Reducing False Alarms with Multi-modal Sensing for Pipeline Blockage

• US 20140373603A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 12/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: Chevron USA Incorporated (Chevron Corp.), University of Southern California
• Inventors: ZHANG, Chengjie, HEIDEMANN, John, LAFRAMBOISE, Gregory William
• Granted Patent: US 9,574,919 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/49.5
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/68 by using thermal effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/00 Measuring volume flow relative to another variable, e.g. of liquid fuel for an engine

Abstract

A detection system and method of operation are disclosed. The system includes a first sensor coupled to a pipe associated with a pump and generates temperature data associated with a temperature of the pipe. The system includes a second sensor positioned within an acoustic sensing distance from the pump and that generates sound data associated with a sound of the pump. The system includes a processing device configured to execute data instructions to store a baseline temperature signature and a baseline acoustic signature, and receive the temperature data from the first sensor and the sound data from the second sensor. The processing device is configured to, based on (1) a determination that flow through the pipe is reduced by comparing temperature data to the baseline temperature signature, and (2) a determination that the pump remains operational based on comparing the acoustic data to the baseline acoustic signature, generate an indication that the pipe is blocked.

Claims

1. A detection system for detecting blockage, comprising:

a first sensor adapted to be coupled to a pipe associated with a pump, wherein the first sensor generates temperature data associated with a temperature of the pipe, the temperature data representative of at least one temperature value;

a second sensor adapted to be positioned within an acoustic sensing distance from the pump, wherein the second sensor generates sound data associated with a sound of the pump, the sound data representative of at least one sound value; and

a processing device configured to execute data instructions, wherein the data instructions cause the processing device to;

store a baseline temperature signature and a baseline acoustic signature;

receive the temperature data from the first sensor and the sound data from the second sensor; and

based on (1) a determination that flow through the pipe is reduced by comparing temperature data to the baseline temperature signature, and (2) a determination that the pump remains operational based on comparing the acoustic data to the baseline acoustic signature, generate an indication that the pipe is blocked.

2. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is positioned on an outer surface of the pipe.

3. The detection system of claim 2, wherein the first sensor generates temperature data associated with a temperature of the outer surface of the pipe.

4. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the data instructions cause the processing device to determine that flow through the pipe is reduced by detecting whether the temperature data indicates a drop in temperature as compared to the baseline temperature signature.

5. The detection system of claim 1, wherein the data instructions cause the processing device to determine that the pump remains operational by detecting whether the acoustic data indicates operation consistent with the baseline acoustic signature.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data instructions further cause the processing device to transmit the indication that the pipe is blocked to a remote processing device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data instructions further cause the processing device to generate a message, the message describing an action including instructions to unblock the pipe.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, based on a determination that flow through the pipe is not reduced, no action is taken.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a third sensor adapted to be coupled to the pipe at a position different from a position of the first sensor, the third sensor generating temperature data representative of at least one temperature value at the different position.

10. A system for detecting blockage in a pipe, comprising:

a pump connected to the pipe, the pipe having an outer surface, the outer surface having a temperature;

a first sensor positioned on the outer surface of the pipe, wherein the first sensor generates temperature data associated with the temperature of the outer surface, the temperature data representative of at least one temperature value;

a second sensor positioned within an acoustic sensing distance from the pump, wherein the second sensor generates sound data associated with a sound of the pump, the sound data representative of at least one sound value; and

a processing device having data instructions stored therein, the data instructions executable by the processing device, wherein the data instructions cause the processing device to;

store a baseline temperature signature and a baseline acoustic signature;

receive the temperature data from the first sensor and the sound data from the second sensor; and

based on (1) a determination that flow through the pipe is reduced by comparing temperature data to the baseline temperature signature, and (2) a determination that the pump remains operational based on comparing the acoustic data to the baseline acoustic signature, generate an indication that the pipe is blocked.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the baseline acoustic signature includes at least one of a frequency or an amplitude over time.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the acoustic data includes a data set of at least one of frequency or amplitude values.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least one of the baseline temperature signature or the baseline acoustic signature changes based at least in part on environmental conditions at the pipe.

14. A method for detecting blockage, comprising:

storing, by a processing device, a baseline temperature signature and a baseline acoustic signature;

receiving, by a processing device, temperature data representative of a temperature of a pipe and sound data representative of a sound detected from a pump;

determining, by the processing device, whether flow through the pipe is reduced by comparing the temperature of the pipe to the baseline temperature signature; and

upon determining that the flow through the pipe is reduced and based on a determination that the pump remains operational based on comparing the sound data to the baseline acoustic signature, generating, by the processing device, an indication representative of a pipe blockage.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the indication representative of the pipe blockage to a remote processing device.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing, to the remote processing device, an action to be taken, wherein the action comprises instructions to unblock the pipe.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

coupling a first sensor to a pipe, wherein the first sensor detects the temperature at an outer surface of the pipe.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein determining that flow through the pipe is reduced is performed by detecting whether the temperature data indicates a drop in temperature as compared to the baseline temperature signature.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining that the pump remains operational is based on comparing the sound data to the baseline acoustic signature.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising, based on a determination that flow through the pipe is not reduced, taking no action.