SYSTEM FOR MONITORING AND/OR SURVEYING CONDUITS

• US 20150362465A1
• Filed: 06/12/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Reece Innovation Centre Limited
• Original Assignee: Reece Innovation Centre Limited
• Inventors: Martin, James Edward, Wilkinson, Alexander James, Kiani, Saeed, Tamadoni, Reza, Griffiths, Luke
• Application Number:
  US14/738,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20150362465A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0425 Parallel to the surface, e.g. creep waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/102 one emitter, one receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/041 on the surface of the material, e.g. using Lamb, Rayleigh or shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/348 with frequency characteristics, e.g. single frequency signals, chirp signals measuring frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04; measuring frequency or analysing frequency spectra G01R23/00

Abstract

There is provided a system for monitoring and/or surveying a conduit, comprising at least one acoustic source for emitting a signal to propagate along the conduit, and at least one acoustic detector for receiving reflected signals.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and/or surveying a conduit, comprising at least one acoustic source for emitting a signal to propagate along the conduit, and at least one acoustic detector for receiving reflected signals.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one acoustic detector is selected from the group consisting of a microphone, a hydrophone, an accelerometer, and a vibration sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a chemical detector.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one source is co-located with at least one detector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least part of the system is permanently deployed, semi-permanently deployed, or temporarily deployed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal is selected from the group of signals consisting of ultrasonic, broadband impulse, and swept signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the frequency spectrum of the signal is tuned to emit a guided wave along the conduit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one source and/or at least one detector are located at or towards the top of the conduit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one source and/or at least one detector is provided on a delivery vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the system can transmit a status signal.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the system can transmit data.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data is transmitted in a compressed format.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data is transmitted in a full precision format.

15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a recorder for locally recording data.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising an analyser for locally analysing data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data is analysed in real time.

18. A sewer monitoring and/or surveying system, comprising the system of claim 1.

19. A conduit investigation system for identifying the potential presence of clandestine munitions, comprising the system of claim 1.

20. A method of monitoring and/or surveying a conduit, comprising the steps of:

providing an acoustic source for emitting a signal to propagate along a conduit; and

providing an acoustic detector for receiving the signals.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

surveying a conduit to provide a clear response;

surveying the conduit to provide a new response; and

comparing the new response with the clear response.