Systems and methods for assembling a collection of peaks characterizing a gas leak source and selecting representative peaks for display

• US 9,823,231 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Picarro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Picarro, Inc.
• Inventors: Steele, David, Tan, Sze M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toatley, Gregory J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stifter, Jr., Terence
• Application Number:
  US14/319,236
• Time in Patent Office: 1,240 Days
• Field of Search: 702 24
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/02 Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/22 for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/391 Intracavity sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/0216 Vehicle borne
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0004 Gaseous mixtures, e.g. polluted air gaseous biological material G01N33/497; exhaust gas of internal combustion engines G01M15/102
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0009 General constructional details of gas analysers, e.g. portable test equipment G01N1/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0062 concerning the measuring method, e.g. intermittent, or the display, e.g. digital

Abstract

In some embodiments, vehicle-based natural gas leak detection methods include assembling a collection of measured concentration peaks originating from a common natural gas leak according to wind direction, wind variability and inter-peak distance data, and selecting from the collection a subset of one or more representative peaks for display. Assigning peaks to a collection may be performed according to a peak overlap condition dependent upon a scaling (overlap) factor which scales the spatial reach of a peak, and according to a wind condition which determines whether a downwind event points toward an upwind event. The scaling factor may depend on wind variability and on an orientation of an inter-peak vector relative to a representative wind direction. Peak filtering is particularly useful in urban environments, where buildings channel gas plumes and one leak may lead to sequential detections of multiple concentration peaks along a path.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising at least one processor and associated memory configured to:

group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path, wherein grouping the plurality of peaks is performed according to an inter-peak distance determined according to geospatially-referenced locations measured by the positioning device, and further according to a representative wind direction characterizing a measurement of the natural gas concentration data, the representative wind direction being determined according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path; and

select for display a subset of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein each of the peaks of the collection overlaps at least one other peak of the collection.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein grouping the plurality of peaks is performed according to a scaling factor for a peak, the scaling factor characterizing a spatial reach of the peak.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the scaling factor is directionally-dependent.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the scaling factor depends on a wind direction characterizing the peak.

6. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the scaling factor depends on a wind variability characterizing the peak.

7. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the scaling factor is determined according to an upwind distance r meeting a probability condition, the probability condition characterizing a probability that the peak points to a location along a transverse line segment of a predetermined width situated a distance r upwind of the peak location.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein grouping a new peak into the collection comprises:

determining whether the new peak meets an overlap condition with respect to at least one peak of the collection; and

determining whether the new peak meets a wind direction condition with respect to the at least one peak of the collection;

wherein the new peak is assigned to the collection in response to determining that the new peak meets both the overlap condition and the wind direction condition.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the new peak meets the overlap condition comprises comparing d₁+f₁σ

₁ and d₂−

f₂σ

₂, wherein each of the indexes 1 and 2 represent one of the new peak and the at least one peak of the collection, d represents a position of the corresponding peak, f represents a scaling factor characterizing a spatial reach of the corresponding peak, and σ

represents a width of the corresponding peak.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the new peak meets the wind direction condition comprises comparing a vector product u₁·

b₁₂ to a function of an uncertainty in wind direction, wherein u₁ is a representative wind direction vector, and b₁₂ is a vector between a location of the new peak and a location of the at least one peak of the collection.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein selecting for display the subset of representative peaks comprises identifying a highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and, in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display.

12. The computer system of claim 1, wherein selecting for display the subset of representative peaks comprises identifying a most-upwind peak in the collection, and, in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display.

13. The computer system of claim 1, wherein selecting for display the subset of representative peaks comprises identifying any peaks having amplitudes exceeding a predetermined amplitude threshold, and, in response, selecting any identified peaks for display.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the predetermined amplitude threshold has a value between 1 ppm and 20 ppm above a local background.

15. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the subset of representative peaks comprises a plurality of representative peaks.

16. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising employing the at least one processor to generate display data for displaying the subset of representative peaks to a user.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the display data comprises, for each peak in the subset, a graphic identifier of a criterion used to select said each peak in the subset for display.

18. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprise wind direction values relative to the vehicle, and wherein determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprises converting wind direction values relative to the vehicle into wind direction values relative to ground, and determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values relative to ground.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions which, when executed by a computer system comprising at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path, wherein grouping the plurality of peaks is performed according to an inter-peak distance determined according to geospatially-referenced locations measured by the positioning device, and further according to a representative wind direction characterizing a measurement of the natural gas concentration data, the representative wind direction being determined according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path; and

select for display a subset of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprise wind direction values relative to the vehicle, and wherein determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprises converting wind direction values relative to the vehicle into wind direction values relative to ground, and determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values relative to ground.

21. A method comprising:

employing a computer system comprising at least one processor to group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path, wherein grouping the plurality of peaks is performed according to an inter-peak distance determined according to geospatially-referenced locations measured by the positioning device, and further according to a representative wind direction characterizing a measurement of the natural gas concentration data, the representative wind direction being determined according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path; and

employing the computer system to select for display a subset of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprise wind direction values relative to the vehicle, and wherein determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values measured along the survey path comprises converting wind direction values relative to the vehicle into wind direction values relative to ground, and determining the representative wind direction according to the wind direction values relative to ground.

23. A computer system comprising at least one processor and associated memory configured to:

group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the measured natural gas concentration peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path; and

select for display a set of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least one of;

identifying a highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying a most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the predetermined amplitude threshold has a value between 1 ppm and 20 ppm above a local background.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least two of:

identifying the highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying the most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions which, when executed by a computer system comprising at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the measured natural gas concentration peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path; and

select for display a set of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least one of;

identifying a highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying a most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the predetermined amplitude threshold has a value between 1 ppm and 20 ppm above a local background.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least two of:

identifying the highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying the most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.

29. A method comprising:

employing a computer system comprising at least one processor to group a plurality of measured natural gas concentration peaks into a collection assigned to a single natural gas leak, the measured natural gas concentration peaks being defined by natural gas concentration data measured by a mobile gas concentration measurement device carried by a vehicle along a survey path, the vehicle carrying a positioning device configured to determine geospatially-referenced locations of gas concentration measurement points along the survey path, the vehicle further carrying a wind direction determination device configured to measure wind direction values along the survey path; and

employing the computer system to select for display a set of representative peaks characterizing the natural gas leak, wherein the collection includes at least one peak not selected as a representative peak for display, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least one of;

identifying a highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying a most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the predetermined amplitude threshold has a value between 1 ppm and 20 ppm above a local background.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein selecting for display the set of representative peaks comprises at least two of:

identifying the highest-amplitude peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the highest-amplitude peak for display;

identifying the most-upwind peak in the collection, and in response, selecting the most-upwind peak for display; and

identifying at least one peak in the collection that meets a predetermined amplitude threshold, and in response, selecting the at least one peak for display.