Detecting and measuring liquid flow in remote sewer structures

• US 5,942,698 A
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ADS LLC (ADS Environmental Services Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ADS Environmental Services Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Patrick L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dombroske, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US08/974,363
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 73/863.03, 340/540, 340/606, 340/612
• US Class Current: 73/863.03
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/002 wherein the flow is in an open channel

Abstract

In the particular embodiments described in the specification, a virtual sewer flow monitor detects flow rate and depth information periodically and supplies it to a scattergraph generator and a polynomial curve generator produces a polynomial curve corresponding to the scattergraph data. A filter eliminates polynomial curve portions corresponding to normal sewer flow conditions and an SSO detector responds to curve portions indicating a sewer overflow condition to generate an alarm.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring flow conditions in a sewer comprising

detecting periodically the flow rate and water level at a selected location in the sewer;

generating a scattergraph of the flow rate and water level data detected over a period of time;

generating at least one polynomial curve based on the scattergraph data;

automatically detecting an abnormal flow condition from the polynomial curve; and

initiating action upon detection of an abnormal flow condition.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the action initiated upon detection of an abnormal flow condition is generation of an alarm.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the action initiated upon detection of an abnormal flow condition is activation of a water sampler.

4. A method according to claim 1 including the step of filtering regions representing normal flow conditions in the sewer pipe from the polynomial curve.

5. An arrangement for monitoring sewer flow conditions automatically comprising:

a sewer pipe flow monitor for generating liquid depth versus flow rate data periodically;

a scattergraph generator for generating a scattergraph from data produced by the sewer pipe flow monitor;

a polynomial curve generator for generating a polynomial curve based on data in the scattergraph produced by the scattergraph generator;

a detector for detecting an abnormal flow condition based on the configuration of the polynomial curve produced by the polynomial curve generator; and

means for initiating further action based on the operation of the detector.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the means for initiating further action generates an alarm.

7. An arrangement according to claim 5 wherein the means for initiating further action activates a water sampler.

8. An arrangement according to claim 5 including a filter for filtering polynomial curve portions corresponding to normal sewer flow operation.

9. An arrangement according to claim 5 including a printer for printing at least one of a scattergraph generated by the scattergraph generator and a polynomial curve generated by the polynomial curve generator.