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Embedded system for diagnostics and prognostics of conduits

  • US 7,277,822 B2
  • Filed: 09/28/2001
  • Issued: 10/02/2007
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2000
  • Status: Active Grant
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1. A method for assessing a health status of a system of conduits, the assessing comprising:

  • determining requirements for monitoring the system of conduits; and

    selecting parameters to be sensed and monitored; and

    selecting components consisting of electronics, hardware, software, firmware, a set of discrete sensors and strands of sensitized medium; and

    designing and manufacturing a form and fit of a monitoring device comprised of said components; and

    applying, placing, attaching or embedding the monitoring device and sensors consisting of discrete sensors and a multiplicity of strands of said sensitized medium along the length of a conduit, said set of discrete sensors and strands of sensitized medium being placed such that damage inducing factors affect said set of discrete sensors and strands of sensitized medium; and

    determining by a combination of measurement by signal processing and deductive algorithms whether, when, where and to what extent said damage inducing factors have caused damage; and

    with an algorithm using said monitoring device to periodically monitor at least a portion of the set of discrete sensors over a first extended period and, for each monitor, storing in a digital memory a data tuplet containing information concerning said parameters; and

    forming tuplets that represent a time of a sample, identity of the sensor, and parameter values; and

    using digital processor algorithms to identify tuplets having normal values within a predetermined range; and

    providing an indication of steady state characteristics if said parameter values for at least a predetermined number of tuples are within a first predetermined range; and

    providing a programmed diagnostic algorithm for assessing risk of damage to the set of discrete sensors and extent of deterioration and damage to the monitored conduits; and

    providing an algorithm for estimating remaining useful life of the monitored conduits and components; and

    providing a protocol for communicating information about sensed damage, deterioration, as well as diagnostic information concerning a health status and integrity of the monitored conduits, components and system of conduits; and

    performing a first test sequence on each of the multiplicity of said strands of sensitized medium for the purpose of forming a baseline of characteristic parameters of each said sensitized strand of medium for future reference by measuring the characteristic parameters and storing characteristic parameters in an accessible storage medium or location for future use; and

    from time to time performing the same said first test sequence on each of the multiplicity of strands of sensitized medium; and

    making a test measurement of said strands of sensitized medium for the purpose of determining if said measured characteristic parameters are substantially equal to previously measured characteristic parameters, the possible outcomes being;

    there is no measurable change to the sensitized medium; and

    there is measurable change to the sensitized medium; and

    the medium is disrupted, broken, eroded, cut through or dissolved; and

    choosing whether to repeat said step of making a test measurement of said sensitized medium; and

    if the choice is to repeat, then repeating said steps of measuring the characteristic parameter and determining; and

    if said measured characteristic parameters are substantially equal to previous measured characteristic parameters with the digital processor, using a deductive algorithm along with any a priori probability information to;

    process data from said measuring of said multiplicity of sensitized medium into characteristic parameters; and

    determine any change of said characteristic parameters from recorded characteristic parameters; and

    record the characteristic parameters for later use; and

    choose whether to measure to locate the change; and

    if the choice is to locate, then measure using either direct calculation based on response to a measuring technique; and

    record a measured value and temporal information if available; and

    using a calculus estimate a degree of damage for each said sensitized media at each recorded point of damage, for each time if temporal information is recorded.

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