METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOCATING HIDDEN OR BURIED NON-CONDUCTIVE PIPES AND LEAKS THEREFROM
First Claim
1. A method for locating a hidden or buried non-conductive fluid pipe, comprising:
- injecting a plurality of individual electrical current signal pulses into fluid in a hidden or buried non-conductive pipe;
detecting a plurality of magnetic field pulses, induced by said plurality of electrical current pulses, and emanating from fluid in said pipe; and
determining the location of said pipe according to the spatial variation of the intensity of said magnetic field pulses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for locating a hidden or buried non-conductive fluid pipe and leaks therefrom are presented in which a current signal is injected into fluid in a hidden or buried non conductive pipe and the resulting induced magnetic field is detected to determine the location of the pipe and leaks therefrom according to the spatial variation of the intensity of the magnetic field. In one approach, a pulser injects a plurality of individual electrical current pulses directly into water in pipe. The pulsed currents in the pipe can be returned to the pulser by a wire conductor independent from ground. A coil detector senses the magnetic fields created in the water in the pipe. Leak detection can be enhanced by providing a current path through earth ground for leakage current due to water leaks in the water pipe and utilizing a variable resistor to control the amount of current returning to the pulser.
21 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for locating a hidden or buried non-conductive fluid pipe, comprising:
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injecting a plurality of individual electrical current signal pulses into fluid in a hidden or buried non-conductive pipe; detecting a plurality of magnetic field pulses, induced by said plurality of electrical current pulses, and emanating from fluid in said pipe; and determining the location of said pipe according to the spatial variation of the intensity of said magnetic field pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for locating a hidden or buried non-conductive fluid pipe comprising:
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providing an electrical current signal forward path, independent from earth ground, from a power supply to fluid in a first end of a hidden or buried non-conductive pipe, providing a current signal return path, independent from earth ground, from fluid in a second end of said pipe back to said power supply; injecting an electrical current into said pipe fluid via said current signal forward path; returning said electrical current from said fluid to said power supply via said current signal return path; detecting a magnetic field induced by said electrical current and emanating from fluid in said pipe; and determining the location of said pipe according to the spatial variation of the intensity of said magnetic field. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A pipe locator apparatus for locating a hidden or buried non-conductive pipe, said apparatus comprising:
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a pulser for injecting a plurality of individual electrical current signal pulses into fluid in a hidden or buried non-conductive pipe; and a detector for detecting a plurality of magnetic field pulses, induced by said plurality of electrical current pulses, and emanating from said fluid in said pipe; whereby, in use, operation of said pulser injects said plurality of electrical current pulses into fluid in said pipe, and whereby movement of said detector over a surface area in the vicinity of said pipe detects said corresponding magnetic field pulses emanating from the pipe fluid, and the spatial variation of the intensities of said magnetic field pulses, to indicate the location of said hidden or buried pipe. and/or the location of a leak in said pipe. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification