Inventor(s)William E. Saltzstein
Paul Lander
Assignee Flow Metrix, Inc.
Application No. 852043 filed on 1997-05-06
Current US Class702/51 Leak detecting
Examiners Primary: Michael Brock |
Abstract
The invention relates to detecting leaks in a pipeline using enhanced methods of data sensing, digitally encoded transmission, and cross-correlation. A plurality of acoustic sensors are applied to the pipeline to sense a combination of signals from the leak and much greater quantities of noise.
The sensed data is digitized at the sensor, encoded and digitally transmitted to a computerized base station. The encoded data from a plurality of sensors received at the base station is decoded, digitally filtered and cross-correlated. Enhanced methods of cross-correlation are performed to estimate the likely presence of a leak and the location and size of any leaks present.
Participation in the leak detection procedure by an expert not present at the pipeline is facilitated by communication of data between the base station and a distant supervisory station.
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