The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 24, 2020
Filed:
Oct. 17, 2017
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, SA;
You Wu, Changzhou, CN;
Kamal Youcef-Toumi, Cambridge, MA (US);
Kristina S. Kim, Federal Way, WA (US);
Michael Finn Henry, Lincoln, MA (US);
Rached Ben Mansour, Dhahran, SA;
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (US);
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, SA;
Abstract
In-pipe leak detection systems and related methods are disclosed for detecting in-pipe leaks while fluid is actively flowing through the pipe. The system can include a sensing element coupled to a membrane that are disposed parallel to or in-line with an axial direction of a fluid flow. The membrane is configured to be drawn into contact with the inner wall in response to a suction force caused by a leak. The leak is detected based on a transient output from the sensing element indicative of a stretch or strain on the membrane. The sensing element and the membrane is coupled to a support structure configured to position the membrane adjacent to an inner wall of a pipe. The support structure can include a mechanism that couples the membrane and the sensing element to the support structure and is configured to help in discriminating between leaks and false detections.