetermined period of time (336) is greater than one second.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said system controller (106) is configured to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304) by determining whether a rate of flow (313) into said fluid distribution network (304) is less than a minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) but greater than zero for a predetermined period of time (336).

12. A method of detecting a leak in a fluid distribution network (304) comprising:

establishing a minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) for fluid flowing into said fluid distribution network (304);

monitoring (422) a rate (313) at which fluid flows into said fluid distribution network (304); and

indicating (450, 452) the occurrence of a leak when said monitoring activity detects fluid flowing at less than said minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) but greater than zero for a predetermined period of time (336).

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining when said rate (313) is substantially zero;

monitoring a fluid pressure when said rate (313) is substantially zero;

indicating the occurrence of a leak when said monitoring activity detects a decrease in said fluid pressure.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein said minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) is less than two ounces per minute.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein said indicating activity comprises preventing (450) said fluid from flowing into said fluid distribution network (304).

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said indicating activity comprises an audible alert (452).

17. A system for detecting leaks in a fluid distribution network (304), comprising:

a first conduit (102) having a first flow control valve (306);

a second conduit (300) coupled to said first conduit (102) downstream of said first flow control valve (306), said second conduit (300) having a second flow control valve (308) and said second conduit (300) being coupled to said fluid distribution network (304) downstream of said second flow control valve (308);

a third conduit (302) having an upstream end (310), a flowmeter (104) and a downstream end (312), said upstream end (310) coupled to one of said first and second conduits (102, 300) between said first and second flow control valves (306, 308), and said downstream end (312) coupled to said fluid distribution network (304), said third conduit (302) being configured to accept at least a portion of fluid flowing through said first conduit (102);

a pressure sensor (112) downstream from said first flow control valve (306); and

a system controller (106) coupled to said first flow control valve (306), said flowmeter (104), said second flow control valve (308) and said pressure sensor (112), said system controller (106) being configured to;

control a state of said first flow control valve (306); and

control a state (404) of said second flow control valve (308); and

monitor said flowmeter (104) and said pressure sensor (112) to determine whether a leak exists in said fluid distribution network (304).

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said system controller (106) is further configured to indicate the occurrence of a leak when either a rate of flow (313) measured by said flowmeter (104) is less than a minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) and greater than zero for at least a first predetermined period of time (336), or a pressure measured by said pressure sensor (112) decreases while said rate of flow is substantially zero.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein said minimum legitimate rate of flow (326) is less than two ounces per minute.