Pipeline leak detection

In the present research two techniques are applied for leak detection in pipelines. The first method is a hardware-based technique which uses ultrasonic wave\u27s emission for pipeline inspection. Ultrasonic waves are propagated in the pipe walls and reflected signal from leakage will be used for pipe analysis. Several Pipes with various dimensions and characteristics are modeled by finite element method using ANSYS. Second order longitudinal modes of ultrasonic waves are emitted in their walls. For this purpose, excited frequency is calculated such that it excites the second order longitude mode. In order to investigate the behavior of emitted wave in contact with leakage, four sensors are used in outer surface of pipe. Waves are reflected when encountering leakage and the leak location is recognized knowing the wave emission speed and flight time of backscattered signals. Wavelet transform is used for processing these signals and recognizing leak location. This method is tested on several pipe models and it presents satisfactory results for short pipes. The second approach is a software-based method which works based on the transient model of the pipeline. In this method the outputs from simulated pipeline are compared to those measured from flow meters and if their difference goes beyond a threshold value, leak is detected. For leak localization a gradient pressure technique is applied which needs pressure slope measurements at inlet and outlet of the pipeline. Several cases with leak at various positions are studied. This method works well with high accuracy for long pipelines. --Abstract, page iii

Multi-Polarized Channel Characterization

Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication is becoming an important aspect of warehouse management, remote control, robotics, traffic control, supply chain management, fleet management and telemedicine. M2M is expected to become a significant portion of the Industrial Internet and, more broadly, the Internet of Things (IoT). The environments in which M2M systems are expected to operate may be challenging in terms of radio wave propagation due to their cluttered, multipath nature, which can cause deep signal fades and signal depolarization. Polarization diversity in two dimensions is a well-known technique to mitigate such fades. But in the presence of reflectors and retarders where multipath components arrive from any direction, we find the detrimental effects to be three-dimensional and thus consider herein mitigation approaches that are also 3D. The objectives of this dissertation are three. First, to provide a theoretical framework for depolarization in three dimensions. Second, to prepare a tripolar antenna design that meets cost, power consumption, and simplicity requirements of M2M applications and that can mitigate the expected channel effects. Finally, to develop new channel models in three dimensional space for wireless systems. Accordingly, this dissertation presents a complete description of 3D electromagnetic fields, in terms of their polarization characteristics and confirms the advantage of employing tripolar antennas in multipath conditions. Furthermore, the experimental results illustrate that highly variable depolarization occurs across all three spatial dimensions and is dependent on small changes in frequency and space. Motivated by these empirical results, we worked with a collaborating institution to develop a three-dimensional tripolar antenna that can be integrated with a commercially available wireless sensor. This dissertation presents the testing results that show that this design significantly improves channels over traditional 2D approaches. The implications of tripolar antenna integration on M2M systems include reduction in energy use, longer wireless communication link distances, and/or greater link reliability. Similar results are shown for a planar antenna design that enables four different polarization configurations. Finally, the work presents a novel three-dimensional geometry-based stochastic channel model that builds the channel as a sum of shell-like sub-regions, where each sub-region consists of groups of multipath components. The model is validated with empirical data to show the approach may be used for system analyses in indoor environments

3D tripolar antenna and method of manufacture

In various embodiments, a three-dimensional (3D) printed tripolar antenna fabricated through additive manufacturing techniques to match the geometries of various commercial wireless node packages is provided. The antenna systems are designed to mitigate harsh channel conditions by implementing polarization diversity between three mutually orthogonal monopoles