Patent Application
20070182577
N/A
The present invention relates to low-power shock sensing systems including wireless communications for detection and remote communications of impacts.
Significant quantities of energy assets including heating oil, diesel fuel, and gasoline are stored and transported within the United States and other areas of the developed world which constitute a vital part of the energy infrastructure. Energy asset storage tanks are vulnerable to malicious acts with potentially serious consequences including fire, explosion, environmental damage, potential loss of life, and economic losses due to release of materials and damage to infrastructure. Thus, there is a significant need for protection of critical infrastructure such as energy storage facilities that store gasoline and other hydrocarbons which are spread over a large land expanse. For example, it is important to know if there has been any significant damage to such infrastructure through impacts and verify the presence of absence of leaks of stored chemicals. Such impacts could arise from objects such as hammers or from the impact of projectiles such as bullets.
Not only is there a need to know if such impacts have occurred, but there is also a need to find out the nature, extent and consequences of the impact. It would also be convenient if the information regarding such impacts from a plurality of spaced apart locations could be transmitted to one or more remote monitoring locations.
A low-power shock sensing system comprises at least one shock sensor physically coupled to a chemical storage tank to be monitored for impacts and an RF transmitter. The RF transmitter is in a low-power idle state in the absence of a triggering signal. The system includes interface circuitry including and/or activated by the shock sensor, wherein an output of the interface circuitry is coupled to an input of the RF transmitter. The interface circuitry triggers the RF transmitter with the triggering signal to transmit an alarm message to at least one remote location when the sensor senses a shock greater than a predetermined threshold.
The shock sensor can comprise a shock switch having an open and a closed state, the open state being a low power idle state, with the closed state being initiated by receipt of said shock greater than the predetermined threshold. The RF transmitter can comprise an RF transceiver. The remote location preferably includes a wireless transceiver system.
In one embodiment the shock sensor comprises a linear transducer. in this embodiment the system further comprises at least one comparator for comparing an analog output signal provided by the linear transducer to the predetermined threshold, wherein an output of the comparator activates the RF transmitter only when the analog output signal has an amplitude which is above the predetermined threshold.
The system preferably includes a battery. The RF transmitter can be powered exclusively by the battery. In one embodiment, the at least one shock sensor comprises a plurality of shock sensors. The plurality of shock sensors can have different predetermined thresholds. The plurality of shock sensors can comprise at least 3 shock sensors, wherein the plurality of shock sensors are situated on two or more planes (non-coplanar). In this embodiment, different time and amplitude signatures are produced from the same impact depending upon their respective distance from the impact allowing the position of the impact to be determined.
The system can comprise a plurality of chemical storage tanks. The system can further comprise a chemical sensor having RF communications disposed remotely and within a communicable range from the chemical storage tank, wherein the chemical sensor is in a low-power idle mode absent activation by receipt of an activation signal from the RF transmitter. The system can further comprise an explosion-proof housing, wherein shock sensor, RF transmitter and interface circuitry are disposed therein. The chemical tank comprises a hydrocarbon storage tank having a fuel therein.
A fuller understanding of the present invention and the features and benefits thereof will be obtained upon review of the following detailed description together with the accompanying drawings, in which:
A low-power shock sensing system includes at least one shock sensor physically coupled to a chemical storage tank to be monitored for impacts, and an RF transmitter which is in a low-power idle state in the absence of a triggering signal. This feature enables practical battery operation and removes the need for electric service, thus facilitating remote sensing. The system includes interface circuitry including or activated by the shock sensor, wherein an output of the interface circuitry is coupled to an input of the RF transmitter. The interface circuitry triggers the RF transmitter with the triggering signal to transmit an alarm message to at least one remote location (e.g. control facility) when the sensor senses a shock greater than a predetermined threshold. In one embodiment the shock sensor is a shock switch that has at least two states including an open and a closed state. The open state is a low power idle state. The closed state is initiated upon receipt of a force having at least the predetermined threshold.
The control facility can respond rapidly to minimize potential losses and consequential damage to personnel and property. The RF transmitter is preferably an RF transceiver to permit the system to receive remotely transmitted signals, such as from a remotely located control center. The RF transmitter or RF transceiver can also be used in conjunction with the Internet if Internet capabilities are provided at the site.
In one embodiment, the shock sensor can be a linear transducer which measures the shock. When linear transducers are provided, sensor data is generally captured as analog data (e.g. a voltage level corresponding to a force). Although transducer data can be processed and transmitted as analog signals, analog signals generally produce high levels of noise in the transmissions which can lead to errors in parametric determinations based on received data.
Preferably, if analog data is acquired by the transducer, the analog data is digitized into bit streams using analog to digital (A/D) converters, and digitally filtered and encoded by a suitable device, such as a digital signal processor (DSP). This process is analogous to signal processing applied to voice signal in digital cellular communications. One or more modulated digital signals (e.g. from multiple sensors) each having sensor data can be combined into a single digital signal using a multiplexer, converted to an analog signal using a digital to analog (D/A) converter, up-converted in frequency (e.g. a local oscillator), and supplied to a broadband RF transmitter connected to an antenna for the wireless emission of a single multiplexed signal having the sensor information from the plurality of sensors digitally encoded therein. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, emitted signals are transmitted at a carrier frequency from approximately 900 MHz to 2.4 GHz. Emitted signals may also utilize spectral efficiency techniques known in the art such as time multiplexing (TDM), code division multi-access (CDMA), or other known spectral efficiency enhancing methodologies.
As known in the art of communications, emitted signals can include information to permit sensor/asset location to be determined from receipt of the signal. Specific carrier frequencies can be identified with specific assets being monitored. Transmitters can also be equipped with GPS. Alternatively, emitted signals from individual asset locations can include unique tones which can be identified with individual assets by reference to a registration list. Transmitted signals can include unique internet protocol (IP) type addresses permitting identification by reference to a registration list. Time multiplexing can also provide a method for identification of individual piles from the time of receipt of time synchronized signals, where multiple transmitters can share a given carrier frequency. A variety of other methods which permit asset location information to be determined from a received signal will be apparent to ones skilled in the art.
System also preferably includes an explosion and fireproof housing 125. Housing 125 allows placement of system 100 in an environment prone to explosion or fire, such as a fuel (e.g. heating oil, diesel fuel or gasoline) storage tank. When there is no impact of at least the threshold magnitude, the RF transmitter is in a “waiting” or an idle mode consuming very little power. Wireless transmission is only triggered when a critical impact of at least the threshold magnitude is detected by the shock switch 105.
In one embodiment of the invention shown in
A variety of shock switches 105 can be used with the invention. One type of shock sensor includes a weight, electrically connected to a terminal contact, suspended by a coil spring above a second terminal contact. The spring constant of the coil sets the magnitude of the impact to close the switch. Upon receipt of an appropriately large threshold impact, the sensor weight overcomes the spring force and makes contact with the second contact, thus completing (closing) the electric circuit.
Another type of shock sensor includes a weighted contact supported on a flexible cantilever-type spring. Yet another type of shock sensor includes a flexible diaphragm spring that is suspended above a terminal contact. The diaphragm spring is connected to a second contact and is wetted with a thin layer of mercury on the surface facing the terminal contact. In the event of a shock, the diaphragm spring is deflected such that the mercury wetted surface contacts the terminal contact. Such a device may not be usable over a wide range of G (acceleration due to gravity) forces.
System 100 enables detection of various kinds of impacts dealt to stationary infrastructure such as steel tanks storing gasoline and/or other related chemicals. System 100 can be attached to the infrastructure either using magnets or through a ring clamp, or any other suitable attachment structure.
As note above, systems according to the invention can include a shock sensor which provides a measurement related to the magnitude of the shock. In this embodiment, the system is preferably able to distinguish between small impacts that occur due to objects such as hammers from impacts due to high-velocity projectiles such as bullets.
A variety of known shock sensors 105 can be used with the invention. Different shock sensors generally provide measurements in different shock ranges. It is generally desirable to provide the capability to measure shocks from 20,000 to 150,000 G. Acceleration sensors may be used as shock sensor 105. Another type of shock sensor includes a strain gage mounted on a cantilevered plate that is designed to deflect in the region where the strain gage is mounted under shock or deceleration/acceleration forces. However, such sensors are relatively expensive to produce, and the electronics required to interpret the strain gage signals can be undesirably bulky.
Piezoelectrics (PE) may also be used for shock sensor 105. A significant advantage of PE sensors is that they are self-generating transducers. PE sensors produce a measurable electrical output signal without the use of an external electrical power source. This can be of great benefit in low-power designs. However, conventional piezoelectric accelerometers can only generally measure G levels in the range of 200 to several thousand G. Moreover, a design challenge associated with PE technology is that the output signal is high impedance and therefore prone to electromagnetic noise, and can be difficult to integrate into data acquisition systems. Known specialized charge-converter circuits can be used to transform the signal into a low-impedance output suitable for integration into standard A/D or control circuits.
The sensor can also comprises a linear mechanical transducer, such as a dynamic microphone. The response of such a transducer is a well-formed, well-timed, constant-delay electrical signal that can be used for time-of-transmission impact location if multiple transducers are employed. The required timing synchronization can be obtained from on-board GPS receivers. The advantage of the linear sensor is that the impact threshold can be set for virtually any threshold level dynamically for a single transducer in an adaptive manner. This embodiment allows a remote control facility to remotely alter the threshold level of the sensors.
Computer 234 determines shock information from received shock data provided by RF transmitter 215. Computer 234 can be a lap-top computer, or any other appropriate computing device. Using appropriate software, computer 234 can determine impact parameters including the force applied. In the event of detection of an appropriate shock level, transceiver 232 can automatically transmit or otherwise relay (e.g. Internet) the shock information to one or more first responders.
The interface board 210 takes in inputs from sensors 201-204 and feeds it to the transmitter 215. The interface board 210 is shown accepting signals from 4 different vibration sensors 201-204.
A detailed drawing regarding an exemplary interface board 210 is shown in
In another embodiment, the outputs from a plurality of shock sensors are fed to a one-shot pulse stretcher circuit and used either alone or used as an initial trigger. The outputs of the analog sensors, such as a microphone, are compared against a settable threshold on a comparator whose output is then used as a trigger to switch on the power to transmitter to start data acquisition. Since the vibrations resulting from an impact on steel or similar materials are typically several milliseconds long, the trigger and subsequent switching on of the rest of the circuitry upon receipt of the shock does not generally result in loss of meaningful data.
Although shock sensor is shown connected directly to battery 330, in certain embodiments, shock sensor 305 does not require external power, such as when based on piezoelectrics. Moreover, although not shown, a shock switch, such as shock switch 105 can be placed in series with the supply line from battery to sensor 305 so that shock sensor only draws power after a triggering event.
The output of ADC 315 can be read by a dedicated field programmable gate array (FPGA; not shown). In this embodiment, the data acquired by the FPGA is then preferably pseudo-noise (P/N) coded using direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) techniques and RF transmitted by RF transmitter 322, such as at 916 MHz. The receiver at the user end (not shown) can then read the data, decode it and display it on a screen.
Systems according to the invention can include a plurality of sensors, both shock and linear, deployed with suitable processing to improve false-positive triggers or to give improved position identification Using sensors based on different principles to detect the same event provides a method whereby one could evaluate both signals, the digital and the analog, and evaluate them to conclude whether an impact did take place or whether the indication was a malfunctioning detector. In another embodiment, readings from analog sensors placed at different parts of the tank would vary linearly proportional to the distance from the impact. This could be used to find the position of the impact.
Three or more linear transducers mounted at different positions on the same tank can be used to produce different time and amplitude signatures to the same impact depending upon their distance from the impact.
As noted above, impact sensors according to the invention can be used to detect impacts on critical infrastructure. In a preferred embodiment of the invention impacts above a predetermined threshold, or in a given range or ranges of impact forces, are used to trigger other sensors, such as one or more chemical sensors placed in close vicinity to the shock sensor system, such as to detect leaks of chemicals. As used herein, “close vicinity” refers to a distance of generally less than 200 feet. For example, the combined impact and chemical sensor can be used to identify and quantify a leak created by impact and puncture of a chemical storage facility. An example for this system is a sensor designed to detect leaks of hydrocarbons induced by impact of a hydrocarbon storage tank. The combined shock and chemical sensor system can be considered an “on-demand” sensor.
Systems according to the invention will materially contribute to countering terrorism. As noted in the background, energy asset storage tanks are vulnerable to malicious acts, such as terrorist attacks, with potentially serious consequences including fire, explosion, environmental damage, potential loss of life, and economic losses due to release of materials and damage to infrastructure. The invention provides protection of critical infrastructure such as energy storage facilities that store gasoline and other hydrocarbons which are generally spread over a large land expanse, as well as the residents proximate to such critical infrastructure. When embodied with chemical sensors placed in close vicinity to the shock sensor system, chemical leaks can be identified and quantified thus allowing rapid assessment and prompt corrective action, as well as evacuation to be initiated when appropriate.
The information regarding impact can be communicated to a user through screen capture on a front-end module used to interact with the user. There is the potential to attach to multiple triggers. The exact switch that triggered the wireless communication can be displayed in the front-end panel with the time of event. The event is preferably 16 also recorded in a log file with a date and time stamp along with a suitable unique identifying code (e.g. hexadecimal code) showing the triggered switch.
It is to be understood that while the invention has been described in conjunction with the preferred specific embodiments thereof, that the foregoing description as well as the examples which follow are intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention. Other aspects, advantages and modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.
The United States Government has rights in this invention pursuant to contract no. DEAC05-000R22725 between the United States Department of Energy and UT-Battelle, LLC.
