Patent Grant
11530939
The invention relates generally to a flow monitoring apparatus and system that may be useful for management of drainage (e.g., vented flow channels and pipes). More specifically, the invention relates to a system that quantifies flow parameters by listening to and processing the native sounds expressed by a flowing fluid such as water.
Water flow measurement is a foundational component of environmental protection and management and is integral to understanding how the dynamics of moving water affect water quality.
Current flow measurement systems and methods have evolved as decentralized, standalone equipment with little consideration for networking. The conventional methods are costly and potentially dangerous for several reasons. One is that human entry into a manhole or sewage pipes is often required for installation and maintenance of conventional equipment. Additionally, equipment for conventional systems generally requires sufficient power to artificially generate and transmit sound waves, as opposed to just listening to the sounds already produced by the natural flow of water. This drastically decreases battery life; requiring frequent replacement or recharge. Moreover, the conventional systems are not adept at measuring low flows and are subject to removal from monitoring sites to calibrate equipment. Thus, there is a lack of available flow monitoring stations that install or remove quickly and safely; have always-attentive, zero power sensor pickups to enable battery life for years; keep electricity/electrical connections in normally dry locations; automatically test for accuracy during run time; have built-in calibration validation; provide multi-factor crosschecks; receive timely maintenance with over-the-air updates; synchronize data acquisition over networks for real time control of wide area flows; and enable widespread monitoring by a addressing the total cost to use.
Existing pipe flow measurement products typically involve some form of area-velocity flow measurement by means of electrically cabled, submerged sensors installed in the flow stream with a separate logger/battery box located near the top of a manhole. The standard features of these units include pressure and/or ultrasonic transmitter/receivers with time-of-flight sensors for artificial sound to measure surface level distance, and doppler effects within the stream for measurement of flow velocity. The sensors are cumbersome and dangerous to install or remove for any reason. The widespread practice requires a person to enter a sewer pipe which is a hazardous confined space. Moreover, the sensors are most commonly mounted in the sewer pipe and often require the mounting of expansion rings that are subject to becoming dislodged, particularly if debris catches the cable connecting the sensor(s) to the logger/power source. Most units have little or no network connectivity, thus requiring time consuming in-person site visits to retrieve data, update software, and/or recalibrate to assure accuracy.
The use of sight and sound sensors to quantify flow parameters relates directly to the way humans gain understanding of the environment by hearing and seeing. Moreover, conventional flow measurement systems do not offer the advantage of remote human observation without being physically at the site. As such, the fouling or dislodgement of the sensors is difficult to identify without the convenient remote viewing of the flow scene; so data quality suffers. Other drawbacks of conventional systems include laborious and difficult-to-maintain calibration; costly and dangerous installation; the absence of methods to update the sensor/logger system while deployed; manual configuration and adjustment of embedded software; erroneous readings that are associated with incorrect user input (e.g. for pipe dimensions) during configuration; electrified sensors that can be fouled and damaged because of precarious placement in the stream; and sensors are prone to electronics and electrical wiring corrosion because they are mounted in or near flowing water.
A primary motivation for installing monitoring equipment is to capture information about flow anomalies. When outlier measurements occur, one is not always certain whether the data are valid or the equipment is malfunctioning. It can be a costly and time-consuming task to decide if the reading was really occurring or bad data. The problem of purging bad data becomes even more critical as sewer operators try to control flows in real time to mitigate sewer overflows into, for example, basements, lakes, rivers and oceans.
Thus, there is a real need to provide a system to monitor drainage flow that avoids the problems described above. Accordingly, the aim of the invention is to provide quick install system powered with a long run time battery that monitors flow by acquiring high resolution data intrinsic to the flow conditions and provides automated, independent, multi-factor crosschecking of that data during operation to confirm the validity of the data and offer the convenience of remote observation of the flow scene for human discernment whenever desired.
Broadly stated, the objects of the invention are realized by providing a flow monitoring apparatus and system that monitors wide area drainage by listening to and processing the naturally generated sounds of flowing water. More specifically, the invention is based on the finding that the natural sounds of flowing water, as acquired by an acoustic pick up in the form of sound intensity waveforms, may be processed by a sound pressure sensor (SPS) and computing device (e.g., an edge computing device assisted by cloud computing) to quantify flow parameters of the flowing water.
The flow monitoring apparatus and the invention more generally are not limited to quantifying flow characteristics of water but may be applied more broadly to any fluidic media whether liquid or gas.
According to one embodiment, the invention embraces a monitoring apparatus including a.) at least one acoustic pickup, b.) a sound pressure sensor (SPS) acoustically coupled to the at least one acoustic pickup, and c.) a computing device interfaced to the sound sensor. The at least one acoustic pickup is submerged in or located in proximity to flowing fluid. The sound sensor is configured to acquire sound intensity waveforms naturally generated by the flowing fluid as an input data source to algorithms trained by machine learning to quantify flow parameters. The computing device is configured to process expressions native to the flowing fluid for the purpose of predicting flow parameters by listening to sound utterances and observing visual appearances.
In one embodiment of the invention the fluid is water. The flowing water may be storm water, sewer water, wastewater, process water, a natural watershed, or mixtures of the same, and the flowing water is organized by a pipe, a channel, an embankment, a catchment basin, a holding tank, a manhole invert; or a culvert.
In one embodiment of the invention, the sound sensor and the at least one acoustic pickup are configured to recognize sound with frequencies starting as low as 0 Hz.
In an embodiment of the invention, the parameters of the flowing water include one or more of level, width, cross section, direction, turbulence, velocity, volumetric rate, volume, and obstruction.
In an embodiment of the invention, the apparatus is mounted from grade level in a location readily accessible by humans.
In one embodiment of the invention, the computing device is an edge computing device assisted by cloud computing infrastructure. In another embodiment, the computing device is configured for at least one of automated calibration, self-test diagnostics, sound utterance recognition, detection of sound patterns that trigger increased scrutiny, video imaging and inclinometer cross checks for parameters quantified by sound, automated determination of flow channel geometry and wetted cross sectional area, and machine learning.
In one embodiment of the invention, the monitoring apparatus does not require the production of artificial sound to quantify flow parameters of the flowing water.
In an embodiment of the invention, the monitoring apparatus may further include a video image sensor, wherein the image sensor is in communication with the computing device, and the image sensor is configured so that sounds of particular interest can trigger synchronized sight for further validation of the flow parameters.
In another embodiment, the at least one acoustic pickup is acoustically coupled to the sound pressure sensor via a noise isolating sound tube (e.g., without the need for electrical power), the sound tube acts as a tether between the sound pressure sensor and the at least one acoustic pickup, and the sound tube conveys acoustic pressure waves from the flowing water to the sound pressure sensor.
In another embodiment, the monitoring apparatus further includes a supplemental acoustic pickup with a frequency response as low as 0 Hz, said supplemental acoustic pickup is acoustically coupled to the sound pressure sensor, wherein the at least one acoustic pickup is submerged in the flowing water, the supplemental acoustic pickup is located in air open to the atmospheric nearby the at least one acoustic pickup submerged in water, and the supplemental acoustic pickup is configured to acquire the naturally generated sound patterns of the atmospheric conditions to quantify time varying atmospheric pressure.
In an embodiment of the invention, the sound pattern acquired by the supplemental acoustic pickup is subtracted from the sound pattern acquired by the at least one acoustic pickup submerged in water to yield the sound pattern of the water without the effects of changing atmospheric pressure.
In another embodiment, the computing device is configured to gather sound pressure patterns from a third party to validate the sound pressure patterns of the supplemental acoustic pickup.
Another aspect of the invention embraces an acoustic pickup including an active air chamber configured to respond to sound pressure in a fluidic environment; and a sound tube connected to the active air chamber, said sound tube configured to convey sound pressure to a sound sensor, wherein the acoustic pickup is adapted to acquire the naturally generated sound utterances of a moving fluid to quantify its flow parameters, the sound tube acts as a tether between the sound sensor and the acoustic pickup, and a targeted fluid surrounds at least a portion of the active air chamber.
In an embodiment of the invention, the frequency response is as low as 0 Hz.
In an embodiment of the acoustic pickup of the invention, the active air chamber is cylindrical. In another embodiment, the acoustic pickup further includes a stabilizer plumb to stabilize the horizontal and vertical position of the acoustic pickup, wherein the stabilizer plumb is attached to the sound tube tether, and an arced nose formed by the sound tube tether enables the pickup to lay on the bottom of the flow channel and to avoid snagging objects in the moving water. The stabilizer plumb may be positioned substantially vertically and incorporates an adjustment which sets the length of the sound tube arc for the desired placement of the acoustic pickup in the water.
In another embodiment, the acoustic pickup may further include an inclinometer that measures the angle of deflection of the sound tube tether (STT) as another measurement of at least one of velocity, turbulence, direction and obstruction to crosscheck flow parameters acquired from the sound utterances and visual appearances.
Another aspect of the invention embraces an acoustic pickup including a fairing and a sound tube tether, wherein the fairing encloses a chamber, the sound tube tether connection to the fairing provides a chamber with active air, the sound tube is configured to convey sound to a sound pressure sensor, the acoustic pickup is configured to acquire the naturally generated sound utterances of a moving fluid to quantify its flow parameters, the sound tube acts as a tether between the sound sensor and the acoustic pickup to structurally support the pickup, and a targeted fluid surrounds at least a portion of the permeable fairing.
In another embodiment of the invention, sound utterances captured by the acoustic pick up deemed worthy of further investigation may trigger computer vision under certain conditions.
Such conditions include when the increased power and bandwidth necessary to image the flowing water are justified by the need to cross check flow parameters quantified from utterance or supply addition parameters not able to be determined by sound alone.
The invention is more fully described by reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein:
Representative applications of methods and apparatus according to the present application are described in this section. These examples are being provided solely to add context and aid in the understanding of the described embodiments. It will thus be apparent to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the described embodiments. Other applications are possible, such that the following examples should not be taken as limiting.
In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the description and in which are shown, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in accordance with the described embodiments. Although these embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice the described embodiments, it is understood that these examples are not limiting; such that other embodiments may be used, and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the described embodiments.
Referring more specifically to the figures,
Turning to
The cross-sectional profile (geometric shape) of the flow channel is a highly desirable parameter to solve this equation. In certain circumstances, the cross-sectional profile may be known from as-built drawings, e.g., a circular pipe of fixed diameter may be disclosed in the drawings. In other circumstances, however, the shape and cross-sectional profile of the flow channel might not be known, particularly when the flow channel involves complex geometries. No matter what information is known about the flow channel geometry, the monitoring apparatus of the present invention with its acoustic pickup(s) and computer vision, may be used to determine important flow parameters, including cross-sectional wetted area, the geometric shape of the flow channel, depth, width, turbulence, direction, velocity, volumetric rate, volume and obstruction.
In one embodiment, the membrane is akin to an a highly flexible inner tubing within the fairing, A stopper 324 fits inside the fairing at the other end of the acoustic pickup device, the stopper forming a solid seal at this end of the device. In this embodiment, the stopper is a 20 mm rubber stopper pressed into the membrane to form a compression seal against the fairing. The type of stopper is not particularly critical, so long as it forms a gas tight seal. An active air chamber 325 inside the membrane responds to the acoustical pressure applied to the outside of the membrane by the flowing water. The acoustic waves are then conveyed from the membrane through the active air chamber 325 and sound tube tether to the sound pressure sensor (not shown in this diagram).
In one embodiment of the invention, the drainage monitoring apparatus may be calibrated by capturing additional truth data from available meteorological sources (e.g., local airport barometric pressure readings) during an opportunistic and substantive atmospheric pressure change while flow level pattern remains relatively constant. Confirming the flow level is relatively constant before and after the atmospheric perturbations enables automated calibrations during run time in addition to algorithm training during the initial supervised machine learning performed on site with a training channel.
In another embodiment of the invention, the mechanical deflection angle of the sound tube tether may be quantified by an inclinometer and labeled with corresponding flow velocities for additional, crosschecking of the flow parameters that were quantified by sight and sound,
An active air chamber 325, present inside an elastomeric membrane 322, responds to the acoustical pressure applied to the outside of the membrane by the flowing water.
Sound utterances captured by the acoustic pick up deemed worthy of further investigation may trigger computer vision when the increased power and bandwidth necessary to image the flowing water are justified by the need to cross check flow parameters quantified from utterance or supply addition parameters not able to be determined by sound alone.
In another embodiment of the invention, the stabilizer plumb stabilizes the arced nose of the pickup intake to rest at the on the bottom of the flow boundary over a wide range of flow rates. The vertical drop of the stabilizer plumb may be adjusted by a cinch on the interposer or for the vertical to horizontal transition cantilever bar to facilitate the vertical to horizon transition of the tether.
The sound tube tether conveys sound utterances to a sound sensor without the need of electrical power or wiring. In this way the sound sensor can be located away from the hazards of the flow with not only cost and reliability benefits but also to enable the pick and as well as the sound conveyance over many meters of distance to be powered by natural flow with zero electrical power consumption. This drastically reduces the overall electrical energy needed to be always attentive to flow conditions.
The acoustic pickups of the invention may include a variety of design options, including, for example, the wet seal or membranes to separate water space from the active air chamber depending on the desired embodiment. The acoustic pickup device may thus be optimized for normally wet flow channel using a membrane or normally dry flow channel using a minimal wet seal.
In one embodiment of the invention, the drainage monitoring apparatus may include two or more acoustic pickup devices to equilibrate or sense differential sound pressures to further quantify flow obstruction parameters and detect seal failure of the electronic enclosure or unauthorized intrusion.
In one embodiment, the invention embraces a submerged acoustic pickup with a frequency response as low as 0 HZ that acquires the surrounding naturally generated sound patterns of moving fluidic media (e.g., water) to capture its native voice (utterances) to quantify its flow parameters.
Another embodiment of the invention embraces supplemental acoustic pickups operating in open air with a frequency response as low as 0 HZ to acquire the naturally generated sound patterns of the atmospheric conditions to quantify time varying atmospheric pressure. The open air may be in close proximity to an acoustic pickup submerged in a flow but vented to the atmosphere.
In another embodiment, the invention includes one or more supplemental acoustic pickups or microphones with a higher frequency response that operate in close proximity to the flow and can acquire sound patterns emanating from the moving fluidic media to capture a wider sound spectrum produced by the voice of the flow.
Synchronized subtraction of the atmospheric sound pattern acquired by a supplemental air space acoustic pickup from the sound pattern acquired by the submerged acoustic pickup which includes the contribution of atmospheric pressure yields the sound pattern generated only by the fluidic media. This differential sensing subtracts out atmospheric sound pressure changes induced by atmospheric conditions.
Another embodiment of the invention embraces an ongoing automatic diagnostic testing methodology that uses infrasonic acoustic pressure variations generated by aft movements in the earth's atmosphere as a continuous, omnipresent, time varying test signal generator that injects acoustic sound pressure patterns into the fluidic media. An on-site open air space acoustic pickup can independently measure infrasonic pressure patterns that can be further validated by a recognized local third party (e.g., regional airport/weather stations/barometers). These infrasonic patterns are expected to also be acquired with fidelity by the submerged acoustic pickup in fluidic media (e.g., water) as a superimposed sound pressure pattern.
In an embodiment of the invention, an acoustical training methodology is used to acquire initial, site specific, training data to jump start the ongoing Machine Learning process by labeling sound patterns that correspond to numerically quantified flow parameters. The ongoing Machine Learning incorporates both site specific and fleet learning by virtue of networked computing. The Machine Learning enables quantification of flow parameters including but not limited to level, width, cross section, direction, turbulence, velocity, volumetric rate, volume and obstruction.
In another embodiment, the grade level methodology makes possible installation of the apparatus of the invention without requiring a person to enter a confined area or wet space to accomplish acquisition of flow parameters. This minimizes cost and provides enhanced safety protections to the person tasked with installation. The procedures discussed above may be performed at arms-length by the installer.
The installation methodology provides not only adjustments for the desired length of a vertical drop but also length adjustments for horizontal set back. This enables a submerged pickup to lay at the bottom of the flow channel and be parallel to the flow and in a favorable position where flow channel boundaries better define the relationship of sound patterns with flow parameters.
In an embodiment of the invention, initial training of the system may be performed prior to insertion of the acoustical pickup into fluidic media using a portable on-site flow channel simulator at grade level with a flex joint conduit that submerges the horizontal or vertical pickup in flowing water that rises and falls to precise levels to generate a sound utterance that corresponds to known flow parameters (e.g., level). This provides an initial training data set for a site-specific acoustical pickup. The training enables flow parameter algorithms to be trained with supervised learning from a high quality data set so that real time responses may be made about similar sound utterances acquired in the future.
In an embodiment of the invention, the membrane of the acoustic pickup membrane device may be fabricated from a variety of materials including but not limited to flexible plastic film, metalized plastic film, multi-layer films, molded rubber or molded elastomeric compounds.
In one embodiment of the invention, a horizontal membrane may be shaped on a cylindrical form factor with a low drag coefficient and constrained by the arced nose of the pickup to navigate debris laden flow without snagging.
In another embodiment, the horizontal membrane employs sufficient sinker weight to rest the intake of the pickup at the bottom of the flow channel. The position may be further confirmed to be in the proper position by on going video imaging.
In another embodiment, the horizontal membrane may be configured to convey sound utterances to the sound tube with increased sensitivity, resolution and dynamic range just by elongating its cylindrical length.
In another embodiment of the invention, the vertical pickup configuration may use a fluidic boundary as a wet seal or a membrane to convey air pressure to the sound tube tether. Vertical pickups may be beneficial in normally dry or for capture the first millimeter of flow to time stamp the beginning of an over flowlike in
The sound pressure sensor may be located away from the hazards of the flow. This has cost and reliability benefits and also enables the sound conveyance over many meters of distance to be powered by natural flow with zero electrical power consumption. Thus, there is a reduced power need.
Table 1 provides information about how native expressions of flow can quantify flow parameters using machine learning.
Furthermore, the learning from table 1 may be extended across a fleet of flow monitoring apparatus sites provided there is similarity between the sites.
The monitoring apparatus and system methodology of the invention allows for the labeling of sound pressure patterns with corresponding water level truth data, preferably with a site-specific training data set as a trust anchor.
Moreover, computer vision may provide training data sets for additional flow parameters or perform cross checks for the quantifications based on sound.
As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited by the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims. Accordingly, the invention is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/693,204 filed Jul. 2, 2018 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. All disclosures of the document named above are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20020064331 | Davis | May 2002 | A1 |
| 20150090049 | Kertesz | Apr 2015 | A1 |
| 20170089047 | Kovscek | Mar 2017 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2329884 | Mar 2002 | CA |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20200003596 A1 | Jan 2020 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62693204 | Jul 2018 | US |
