Detection of contamination of municipal water distribution systems

• US 8,097,212 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Cooper, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): WRIGHT, PATRICIA KATHRYN
• Application Number:
  US12/186,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20080293042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,259 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/04 Oxidation reduction potential [ORP]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/071 Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/117497 with a continuously flowing sample or carrier stream

Abstract

A system for the detection of contaminates of a fluid in a conduit. The conduit is part of a fluid distribution system. A chemical or biological sensor array is connected to the conduit. The sensor array produces an acoustic signal burst in the fluid upon detection of contaminates in the fluid. A supervisory control system connected to the fluid and operatively connected to the fluid distribution system signals the fluid distribution system upon detection of contaminates in the fluid.

Claims

1. A method of providing early warning of contamination of water in a municipal water distribution system having existing pipes by detecting chemical or biological agent contaminates introduced into the water wherein the existing pipes are existing water filled pipes extending from a water source and wherein the municipal water system includes a supervisory control and data acquisition system and a water management system, comprising the steps of:

installing a chemical or biological sensor array in the existing pipes wherein said sensor array produces an acoustic signal burst in the water in the water filled pipes,

sensing the chemical or biological agent contaminates that have been introduced into the water using said sensor array,

producing an acoustic signal in the water in the existing water filled pipes upon the sensing of the chemical or biological agent contaminates that have been introduced into the water by said sensor array,

using the existing water filled pipes as wave-guides or channels for transmitting said acoustic signal,

receiving said acoustic signal in the existing water filled pipes wherein said acoustic signal has been transmitted using the existing water filled pipes as wave-guides or channels, and

signaling the supervisory control and data acquisition system and the water management system upon receiving said acoustic signal indicating said sensing of the chemical or biological agent contaminates that have been introduced into the water.

2. The method of providing early warning of contamination of water in a municipal water distribution system having existing pipes of claim 1 wherein said step of sensing the chemical or biological agent contaminates that have been introduced into the water using said sensor array comprises sensing biochemicals or elemental chlorine or oxidative oxy-halogen compounds or ozone or oxygen or peroxydisulfate or strong reducing agents or hyposulfite or thiosulfate or sulfide or H₂S or cyanide or selenium or lead sensor or mercury or arsenic or nerve agents or blistering or VX or Lewisite or G-agents or phosgene or gas or actinides or radioactive isotopes or radioactive iodine or radioactive cesium or radioactive strontium sensor or thorium or radioactive cobalt or radioactive thorium chemical contaminates that have been introduced into the water using said sensor array.

3. The method of providing early warning of contamination of water in a municipal water distribution system having existing pipes of claim 1 wherein said step of sensing the chemical or biological agent contaminates that have been introduced into the water using said sensor array comprises sensing sporulated bacteria or viral organisms or microbial organisms biological contaminates that have been introduced into the water using said sensor array.