Search

CA-3077227-C - FREQUENCY SUB-BAND LEAK DETECTION

CA3077227CCA 3077227 CCA3077227 CCA 3077227CCA-3077227-C

Abstract

Examples of analyzing data for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system are disclosed. In one example implementation according to aspects of the present disclosure, a method for analyzing data for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system includes: receiving acoustic data from a plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments; determining a characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment; decomposing the characteristic frequency range into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; building a leak sensitivity model based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands; and implementing a correlation schedule with the plurality of nodes based on a selection of the plurality of frequency sub-bands.

Inventors

  • Valentin Mircea Burtea

Assignees

  • MUELLER INTERNATIONAL, LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260505
Application Date
20181016
Priority Date
20171027

Claims (20)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A method for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system, the method comprising: receiving acoustic data from a plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments; determining a characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment; decomposing the characteristic frequency range into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; building a leak sensitivity model based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands; and implementing a correlation schedule with the plurality of nodes based on a selection of the plurality of frequency sub-bands.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein implementing the correlation schedule comprises the steps of: downloading, by each node, the correlation schedule; synchronizing time for each node based on a reference time; recording an acoustic signal at each node for a same time and a same duration; reading and selecting a specific sub-band signal based on the correlation schedule; decimating and compressing the specific sub-band signal at each node; and transmitting a compressed sub-band signal from each node to a computing host. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  3. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving, by the computing host, the compressed sub-band signal from each node; determining, by the computing host, correlation pairs based on adjacencies from each node, wherein the adjacencies are based on geographic information system data from each node; and detecting, by the computing host, coherent sources for each determined correlation pair by correlating the compressed sub-band signals of each correlation pair.
  4. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of, responsive to a determination that the correlating of the compressed sub-band signals of a particular correlation pair is positive between a first node and a second node: determining, by the computing host, a time delay between the first node and the second node; and calculating, by the computing host, a leak location based on the time delay and the particular correlation pair.
  5. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein compressing the specific sub-band signal comprises a quantization method of absolute pulse code modulation utilizing a nonlinear function to compress the data to 1-bit.
  6. 6. The method of claim 2, wherein compressing the specific sub-band signal comprises utilizing 1-bit quantization. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  7. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving updated acoustic data from the plurality of nodes for each pipe segment; determining an updated frequency range for each pipe segment based on the updated acoustic data; creating an updated leak sensitivity model and an updated correlation schedule based on the updated frequency range and corresponding frequency subbands; and implementing the updated correlation schedule.
  8. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein each pipe segment comprises a section of the distribution pipe network between two nodes of the plurality of nodes.
  9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment is based on a pipe material and a geometry for each pipe segment. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  10. 10. A system for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system, the system comprising: a computing host in communication with the fluid distribution system and configured to create a correlation schedule based on a selection of frequency sub-bands; and a plurality of nodes in communication with the computing host, each node programmed to perform steps comprising: downloading the correlation schedule; synchronizing time with a reference time; recording an acoustic signal, wherein each node records acoustic data at a same time and for a same duration; reading the correlation schedule to determine a plurality of specific frequency sub-bands for each recording; selecting a specific sub-band signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands; decimating the specific sub-band signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands; compressing the specific sub-band signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands utilizing a quantization method; and transmitting, as one file, a plurality of compressed sub-band signals to the computing host. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  11. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein creating the correlation schedule by the computing host comprises the steps of: receiving acoustic data from the plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments; determining a characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment; decomposing the characteristic frequency range into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; building a leak sensitivity model based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands by aggregating data from every pipe segment; and configuring the correlation schedule to maximize sensitivity to leak detection of an acoustic propagation detection system based on the selecting of the specific sub-band signal for the specific frequency sub-band.
  12. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computing host is further configured to: receive the compressed sub-band signal from each node; determine correlation pairs based on adjacencies from each node, wherein the adjacencies are based on geographic information system data from each node; and detect coherent sources for each determined correlation pair by correlating the compressed sub-band signals of each correlation pair. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  13. 13. The system of claim 10, wherein selecting the specific sub-band signal for the specific frequency sub-band comprises the steps of: decomposing the specific sub-band signal into a plurality of symmetric subbands; and selecting only the specific frequency sub-band of the specific sub-band signal as determined by the correlation schedule.
  14. 14. The system of claim 10, wherein selecting the specific sub-band signal for the specific frequency sub-band comprises the steps of: applying a pass-band filter to the specific sub-band signal to retain a desired energy in the specific sub-band signal.
  15. 15. The system of claim 10, wherein the quantization method comprises clipping to 1-bit compression.
  16. 16. The system of claim 10, wherein the quantization method comprises an absolute pulse code modulation utilizing a nonlinear function to compress the data to 1-bit.
  17. 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the quantization method comprises a nonlinear pulse code modulation utilizing a nonlinear function. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  18. 18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing resource, cause the processing resource to perform steps comprising: receiving acoustic data from a plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments; determining a characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment; decomposing the characteristic frequency range into a plurality of frequency sub-bands; building a leak sensitivity model based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands; and implementing a correlation schedule with the plurality of nodes based on a selection of the plurality of frequency sub-bands.
  19. 19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein implementing the correlation schedule comprises the steps of: downloading, by each node, the correlation schedule; synchronizing time for each node based on a reference time; recording an acoustic signal at each node for a same time and a same duration; reading and selecting a specific sub-band signal based on the correlation schedule; decimating and compressing the specific sub-band signal at each node; and transmitting a compressed sub-band signal from each node to a computing host. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05
  20. 20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein compressing the specific sub-band signal comprises clipping to 1-bit compression. Date Re9ue/Date Received 2024-04-05

Description

FREQUENCY SUB-BAND LEAK DETECTION BACKGROUND [0001] A utility provider may install and maintain infrastructure to provide utility services to its customers. For example, a water utility provider may implement a fluid distribution system to distribute water to its customers. Metering devices may be utilized by the utility provider to determine consumption of the provided utility (e.g., water, electricity, gas, etc.). The utility provider may implement various devices or computing nodes throughout the fluid distribution system to monitor the status of the fluid distribution system. However, due to the rapidly escalating costs of potable water, the scarcity of fresh water supplies, the increasing costs for water treatment and distribution, and the potential for costly damage to subsurface infrastructure, minimizing leaks in water distribution systems is a goal of both public and private water distribution utilities. If a leak is not particularly conspicuous, it may go undetected for months at a time without repair. It is therefore important to be able to detect leaks early. [0002] Several techniques for leak detection currently exist, however, more utility providers are utilizing leak detection systems utilizing acoustic monitoring to perform leak detection. These acoustic monitoring systems are good screening tools for detecting widespread corrosion and wall loss, they are non-intrusive, and generally they are low cost. However, current techniques utilizing acoustic monitoring require large amounts of data to be sent through a data network, affecting battery life at each computing node. Considering energy and data requirements, acoustic monitoring solutions may increase the cost of operations throughout the system. SUMMARY [0003] It is to be understood that this summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure. This summary is exemplary and not restrictive, and it is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of the disclosure nor delineate the scope thereof. The sole purpose of this summary is to explain and exemplify certain concepts of the disclosure as an introduction to the following complete and extensive detailed description. [0004] The present disclosure relates to collecting and analyzing data in a fluid distribution system. According to some aspects, a method for receiving and analyzing data for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system comprises receiving acoustic data from a plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments. A characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment is then determined. Further, the characteristic WO 2019/083768 PCT/0S2018/055976 frequency range is decomposed into a plurality of frequency sub-bands, and a leak sensitivity model is built based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands. Finally, the method comprises implementing a correlation schedule with the plurality of nodes based on a selection of the plurality of frequency sub-bands. [0005] According to further aspects, a system for receiving and analyzing data for a distribution pipe network within a fluid distribution system comprises a plurality of computing nodes and a computing host in communication with the plurality of computing nodes. The computing host is in communication with the fluid distribution system and configured to create a correlation schedule based on a selection of frequency sub-bands. The plurality of computing nodes are in communication with the computing host and configured to acquire acoustic data in the fluid distribution system. Each node is programmed to perform steps. The first step comprises downloading the correlation schedule. Then each node synchronizes time with a reference time, records an acoustic signal where each node records acoustic data at a same time and for a same duration, and reads the correlation schedule to determine a plurality of specific frequency subbands for each recording. Each node then selects the sub-band signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands. Finally, each node decimates the specific subband signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands, compresses the specific sub-band signal for each of the plurality of specific frequency sub-bands utilizing a quantization method, and transmits, as one file, a plurality of compressed sub-band signals to the computing host. [0006] According to further aspects, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processing resource, cause the processing resource to perform steps. The first step comprises receiving acoustic data from a plurality of nodes for a plurality of pipe segments. A characteristic frequency range for each pipe segment is then determined. Further, the characteristic frequency range is decomposed into a plurality of frequency sub-bands, and a leak sensitivity model is built based on the plurality of frequency sub-bands. Finally, the last step comprises implementing a correlation s