Determination of tuberculation in a fluid distribution system

• US 9,835,592 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2015
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mueller International LLC (Mueller Water Products Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yusuf, Shabbir, Richarz, Werner Guenther
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Application Number:
  US14/740,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20160370325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/14 internal diameters of boreholes or wells E21B47/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/015 Attenuation, scattering
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02416 Solids in liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0258 Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/048 Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/103 one emitter, two or more receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2636 cylindrical from inside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/032 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/041 on the surface of the material, e.g. using Lamb, Rayleigh or shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/07 by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/11 by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/223 Supports, positioning or alignment in fixed situation mounting transducers per se G10K11/004
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/40 by amplitude filtering, e.g. by applying a threshold or by gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4427 with stored values, e.g. threshold values
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4454 Signal recognition, e.g. specific values or portions, signal events, signatures
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/449 Statistical methods not provided for in G01N29/4409, e.g. averaging, smoothing and interpolation

Abstract

Examples of determining tuberculation in a fluid distribution system are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, an acoustical wave generator generates an acoustical wave within a fluid path of a fluid distribution system. A first acoustical sensor and a second acoustical sensor sense the acoustical wave. An acoustical signal analysis module determines an amount of tuberculation within the fluid distribution system by analyzing the sensed acoustical wave.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by an acoustical wave generator, an acoustical wave within a fluid path of a fluid distribution system;

sensing, at a first acoustical sensor and at a second acoustical sensor, the acoustical wave;

determining, by an acoustical signal analysis module, a sound pressure difference between the acoustical wave sensed at the first acoustical sensor and the acoustical wave sensed at the second acoustical sensor, the sound pressure difference representing an attenuation of the acoustical wave within a section of the fluid distribution system between the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor; and

determining, by the acoustical signal analysis module, an amount of tuberculation within the section of the fluid distribution system based on the attenuation of the acoustical wave.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor are placed a distance apart to enabling the sensing of the acoustical wave.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor comprises a hydrophone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the amount of tuberculation within the section comprises relating the attenuation of the acoustical wave to the formula

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustical wave generator comprises a reverse hydrophone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the acoustical wave generator further comprises:

a signal generator to generate a signal;

a signal amplifier to amplify the signal; and

a sound source to emit the amplified signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed while the fluid distribution system is in use such that a fluid is flowing through the fluid distribution system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid distribution system comprises a pipe, and wherein the acoustical wave generator, the first acoustical sensor, and the second acoustical sensor are connected to the pipe.

9. A fluid distribution system, comprising:

an acoustical wave generator in fluid communication with a fluid path within the fluid distribution system, the acoustical wave generator to generate an acoustical wave;

a first acoustical sensor in fluid communication with the fluid path within the fluid distribution system, the first acoustical sensor sensing the acoustical wave generated by the acoustical wave generator and outputting a first acoustical signal representative of the acoustical wave;

a second acoustical sensor in fluid communication with the fluid path within the fluid distribution system, the second acoustical sensor sensing the acoustical wave generated by the acoustical wave generator and outputting a second acoustical signal representative of the acoustical wave; and

an acoustical signal analysis module to analyze the first acoustical signal and the second acoustical signal to determine a sound pressure difference between the acoustical wave sensed at the first acoustical sensor and the acoustical wave sensed at the second acoustical sensor, the sound pressure difference representing an attenuation of the acoustical wave within a section of the fluid distribution system between the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor, and to determine an amount of tuberculation within the section of the fluid distribution system based on the attenuation of the acoustical wave.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor are placed a distance apart to enabling the sensing of the acoustical wave.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor comprises a hydrophone.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid distribution system comprises a pipe.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the acoustical wave generator comprises a reverse hydrophone.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the acoustical wave generator further comprises:

a signal generator to generate a signal;

a signal amplifier to amplify the signal; and

a sound source to emit the amplified signal.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the fluid distribution system comprises a pipe, and wherein the acoustical wave generator, the first acoustical sensor, and the second acoustical sensor are connected to the pipe.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing resource, cause the processing resource to:

receive a first acoustical signal output by a first acoustical sensor in a fluid distribution system based on sensing an acoustical wave generated by an acoustical wave generator;

receive a second acoustical signal output by a second acoustical sensor in the fluid distribution system based on sensing the acoustical wave generated by the acoustical wave generator;

analyze the first acoustical signal and the second acoustical signal to determine a sound pressure difference between the acoustical wave sensed at the first acoustical sensor and the acoustical wave sensed at the second acoustical sensor, the sound pressure difference representing an attenuation of the acoustical wave within a section of the fluid distribution system between the first acoustical sensor and the second acoustical sensor; and

determine an amount of tuberculation within the section of the fluid distribution system based on the attenuation of the acoustical wave.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein determining the amount of tuberculation within the section comprises relating the attenuation of the acoustical wave to the formula