Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOTE MONITORING OF WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S.
Provisional Application No.
62/895,670, entitled "Remote Monitoring of Water Distribution System," filed
September 4, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Water distribution systems provide water to
homes and businesses within
a geographic area. The water is treated by a water treatment system prior to
distribution in order to ensure that it complies with legal, regulatory, and
customer
requirements relating to the quality and content of the distributed water. For
example,
some legal or regulatory requirements may relate to the maximum content of
certain
chemicals or materials within the water. Customer requirements may not be
legally
enforced but may nonetheless be related to the desirable taste, smell, and
appearance
of the water that is distributed to customers who are served by the water
distribution
system.
[0003] A water distribution system may cover a
large geographic area. Leaks
or blockages within the system may result in a reduced level of service
provided to
customers and loss of valuable water resources. In some cases, undesirable
chemicals or materials could be introduced to the water distribution system
after the
water leaves the treatment facility, at some intermediate locations within the
water
distribution system. The water mains that distribute water within the water
distribution
system are located underground, and are therefore difficult to access or
monitor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] The above and other features of the present
disclosure, its nature and
various advantages will be more apparent upon consideration of the following
detailed
description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0005] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative water
distribution system in accordance with
some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0006] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary fire hydrant
including a remote measurement
device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
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[0007] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary fire hydrant
including a remote measurement
device and valve stem communication path in accordance with some embodiments
of
the present disclosure;
[0008] FIG. 4 shows an exemplary fire hydrant
including a remote measurement
device and barrel communication path in accordance with some embodiments of
the
present disclosure;
[0009] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary remote measurement
device located within
a cavity of a lower valve plate of a fire hydrant in accordance with some
embodiments
of the present disclosure;
[0010] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary remote measurement
device located at an
exterior surface of a lower valve plate of a fire hydrant in accordance with
some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 7A shows an exemplary embodiment of a
remote measurement
device located within a flange insert in accordance with some embodiments of
the
present disclosure;
[0011] FIG. 78 depicts a perspective view of the
flange insert in accordance with
some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0012] FIG. 8 shows an exemplary remote measurement
device in accordance
with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0013] FIG. 9 shows an exemplary communication
network device in
accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0014] FIG. 10 depicts a non-limiting flow diagram
illustrating exemplary
methods for operating a remote measurement device in accordance with some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 11 depicts a non-limiting flow diagram
illustrating exemplary
methods for operating a communication network device in accordance with some
embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0016] FIGS. 12A and 128 show acoustic hydrophones
in accordance with
some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 13 shows an exploded view of the main
valve with an acoustic
hydrophone in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
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[0018] FIG. 14 shows a partial cross-sectional view
of the lower portion of the
hydrant and shoe in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;
and
[0019] FIG. 15 shows a partial cross-sectional view
of the upper portion of the
hydrant in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 16 shows an embodiment of a wet-barrel
hydrant.
[0021] FIG.17 shows a cross-sectional view of the
cap from the wet-barrel
hydrant from FIG. 16.
[0022] FIG. 18 shows a cross-sectional view of the
cap of FIG. 17 taken along
line 18-18.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] A water distribution system has a water
treatment facility that supplies
water to an area such as a municipality, industrial park, commercial area,
mixed use
area or development, and various other locations and environments. The water
is
distributed through water mains, and fire hydrants are located throughout the
water
distribution system. These fire hydrants may be either dry-barrel hydrants or
wet-barrel
hydrants depending on the environment in which the hydrant is to be installed.
Whatever the manner of construction, the hydrant includes a main valve that
can be
opened in order to provide water from the water main to nozzles of the
hydrant. The
water running thought the water main is pressurized, and in this manner,
delivers
pressurized water to the fire hydrant.
[0024] A typical water distribution system may
cover a large geographic area.
As a result, even though the water that is provided from the water
distribution system
may be compliant with legal, regulatory, and customer requirements, it is
possible that
problems with the water may be introduced elsewhere within the water
distribution
system as a whole. This may result in pressure losses within the water
distribution
system or the introduction of undesirable chemicals or materials at remote
locations
within the water distribution system.
[0025] The fire hydrants are located throughout the
water distribution system,
and may provide a location for remote monitoring of conditions of the water
distribution
system such as water pressure, water temperature, water quality, chemical
content,
solid content, or any other suitable characteristics of the water within the
water
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distribution system_ A remote measurement device may be located at a location
where
it is exposed to the water flow of the water distribution system, for example,
at the main
valve of a fire hydrant or as an insert that connects to a flange of the fire
hydrant. The
remote measurement device may include sensors that measure any suitable
characteristics of the water or the water distribution system, such as
pressure,
temperature or characteristics of the water.
[0026] The remote measurement device may include a
processor that
processes the output of the sensors, and in some embodiments, calculates
measurement values based on the sensor outputs. The remote measurement device
may also include a communication interface that transmits the sensor outputs
and other
calculated values to a communication network device that is located at the
fire hydrant,
for example, near the bonnet of the fire hydrant (e.g., within a cap of the
fire hydrant).
This information may be communicated through either a wired connection or
wirelessly.
The communication network device of the fire hydrant may communicate this
information to a monitoring system of the water distribution system. This
information
may be used by the monitoring system to identify problems within the water
distribution
system.
[0027] FIG. 1 shows an illustrative water
distribution system 1 in accordance
with some embodiments of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the water
distribution system may include a water treatment facility 10 that includes a
central
monitoring system 12. Water is provided to the water treatment facility 10
from a water
source (not depicted). Water treatment facility 10 treats the water that is
provided from
the water source such that it complies with legal, regulatory, and customer
requirements related to water content and quality. Central monitoring system
12 may
receive information from remote measurement devices that are located
throughout the
water distribution system 1 (e.g., at fire hydrants 50) in order to ensure
that water that
is delivered to different locations throughout the water distribution system 1
complies
with the legal, regulatory, and customer requirements. Based on this
information, the
central monitoring system 12 may report problems within the water distribution
system
1 and suggest corrective action such as needed repairs at a location of the
water
distribution system 1.
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[0028] In one embodiment, the central monitoring
system 12 may identify
locations where there is an unexpected loss of pressure within the water
distribution
system 1. Based on this information, the location where an inspection or
repair needs
to be made may be pinpointed accurately. In a similar manner, the central
monitoring
system 12 may monitor characteristics of the water, such as material or
chemical
content, at different locations throughout the water distribution system 1.
Based on
these characteristics, the central monitoring system 12 may identify a
location where
water quality does not comply with legal, regulatory, or customer
requirements. In
addition, central monitoring system 12 may monitor aspects of the water
distribution
system 1 over time, for example, to determine usage patterns or other changes
to the
water distribution system 1.
[0029] The water that is provided by the water
treatment facility 10 may be
provided to water main(s) 14. The water main(s) 14 may distribute the water to
customers such as residential customers 20, business customers 30, and
industrial
customers 40. In some embodiments (not depicted herein), remote measurement
devices may be located at one or more of these customer locations in addition
to the
fire hydrants 50 or instead of the fire hydrants 50. However, as described in
more detail
herein, at least some of the remote measurement devices may be located at the
fire
hydrants 50 of the water distribution system I. This may provide some
advantages,
for example, that the party that owns or manages the water distribution system
1 is
likely to have access to and at least partial control over the fire hydrants
50 and the
operation thereof.
[0030] FIG. 2 shows an exemplary fire hydrant 50
including a remote
measurement device and communication network device in accordance with some
embodiments of the present disclosure. Although any suitable type of fire
hydrant may
be utilized in accordance with the present disclosure (e.g., a dry-barrel or
wet-barrel
fire hydrant), in one embodiment as depicted in FIG. 2 the fire hydrant 50 may
be a
dry-barrel fire hydrant_ In one embodiment, the fire hydrant 50 may include a
remote
measurement device 120 and a communication network device 122. Although
certain
fire hydrant components will be described in accordance with the present
disclosure, it
will be understood that the remote measurement device 120 and/or communication
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network device 122 may be implemented at any suitable location within any
suitable
fire hydrant 50.
[0031] In some embodiments, the fire hydrant 50 may
include a shoe 124 that
connects to a water main 14 (not shown in FIG. 2) via a flange 116. A main
valve of
the fire hydrant 50 may include a lower valve plate 108 and a valve seat 110.
Under
normal conditions when water is not being provided to the fire hydrant 50, the
lower
valve plate 108 may provide a force upon the valve seat 110 such that it
creates a seal
with seat ring 112 and an upper valve plate (not depicted). A valve stem 118
may be
coupled to the lower valve plate 108 such that a user of the fire hydrant may
release
the seal between the valve seat 110 and the seat ring 112, allowing water from
the
water main 14 to be provided to the fire hydrant 50 via barrel 106. In some
embodiments, seat ring 112 may engage with a drain ring 114, such that the
valve
stem 118, seat ring 112, and main valve (e.g., including lower valve plate 108
and valve
seat 110) may be selectively removed and serviced at the fire hydrant 50. In
this
manner, a remote measurement device 120 may be accessed and serviced as
necessary, for example, to replace a battery of remote measurement device 120.
[0032] In one embodiment, a remote measurement
device 120 may be located
in a location that is suitable to measure characteristics of the water that is
distributed
through the water main 14 of the water distribution system 1. For example, the
water
main may be coupled to the shoe 124 via flange 116. Although the remote
measurement device 120 may be located in any suitable location that is in
contact with
the water provided by water main 14 (e.g., at any location of shoe 124), in
one
embodiment the remote measurement device 120 may be located at an exposed
surface of the lower valve plate 108.
[0033] The remote measurement device 120 may
include any suitable
components to provide for measurement of characteristics of water provided by
the
water main 14. In one embodiment, the remote measurement device 120 may
include
a plurality of sensors that measure characteristics of the water such as
pressure,
temperature, turbidity, heave, material content (e.g., total dissolved
solids), biological
content, chemical content (e.g., chlorine), or any other suitable
characteristics. The
measured characteristics may be processed at the remote measurement device
120,
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or some or all of the outputs of the plurality of the sensors may be provided
to another
device (e.g., communication network device 122) for further processing. In
some
embodiments, the remote measurement device 120 may communicate with the
communication network device 122 via a standardized wireless communication
protocol (e.g., WiFi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, etc.) or
proprietary
wireless communication protocol operating at frequency such as 900 MHz, 2.4
GHz,
or 5.6 GHz. In other embodiments, the remote measurement device 120 may
communicate with a communication network device 122 via a wired connection,
for
example, that is routed through a cavity of valve stem 118 (e.g., as depicted
in FIG. 3)
or that is positioned along an interior surface of barrel 106 (e.g. as
depicted in FIG. 4).
[0034] In one embodiment, communication network
device 122 may be located
at a location of fire hydrant 50 that is located above ground, for example, at
a location
within bonnet 102 of the fire hydrant 50. However, it will be understood that
communication network device 122 may be located at any suitable location of
fire
hydrant 50, including an interior or exterior surface of fire hydrant 50. In
addition, in
some embodiments, the communication network device 122 and the remote
measurement device 120 may be integrated as a single component (e.g., with the
communication network device 122 located with remote measurement device 120 at
a
location that is in contact with water from water main 14, or in a wet-barrel
fire hydrant
50).
[0035] Communication network device 122 may be in
communication with the
remote measurement device 120 and may also be in communication with a
communication network and/or central monitoring system 12. In some
embodiments,
communication network device 122 may also be in communication with other
communication devices such as network communication devices 122 of other fire
hydrants 50 within the water distribution system 1. As described herein, the
communication network device 122 may include a wired or wireless communication
interface that is compatible with the remote measurement device 120 as well as
one
or more additional wireless communication interfaces for communicating with
the
communication network and central monitoring system 122, such as a cellular
communication network or mesh communication network. In an exemplary
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embodiment of a cellular communication network, the communication network
device
122 may communicate in any suitable manner, such as via intemet protocol data
communication or short message system (SMS) messages. In an exemplary
embodiment of a mesh communication system, data may be transmitted to the
central
monitoring system 12 via the mesh network or using a data collection procedure
(e.g.,
using a service vehicle to survey the communication network devices 122 at
hydrants
50).
[0036] In one embodiment, not depicted herein,
rather than providing some or
all of the sensors at a location that is in contact with the water passing
through the
water main 14, it may be possible to provide water to a remote location
relative to the
water main, for example, using a pitot tube located at the lower valve plate
108, valve
seat 110, or shoe 124. Water may be provided via the pitot tube or other
similar device
such that one or more sensors may be located above ground, for example,
directly to
network communication device 122 located at a location of bonnet 102.
[0037] FIG. 3 shows an exemplary fire hydrant 50
including a remote
measurement device 120 and valve stem 118 communication path in accordance
with
some embodiments of the present disclosure. As is depicted in FIG. 3, a wired
connection 125 may be provided between the remote measurement device 120 and
the communication network device 122. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 3,
the
wired connection 125 may be located within an interior cavity of the valve
stem 118.
Although the wired connection 125 may be provided in any suitable manner, in
some
embodiments, the wired connection may include some slack such that the wired
connection is able to accommodate movement of the main valve and valve stem
118.
[0038] Any suitable signals or combination thereof
may be provided via wired
connection 125, including but not limited to sensor signals from remote
measurement
device 120, data signals between remote measurement device 120 and
communication network device 122, and power signals provided to remote
measurement device 120 and communication network device 122. In one
embodiment, remote measurement device 120 may receive power via wired
connection 125 and may provide analog or digital signals directly from sensors
of
remote measurement device 120. In another exemplary embodiment, remote
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measurement device 120 may process some or all of the signals received at
sensors
thereof and communicate values determined therefrom to communication network
device 122 via a data signal. A data signal may be provided by any suitable
standardized or proprietary protocol, such as USB, 12C, GPIO, SPI, or
Firewire.
[0039] FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary fire hydrant 50
including a remote
measurement device 122 and barrel 106 communication path in accordance with
some
embodiments of the present disclosure. As described for FIG. 3, the
communication
path depicted in FIG. 4 may include a wired connection 125 between remote
measurement device 120 and communication network device 122. As depicted in
FIG.
4, the wired connection 125 may be routed along an interior surface of barrel
106. The
wired connection may be coupled along the interior surface in any suitable
manner, for
example, via a channel provided within the interior surface of the fire
hydrant 50. In
one embodiment, a coupling 128 and connecting wire 130 may be provided at a
location relative to the main valve (e.g,, in an embodiment wherein the remote
measurement device 120 is located at the main valve) and may allow for the
connecting
wire 130 to extend along with movements of the main valve.
[0040] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary remote measurement
device 120 located
within a cavity of a lower valve plate 108 of the main valve of a fire hydrant
50 in
accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. As described
herein,
a remote measurement device 120 may be integrated into any suitable component
of
a fire hydrant 50 that is in contact with water supplied by a water main 14.
In one
embodiment, the remote measurement device 120 may be integral to the lower
valve
plate 108 (e.g., located within a cavity of the lower valve plate 108). The
lower valve
plate 108 may have a sealing surface that creates a seal with the valve seat
110 and
an exposed surface located opposite the sealing surface.
[0041] Remote measurement device 120 may include
sensors 134 that may
determine characteristics of the water of water main 14. Examples of sensors
134 may
include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, turbidity sensors, heave
sensors,
sensors for material content (e.g., total dissolved solids), sensors for
biological content,
sensors for chemical content (e.g., chlorine), or sensors for any other
suitable
characteristics. Sensors 134 may be configured as electrical sensors,
mechanical
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sensors, electromechanical sensors, optical sensors, acoustic sensors, any
other
suitable type of sensor, or any combination thereof.
[0042] In some embodiments, sensors 134 may be
provided at a variety of
locations of lower valve plate 108 or another similar component. As depicted
in FIG.
5, sensor 134A may be provided at an exterior surface of lower valve plate
108. In
some embodiments, a channel 130 may be provided through lower valve plate 108.
As depicted in FIG. 5, a sensor 134B may be located at the surface of channel
130, or
in some embodiments, within channel 130. A reservoir 132 may also be provided
within lower valve plate 108, and one or more sensors 134C may be provided
within
reservoir 132. In some embodiments, the sensors 134B or 134C located at or in
the
channel 130 or reservoir 132 may include a liquid sampling device that is
configured to
acquire a sample of the liquid and to determine the one or more
characteristics based
on the sample.
[0043] FIG. 6 shows an exemplary remote measurement
120 device located at
an exterior surface of a lower valve plate 108 of the main valve of a fire
hydrant 50 in
accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. As described
herein,
a remote measurement device 120 may be located at an exterior surface of any
suitable component of a fire hydrant 50 that is in contact with water supplied
by a water
main 14. In one embodiment, the remote measurement device 120 may be fixedly
attached to the lower valve plate 108 (e.g., via a weld, bolt, or any other
suitable
attachment mechanism). The lower valve plate 108 may have a sealing surface
that
creates a seal with the valve seat 110 and an exposed surface located opposite
the
sealing surface, to which the remote measurement device is attached.
[0044] Similar to FIG. 5, remote measurement device
120 may include sensors
134 that may determine characteristics of the water of water main 14. Examples
of
sensors may include pressure sensors, temperature sensors, turbidity sensors,
heave
sensors, sensors for material content (e.g., total dissolved solids), sensors
for
biological content, sensors for chemical content (e.g., chlorine), or sensors
for any
other suitable characteristics. Sensors 134 may be configured as electrical
sensors,
mechanical sensors, electromechanical sensors, optical sensors, acoustic
sensors,
any other suitable type of sensor, or any combination thereof.
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[0045] In some embodiments, sensors 134 may be
provided at a variety of
locations of the remote measurement device 120. Sensors 134 may be provided at
an
exterior surface of remote measurement device 120 (sensor 134D), at or within
a
channel 130 of remote measurement device 120 (sensor 134B), and/or at or
within a
reservoir 132 of remote measurement device 120 (sensor 134C).
[0046] FIG. 7A shows an exemplary embodiment of a
remote measurement
device 120 located within a flange insert 140 in accordance with some
embodiments
of the present disclosure. As described herein, a fire hydrant 50 may include
a shoe
124 having a flange 116 that attaches to a water main 14 (not shown). In one
embodiment, a flange insert 140 may be provided that includes the remote
measurement device 120_ The flange insert 140 may be located between flange
116
and the water main 14, and may be fixedly attached to both in any suitable
manner
(e.g, bolts and nuts (not depicted)). In a similar manner as is described and
depicted
for the remote measurement device 120 of FIGS. 2-6, a remote measurement
device
120 located at a flange insert 140 may communicate with a communication
network
device 122 via a wired or wireless connection. In the exemplary embodiment of
a wired
connection 125, the wired connection 125 may be provided at an interior or
exterior
surface of the fire hydrant 50.
[0047] FIG. 7B depicts a perspective view of the
flange insert 140 in accordance
with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Although a flange insert may
be
implemented in any suitable manner, in some embodiments the flange insert 140
may
include a remote measurement device 120 located within a portion thereof. As
described herein for the remote measurement device 120 of FIGS. 5-6 and
depicted in
FIG. 7B, sensors 134 may be provided at an exterior surface of remote
measurement
device 120 (sensor 134D), at or within a channel 130 of remote measurement
device
120 (sensor 134B), and/or at or within a reservoir 132 of remote measurement
device
120 (sensor 134C).
[0048] FIG. 8 depicts an exemplary remote
measurement device 120 in
accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. Although remote
measurement device 120 may include any suitable components, in one embodiment
remote measurement device 120 may include a processor 202, sensors 134, a
wireless
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interface 206, a wired interface 208, internal communication interface 210, a
power
supply 212, and a memory 214.
[0049] Processor 202 may control the operations of
the other components of
remote measurement device 120, and may include any suitable processor. As
described herein, a processor 202 may include any suitable processing device
such
as a general purpose processor or microprocessor executing instructions from
memory, hardware implementations of processing operations (e.g., hardware
implementing instructions provided by a hardware description language), any
other
suitable processor, or any combination thereof. In one embodiment, processor
202
may be a microprocessor that executes instructions stored in memory 214.
Memory
includes any suitable volatile or non-volatile memory capable of storing
information
(e.g., instructions and data for the operation and use of remote measurement
device
120 and communication network device 122), such as RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash,
magnetic storage, hard drives, any other suitable memory, or any combination
thereof.
[0050] Processor 202 of remote measurement device
120 may be in
communication with sensors 134 via internal communication interface 210.
Internal
communication interface 210 may include any suitable interfaces for providing
signals
and data between processor 202 and other components of remote measurement
device 120. This may include communication busses such as communication buses
such as I2C, SPI, USB, UART, and GPIO. In some embodiments, this may also
include
connections such that signals from sensors 134 (e.g., measured analog signals)
may
be provided to processor 202.
[0051] Wireless interface 206 may be in
communication with processor 202 via
the internal communication interface 210, and may provide for wireless
communication
with other wireless devices such as communication network device 122. Wireless
interface 206 may communicate using a standardized wireless communication
protocols (e.g., VViFi, ZigBee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, etc.) or
proprietary
wireless communication protocol operating at any suitable frequency such as
900 MHz,
2.4 GHz, or 5.6 GHz. In some embodiments, a suitable wireless communication
protocol may be selected or designed for the particular signal path between
the remote
measurement device 120 and communication network device 122. In an embodiment
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of a remote measurement device 120 implemented with lower valve plate 108, the
wireless communication protocol may be selected based on the material
properties of
the fire hydrant 50 (e.g., cast iron) and the signal path through the interior
cavity of the
fire hydrant 50 (including when water is provided to fire hydrant 50). In an
embodiment
of a remote measurement device 120 implemented with a flange insert 140, the
wireless communication protocol may be selected based on the transmission path
through the soil to the above-ground portion of the fire hydrant 50
[0052] Although in some embodiments a remote
measurement device 120 may
include both a wireless interface 206 and a wired interface 208, in some
embodiments
only one of the wireless interface 206 or wired interface 208 may be provided.
A wired
interface 208 may provide an interface with wired connection 125 in order to
allow
processor 202 to communicate with communication network device 122 as
described
herein. The wired connection 208 may be any suitable wired connection to
facilitate
communication via any suitable protocol, as described herein.
[0053] Remote measurement device 120 may also
include a power supply 212.
Power supply may include a connection to an external power supply (e.g., power
supplied by wired connection 125), a battery power source, any other suitable
power
source, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, power supply 212 may
be
a replaceable or rechargeable battery such as lithium-ion, lithium-polymer,
nickel-metal
hydride, or nickel-cadmium battery. The power supply 212 may provide power to
the
other components of remote measurement device 120.
[0054] In one embodiment, memory 214 of remote
measurement device may
include memory for executing instructions with processor 202, memory for
storing data,
and a plurality of sets of instructions to be run by processor 202. Although
memory
214 may include any suitable instructions, in one embodiment the instructions
may
include operating instructions 216, sensing instructions 218, and
communication
instructions 220.
[0055] Operating instructions 216 may include
instructions for controlling the
general operations of the remote measurement device 120. In one embodiment,
operating instructions 216 may include instructions for an operating system of
the
remote measurement device 120, and for receiving updates to software,
firmware, or
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configuration parameters of the remote measurement device 120. In one
embodiment,
remote measurement device 120 may be a battery-powered device that may be in
use
for long periods of time without being replaced. Operating instructions 216
may include
instructions for limiting power consumption of the remote measurement device
120, for
example, by periodically placing some of the components of the remote
measurement
device 120 into a sleep mode. In one embodiment, the sensors 134 and the
communication interface (e.g., wireless interface 206 and/or wired interface
208) may
be shut off and a majority of the processing operations of the processor 202
may be
shut off. In some embodiments, sensing with sensors 134 may only occur on
relatively
long intervals (e.g., every few minutes) while the processor 202 may check the
communication interface (e.g., wireless interface 206 and/or wired interface
208) more
frequently to determine whether data has been requested by the communication
network device 122. In other embodiments, sensing with sensors 134 may occur
more
frequently, and the communication interface (e.g., wireless interface 206
and/or wired
interface 208) may only be powered on relatively infrequently (e.g., every few
hours),
or if a warning or error should be provided based on the measurements from the
sensors 134.
[0056] Sensing instructions 218 may include
instructions for operating the
sensors 134 and for processing data from the sensors 134. As described herein,
sensors 134 may include a variety of types of sensors that measure a variety
of
different characteristics of the water. Sensing instructions 218 may provide
instructions
for controlling these sensors, determining values based on signals or data
received
from the sensors 134, and performing calculations based on the received
signals or
data. While in some embodiments, raw sensor data or calculated values may be
received or calculated based on the sensing instructions 218, in some
embodiments
the sensing instructions 218 may also include data analysis such as a
comparison with
threshold or warning values. For example, if the pressure that is sensed at a
pressure
sensor of sensors 134 falls below a threshold, sensing instructions 218 may
provide
for a warning to be provided to communication network device 122. If a
chemical or
biological content of the water exceeds a threshold parts per million, a
warning may be
provided to communication network device 122. In some embodiments, sensing
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instructions 218 may also analyze data trends or perform statistical analysis
based on
data received from the sensors 134, determine warnings therefrom, and provide
the
trends, statistics, and/or warnings to the communication network device 122.
[0057]
Communication instructions
220 may include instructions for
communicating with other devices such as communication network device 122.
Communications instructions may include instructions for operating the
wireless
interface 206 and/or wired interface 208, including physical layer, MAC layer,
logical
link layer, and data link layer instructions to operate the wireless interface
206 and/or
wired interface 208 in accordance with a standardized or proprietary
communication
protocol. Communication instructions 220 may also include instructions for
encrypting
and decrypting communications between remote measurement device 120 and
communication network device 122, such that unauthorized third parties are
unable to
eavesdrop on such communications. Communication instructions 220 may also
include instructions for a message format for communications exchanged between
remote measurement device 120 and communication network device 122. The
message format may specify message types, such as warning messages, wake up
messages, update messages, data upload messages, and data request messages.
[0058]
FIG. 9 shows an exemplary
communication network device 122 in
accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.
Although
communication network device 122 may include any suitable components, in one
embodiment communication network device 122 may include a processor 302,
sensors
304, a sensor communication interface 306, a network communication interface
308,
internal communication interface 310, power supply 312, and memory 314.
[0059]
Processor 302 may control
the operations of the other components of
communication network device 122, and may include any suitable processor. A
processor 302 may include any suitable processing device such as a general
purpose
processor or microprocessor executing instructions from memory, hardware
implementations of processing operations (e.g., hardware implementing
instructions
provided by a hardware description language), any other suitable processor, or
any
combination thereof. In one embodiment, processor 302 may be a microprocessor
that
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executes instructions stored in memory 314. Memory includes any suitable
volatile or
non-volatile memory capable of storing information (e.g., instructions and
data for the
operation and use of communication network device 122), such as RAM, ROM,
EEPROM, flash, magnetic storage, hard drives, any other suitable memory, or
any
combination thereof.
[0060]
In some embodiments,
communication network device 122 may include
sensors 304. For example, communication network device 122 may be combined
with
remote measurement device 120, such that they operate as a single unit. In
other
embodiments, the sensing operations may be performed directly at network
communication device 122, such as when water is provided to communication
network
device 122 by a pitot tube. In addition, communication network device may
sense other
characteristics about the location where it is located within fire hydrant 50,
such as
temperature.
[0061]
Sensor communication
interface 306 may be in communication with
processor 302 via the internal communication interface 310, and may provide
for
wireless or wired communications with remote measurement device 120. In one
embodiment, sensor communication interface 306 may include a wireless
interface that
communicates using a standardized wireless communication protocol (e.g., WiFi,
ZigBee, Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, etc.) or proprietary wireless
communication
protocol operating at any suitable frequency such as 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, or 5.6
GHz.
As described herein, a suitable wireless communication protocol may be
selected or
designed for the particular signal path between the remote measurement device
120
and communication network device 122.
In some embodiments, sensor
communication interface 306 may be a wired interface that provides an
interface with
wired connection 125 in order to allow processor 302 to communicate with
remote
measurement device 120 as described herein. The wired connection 125 may be
any
suitable wired connection to facilitate communication via any suitable
protocol, as
described herein.
[0062]
Network communication
interface 308 may be in communication with a
communication network for monitoring characteristics of the water distribution
system
1. In one embodiment, the network communication interface 308 may provide for
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communications with a central monitoring system 12, such as by using a
cellular
communication network or mesh communication network. In an exemplary
embodiment of a cellular communication network, the communication network
device
122 may communicate in any suitable manner, such as via intemet protocol data
communications or short message system (SMS) messages. In an exemplary
embodiment of a mesh communication system, data may be transmitted to the
central
monitoring system 12 via the mesh network or using a data collection procedure
(e.g.,
using a service vehicle to survey the communication network devices 122 at
fire
hydrants 50).
[0063] Communication network device 122 may also
include a power supply
312. Power supply 312 may include a connection to an external power supply
(e.g.,
power supplied by a utility system), a battery power source, any other
suitable power
source, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, power supply 312 may
be
a replaceable or rechargeable battery such as lithium-ion, lithium-polymer,
nickel-metal
hydride, or nickel-cadmium battery. The power supply may provide power to the
other
components of communication network device 122.
[0064] In one embodiment, memory 314 of
communication network device 122
may include memory for executing instructions with processor 302, memory for
storing
data, and a plurality of sets of instructions to be run by processor 302.
Although
memory 314 may include any suitable instructions, in one embodiment the
instructions
may include operating instructions 316, data processing instructions 318,
sensor
communication instructions 320, and network communication instructions 322.
[0065] Operating instructions 316 may include
instructions for controlling the
general operations of the communication network device 122. In one embodiment,
operating instructions may include instructions for an operating system of the
communication network device 122, and for receiving updates to software,
firmware,
or configuration parameters of the communication network device 122. In one
embodiment, communication network device 122 may be a battery-powered device
that may be in use for long periods of time without being replaced. Operating
instructions 316 may include instructions for limiting power consumption of
the
communication network device 122, for example, by periodically placing some of
the
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components of the communication network device 122 into a sleep mode. In one
embodiment, the sensors 304 and the communication interfaces (e.g., sensor
communication interface 306 and network communication interface 308) may be
shut
off and a majority of the processing operations of the processor 302 may be
shut off.
The communication interfaces may wake up on a periodic basis to check for
messages
from the remote measurement device 120 or the communication network. In some
embodiments, the wake up times may be scheduled based on messages from one or
more of the central monitoring system 12, remote measurement device 120,
and/or
communication network device 122. In some embodiments, communication network
device 122 may not enter the sleep mode while processing certain information
such as
warning messages or error messages (e.g., to monitor more frequently based on
the
occurrence of an error or warning).
[0066] Data processing instructions 318 may include
instructions for processing
data that is received from the remote measurement device 120 via the sensor
communication interface 306. As described herein, the sensors 304 of the
remote
measurement device may measure characteristics such as pressure, turbidity,
temperature, heave, material content (e.g., total dissolved solids),
biological content,
chemical content (e.g., chlorine), or any other suitable characteristics. The
data
processing instructions 318 may process this data to determine warnings,
monitor data
trends, calculate statistics, or perform any other suitable data processing
operations
as described herein. In one embodiment, data processing instructions 318 may
include
instructions for monitoring the change in water pressure over time, and based
on
identified changes, may provide messages such as warning messages to central
monitoring system 12.
[0067] Sensor communication instructions 320 may
include instructions for
communicating with remote measurement device 120. Sensor communications
instructions may include instructions for operating the sensor communication
interface
306, including physical layer, MAC layer, logical link layer, and data link
layer
instructions in accordance with a standardized or proprietary communication
protocol.
Sensor communication instructions 320 may also include instructions for
encrypting
and decrypting communications between remote measurement device 120 and
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communication network device 122, such that unauthorized third parties are
unable to
eavesdrop on such communications. Sensor communication instructions 220 may
also
include instructions for a message format for communications exchanged between
communication network device 120 and communication network device 122. The
message format may specify message types, such as warning messages, wake up
messages, update messages, data upload messages, and data request messages.
[0068] Network communication instructions 322 may
include instructions for
communicating with a communication network such as a cellular network and/or
mesh
network. In one embodiment, network communication instructions 322 may include
instructions for communicating on a cellular network using an internet
protocol data
format or a SMS data format. Network communication instructions 322 may also
include instructions for communicating using a mesh network (e.g., ZigBee).
Communication instructions 320 may also include instructions for encrypting
and
decrypting communications between communication network device 122 and the
communication network, such that unauthorized third parties are unable to
eavesdrop
on such communications. Communication instructions 320 may also include
instructions for a message format for communications exchanged between
communication network device 122 and the communications network. The message
format may specify message types, such as warning messages, wake up messages,
update messages, data upload messages, and data request messages.
[0069] FIG. 10 depicts a non-limiting flow diagram
illustrating exemplary
methods for operating a remote measurement device 120 in accordance with some
embodiments of the present disclosure. Although a particular series of steps
400 are
depicted as being performed in a particular order in FIG. 10, it will be
understood that
one or more steps may be removed or added, and the order of the steps may be
modified in any suitable manner. In one embodiment, processing of steps 400
may
begin at step 402.
[0070] At step 402, remote measurement device 120
may initiate sensing of
characteristics of the water flowing through the water main 14. In one
embodiment,
remote measurement device 120 may be in a sleep mode and may periodically
provide
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power to the sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors 134 may be activated in
response to another stimulus such as a message from communication network
device
122. Processing may then continue to step 404.
[0071] At step 404, remote measurement device 120
may capture sensor data
from its sensors 134. The sensors 134 may be located at the surface of remote
measurement device 120, at or in a channel of the remote measurement device
120,
at or in a reservoir of the remote measurement device 120, or at any other
suitable
location in contact with the water in the shoe 124. The sensors 134 may
provide signals
that may be processed by a processor 202 of the remote measurement device 120
(e.g., an analog signal representative of a value of the sensed
characteristic) and/or
may provide a data signal (e.g., digital data representative of the sensed
characteristic). The captured data may be stored in memory 214 of the remote
measurement device 120. Processing may continue to step 406.
[0072] At step 406, the processor 202 of the remote
measurement device 120
may calculate values from the received data. The values may be determined
based
on applying processing to a received signal (e.g., a received analog signal),
based on
a received data signal, based on performing calculations relating to a
plurality of
sensed characteristics, in any other suitable manner, or any combination
thereof. In
some embodiments, statistics, data trends, and other similar values may also
be
calculated and stored in memory 214. Processing may continue to step 408.
[0073] At step 408, the processor 202 of the remote
measurement device 120
may determine whether there are any warnings associated with the measured data
and/or calculated values for the characteristics. Warnings may include
conditions that
relate to problems with the water distribution system, such as water pressure
issues
and water quality issues (e.g., turbidity, solid content, chemical content,
biological
content, etc.). Although warnings may be determined in any suitable manner, in
some
embodiments the warnings may be based on a comparison of values with
thresholds,
a rate of change for values, or a combination of values that is indicative of
a particular
water condition. The warnings may be stored in memory 214. Once the warnings
are
determined at step 408, processing may continue to step 410.
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[0074] At step 4101 the processor 202 of the remote
measurement device 120
may determine whether there are any errors associated with the measured data
and/or
calculated values for the characteristics. Errors may relate to the
functioning of the
remote measurement device 120 (e.g., a failed sensor or low battery) or the
fire hydrant
50 (e.g., a failed component such as a seal). Although errors may be
determined in
any suitable manner, in some embodiments the errors may be determined based on
one or more of the measurements or calculated values not being within an
acceptable
range, or based on a combination of values indicating an error (e.g., a failed
seal). The
errors may be stored in memory 214. Once the errors are determined at step
410,
processing may continue to step 412.
[0075] At step 412, the information that is
determined by the remote
measurement device 120 (e.g., values for characteristics, warnings, and
errors) may
be transmitted to another device (e.g., the communication network device 122)
via a
suitable interface (e.g., a wireless and/or wired interface). In one
embodiment, the
information may be transmitted during each sensing period that is initiated at
step 402.
In some embodiments, the information may be transmitted less frequently in the
absence of a warning or error. Whether a warning or error is transmitted may
also be
based on the warning or error type or the severity. Once the information is
transmitted,
processing may continue to step 414.
[0076] At step 414, the remote measurement device
120 may enter a sleep
mode. In some embodiments, the parameters for the sleep mode such as sleep
time
may be based on communications with another device such as the communication
network device 122. During the sleep mode, many of the powered components of
the
remote measurement device 120 such as the sensors 134 and communication
interface may not receive power. In some embodiments, certain components
(e.g., a
pressure sensor) may continue to receive power during the sleep mode in order
to
determine if there are any critical warnings. Once the sleep mode is entered,
processing may return to step 402.
[0077] FIG. 11 depicts a non-limiting flow diagram
illustrating exemplary
methods for operating a communication network device 122 in accordance with
some
embodiments of the present disclosure. Although a particular series of steps
are
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depicted as being performed in a particular order in FIG. 11, it will be
understood that
one or more steps may be removed or added, and the order of the steps may be
modified in any suitable manner. In one embodiment, processing of steps 500
may
begin at step 502.
[0078] At step 502, information may be received at
the communication network
device 122 via a communication interface in communication with the remote
measurement device 120. In some embodiments, the communication network device
122 may be in a sleep mode, and may periodically exit the sleep mode (e.g., at
predetermined times) to receive messages from the remote measurement device
120.
In other embodiments, the sensor communication interface of the communication
network device 122 may remain active, and when a message is received, other
circuitry
and/or functionality of the communication network device may be enabled.
Although
not depicted herein, in some embodiments there may be a plurality of remote
measurement devices 120 located at different locations within the fire hydrant
(e.g.,
one device located within the path of the water main 14, and another remote
measurement device located within a barrel of the fire hydrant 50, such that
the
operation of the valve may be monitored). Once the information has been
received at
step 502, processing may continue to step 504.
[0079] At step 504, the communication network
device 122 may receive other
sensor data, such as from a local sensor of the communication network device
122.
Local sensor data may include any suitable data such as environmental data
(e.g.,
temperature) or data relating to the operation of the communication network
device
122. Once the local sensor data has been received at step 504, processing may
continue to step 506.
[0080] At step 506, the processor 302 of the
communication network device 122
may analyze the received information and data to determine data values,
warnings,
errors, or other suitable values or indications. In some embodiments, the
analysis may
include the determination of data trends or statistics relating to the
received information
and values. As described herein, warnings may include conditions that relate
to
problems with the water distribution system, such as water pressure issues and
water
quality issues (e.g., turbidity, solid content, chemical content, biological
content, etc.),
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and may be determined in any suitable manner (e.g.,. based on a comparison of
values
with thresholds, a rate of change for values, or a combination of values that
is indicative
of a particular water condition). Errors may relate to the functioning of the
remote
measurement device 120 or communication network device 122 (e.g., a failed
sensor
or low battery) or the fire hydrant 50 (e.g., a failed component such as a
seal). Although
errors may be determined in any suitable manner, in some embodiments the
errors
may be determined based on one or more of the measurements or calculated
values
not being within an acceptable range, or based on a combination of values
indicating
an error. The results of the analysis may be stored in memory at step 506, and
processing may continue to step 508.
[0081] It may be desired to transmit data to the
communication network (e.g., to
the central processing system 12) on an occasional basis, in order to limit
power
consumption of the communication network device 122, transmission costs, and
to
prevent excess traffic over the communication network. Accordingly, steps 508-
514
may determine when data is to be transmitted by the communication network
device
122.
[0082] At step 508, it may be determined whether a
warning was identified by
the remote measurement device 120 or the communication network device 122. If
a
warning was identified, processing may continue to step 514. If a warning was
not
identified, processing may continue to step 510.
[0083] At step 510, it may be determined whether an
error was identified by the
remote measurement device 120 or the communication network device 122. If an
error
was identified, processing may continue to step 514. If an error was not
identified,
processing may continue to step 512.
[0084] At step 512, it may be determined whether it
is time to transmit to the
communication network. In one embodiment, the communication network device 122
may transmit on a periodic basis. In some embodiments, the communication
network
device 122 may also transmit based on some other trigger such as a request for
data
from the central processing system 12 or another device of a mesh network. If
it is
time to transmit, processing may continue to step 514. If it is not time to
transmit,
processing may return to step 502.
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[0085] At step 514, information may be transmitted
by the communication
network device 122. As described herein, the information may be transmitted
via any
suitable communication method such as a cellular network or a wireless mesh
network.
The information may be transmitted according to a message format for the
communication network, and may eventually be provided to the central
monitoring
system. Based on information received from communication network devices 122
located at fire hydrants 50 throughout the water distribution system 1,
problems with
the water distribution system 1 can be quickly identified and localized, and
resources
deployed to remedy any such problems. Once the information is transmitted at
step
514, process may return to step 502.
[0086] In another embodiment, the remote monitoring
device 120 can include
an acoustic hydrophone as one of the sensors 134 that is incorporated into the
lower
valve plate 108 of the main valve. The acoustic hydrophone can be used for
leak
detection in the water distribution system 1.
[0087] FIGS. 12A and 12B show different embodiments
of acoustic
hydrophones 602 that can be used in the present disclosure. While two
different
embodiments of acoustic hydrophones 602 are shown, it is to be understood that
any
suitable acoustic hydrophone can be used in the present disclosure. The
acoustic
hydrophone 602 can be placed in contact with water in the shoe 124 of the
hydrant 50
and can collect an analog sound spectrum transmitted through the water across
a
specific frequency range, similar to a microphone. The acoustic hydrophone 602
can
provide more accurate acoustic information than a hydrant-body based acoustic
sensor
that measures vibrations in the iron of the hydrant. The use of different
materials (e.g.,
plastic versus ductile) in the pipes of the water distribution system 1 and
water mains
14, especially if used inconsistently (Le., mixed and matched), can result in
less
accurate measurements from a hydrant-body-based acoustic sensor.
[0088] In one embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone
602 can include a
piezoelectric element to sense leak-induced sound or vibration. The acoustic
hydrophone 602 can also include signal amplifiers and/or noise filters to
improve the
signal with the acoustic information from the acoustic hydrophone 602.
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[0089] FIGS. 13 and 14 show an embodiment of the
acoustic hydrophone 602
with respect to a lower valve assembly (or main valve). FIG. 13 shows an
exploded
view of an embodiment of a lower valve assembly 600, while FIG. 14 shows an
embodiment of the lower valve assembly 600 in a shoe 124 of the hydrant 50. In
the
embodiment of FIGS. 13 and 14, the acoustic hydrophone 602 can be used in
conjunction with a pressure sensor 604 that is also incorporated in the lower
valve
assembly 600. In still other embodiments, a temperature sensor (not shown) may
also
be incorporated in the lower valve assembly and used in conjunction with the
acoustic
hydrophone 602 and/or the pressure sensor 604. The acoustic hydrophone 602 and
the pressure sensor 604 can be connected to the remote monitoring device 120,
which
may be located in an upper portion of the hydrant 50, by the wired connection
125 in
one embodiment. In another embodiment, the remote monitoring device 120 may be
located in the lower valve assembly 600.
[0090] The lower valve assembly 600 can be
connected to the shaft 118 by a
lock nut 606 in one embodiment. An 0-ring 608 can be used with the lock-nut
606 to
provide a waterproof connection between the shaft 118 and the lock nut 606.
The
lower valve assembly 600 can include an upper plate 610 connected to a bottom
plate
612. The bottom plate 612 can have a lower portion 614 with a cavity 616
therein and
an upper portion 618 that can be positioned on the lower portion 614 to
enclose the
cavity 616 in the bottom plate 612. In one embodiment, an 0-ring 615 or other
suitable
mechanism can be positioned between the upper portion 618 and the lower
portion
614 to form a waterproof seal between the upper portion 618 and the lower
portion
614. The pressure sensor 604 and the acoustic hydrophone 602 can be located in
the cavity 616. At least a portion of the pressure sensor 604 can extend
through the
lower portion 614 of the bottom plate 612 and into contact with the water in
the shoe
124. The pressure sensor 604 can be positioned in a pressure sensor enclosure
624
to provide some protection to the pressure sensor 604 and ensure that the
pressure
sensor 604 is oriented properly. Similarly, the acoustic hydrophone 602 can
extend
through the lower portion 614 of the bottom plate 612 and into contact with
the water
in the shoe 124. The acoustic hydrophone 602 can be positioned in a hydrophone
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enclosure 622 to provide some protection to the acoustic hydrophone 602 and
ensure
that the hydrophone 602 is oriented properly.
[0091] The corresponding wires 619 from the
acoustic hydrophone 602 and the
pressure sensor 604 can pass through corresponding passageways (or openings)
in
the upper portion 618 of the bottom plate 612 (not shown) and passageways (or
openings) 620 in the upper plate 610 and travel to the upper portion of the
hydrant 50
via wired connection 125. In one embodiment, the passageway 620 in the upper
plate
610 may include a rubber seal to prevent water from entering the upper plate
610 and
cavity 616 while still permitting the wire(s) 619 to pass through the upper
plate 610 to
the wired connection 125. The wires 619 may either be connected to wired
connection
125 or form a part of the wired connection 125. In one embodiment, the wire
619 from
the acoustic hydrophone 602 may be a coaxial cable.
[0092] FIG. 15 shows an embodiment of the upper
portion of the hydrant 50.
The upper portion 650 of the hydrant 50 can include an upper portion of the
barrel 106,
a bonnet 654 connected to the shaft 118 and a spool 652 located between the
bonnet
654 and the upper portion of the barrel 106. The wired connection 125 can be
connected to a passageway (or opening) in the spool 652. In one embodiment,
the
passageway in the spool 652 may include a rubber seal to prevent water from
entering
the spool 652 while still permitting the wire(s) 619 to pass through the spool
652 to the
communication device 630. One or more wires 619 from the wired connection 125
can
be connected to a communication device 630 located in the spool 652 of the
upper
barrel 650. The communication device 630 can include a microprocessor and
communication equipment (such as a transceiver or cellular equipment) to
permit the
communication device 630 to communicate with the central monitoring system 12
and
process signals and/or data from the acoustic hydrophone 602 and the pressure
sensor
604. In one embodiment, the communication device 630 can incorporate the
communication network device 122 and/or the remote monitoring device 120. Each
of
the hydrants 50 in the water distribution system 1 (or a subset thereof) can
communicate the acoustic information from the acoustic hydrophone 602 to the
central
monitoring system 12.
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[0093] In one embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone
602 can continuously
collect the acoustic information from the water corresponding to the analog
sound
spectrum. However, in other embodiments, the hydrophone 602 can intermittently
collect information from the water corresponding to the analog sound spectrum
at
predetermined intervals or at random times. The collected acoustic information
(which
can be representative of leak induced vibration or sound) can be digitized by
an analog
to digital circuit on a circuit board of the communication device 630 before
being
transmitted to the central monitoring system 12. In another embodiment, the
collected
acoustic information can be digitized by an analog to digital circuit in the
remote
monitoring device 120 and then provided to the communication device 630 for
transmission to the central monitoring system. In one embodiment, the
communication
device 630 can include one or more memory devices to store the digitized sound
spectrum information (i.e., the acoustic information) at the communication
device 630
for some rolling period of time (e.g., last 24 hours) before transmitting the
information
to the central monitoring system 12. In another embodiment, the communication
device 630 can provide the acoustic information stored in the memory devices
to the
central monitoring system 12 in response to a request from the central
monitoring
system 12.
[0094] The central monitoring system 12 can process
the digitized acoustic
information from one or more hydrants 50 to determine if a leak is present in
the water
distribution system. In one embodiment, the digitized acoustic information
sample from
one hydrant 50 is tightly time synchronized with other acoustic information
samples
from different hydrants 50 (often using a global positioning system (GPS) time
sync
signal as captured at each hydrant 50). A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT)
mathematical
method can be applied to the acoustic information samples collected (or
received) from
multiple hydrants 50 to show, usually graphically, how the same noise pattern
appears
at multiple locations. Both the frequency profile and the amplitude of the
signal from
the FFT often indicates the nature and size of the leak, and the difference in
amplitude
of a same frequency profile as observed from different locations can indicate
how
relatively near or far the leak is from a particular hydrant 50.
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[0095] In another embodiment, a cross-correlation
method can be applied to the
acoustic information to find a time lag between acoustic information from
neighboring
hydrants 50. The time lag information can be used to determine the location of
the
leak between the hydrants 50.
[0096] In an embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone
602 and the pressure sensor
604 can operate in conjunction to determine possible leaks in the water
distribution
system. For example, pressure drops or declines detected by the pressure
sensor 604
can be associated with corresponding increases in acoustic "noise" from the
acoustic
hydrophone 602 to indicate a leakage in the water distribution system 1.
[0097] In other embodiments, the acoustic
hydrophone 602 can be mounted in
the shoe 124 (e.g., adhered to the inside wall of the shoe 124) in place of
the lower
valve assembly 600. In a further embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone 602 can
be
mounted in the barrel 106 of the hydrant 50 (e.g., in or near the plug(s) of
the hydrant),
if the hydrant 50 is configured as a wet-barrel hydrant (see FIG. 16) or if
the lower valve
assembly 600 is open to permit water to reach the acoustic hydrophone 602.
[0098] In a further embodiment as shown in FIGS. 16-
18, the acoustic
hydrophone 602 and pressure sensor 604 may be incorporated in a cap 800 of a
wet-
barrel hydrant 50. In FIGS. 17 and 18, the cap 800 can have a plug 802
connected to
a canister 804 by one or more mechanical fasteners (not shown). In one
embodiment,
the mechanical fasteners can be screws or bolts, but other types of fasteners
or
fastening techniques can be used in other embodiments. A sealing device (e.g.,
a
gasket) may be placed between the plug 802 and the canister 804 prior to
connecting
the plug 802 and canister 804 to provide a water-tight seal. The acoustic
hydrophone
602 and the pressure sensor 604 can be located in a cavity of the plug 802.
Each of
the acoustic hydrophone 602 and the pressure sensor 604 can be partially
located in
a passageway 806 of the plug 802 such that the acoustic hydrophone 602 and the
pressure sensor 604 are in contact with the water in the barrel of the wet-
barrel hydrant
50. In one embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone 602 and the pressure sensor 604
can
be mounted in appropriate housings or have appropriate seals to prevent water
from
entering the cavity of the plug 802 via the passageways 806.
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[0099]
In addition, the acoustic
hydrophone 602 and the pressure sensor 604
may be connected to the communication network device 122 by a wired connection
(not shown). The wired connection can provide a communication path between the
communication network device 122 and the acoustic hydrophone 602 and the
pressure
sensor 604. The communication path provided by the wired connection can be
used to
communicate sensor signals, which may be analog or digital, from acoustic
hydrophone 602 and the pressure sensor 604 and to communicate data signals
between communication network device 122 and the acoustic hydrophone 602 and
the
pressure sensor 604. In an embodiment, the acoustic hydrophone 602 and/or the
pressure sensor 604 may process some or all of their measurements and
communicate
values determined therefrom to communication network device 122 via a data
signal.
The wired connection may also be used to provide power to the acoustic
hydrophone
602 and the pressure sensor 604 from a power supply 808. The wired connection
may
provide power directly from the power supply 808 to the acoustic hydrophone
602 and
the pressure sensor 604 or the power may be provided from the power supply 808
via
the communication network device 122. The communication network device 122 may
be connected to an antenna 810 to permit the communication network device 122
to
communicate with the monitoring system 12 or other hydrants 50.
[00100]
In an embodiment of the
hydrant 50 incorporating the temperature
sensor, the temperature sensor can be used to determine a) whether the water
is too
warm such that disinfectant may fail too quickly; b) whether the water is too
cold such
that frozen pipes and hydrants could occur; or c) whether the water
temperature has
changed suddenly, indicating a different flow of water and possibly pipe joint
expansion
or contraction which could result in new or growing leaks. If none of the
above uses
are of particular interest to the operator of the water distribution system 1,
then the
temperature sensor may be omitted and the acoustic hydrophone 602 can be used
for
leak detection.
[00101]
The foregoing is merely
illustrative of the principles of this
disclosure and various modifications may be made by those skilled in the art
without
departing from the scope of this disclosure. The embodiments described herein
are
provided for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. Thus, this
disclosure is not
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limited to the explicitly disclosed systems, devices, apparatuses, components,
and
methods, and instead includes variations to and modifications thereof, which
are within
the spirit of the attached claims.
[00102] The systems, devices, apparatuses,
components, and methods
described herein may be modified or varied to optimize the systems, devices,
apparatuses, components, and methods. Moreover, it will be understood that the
systems, devices, apparatuses, components, and methods may have many
applications such as monitoring of liquids other than water. The disclosed
subject
matter should not be limited to any single embodiment described herein, but
rather
should be construed according to the attached claims.
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