Piezo Structural Acoustic Pipeline Leak Detection System

Mide is proposing an innovative method for detecting leaks in pipelines. In Phase I Mide will demonstrate that piezoelectric materials can be used to sense leaks, that a low power event recorder can be used to store detected leaks and that an innovative low-power/self powered acoustic data transmission monitor system can be used to report leaks and their location. Monitor data will be transmitted along the pipeline to a ¿central¿ station by sending the ¿status¿ of a monitor from monitor to monitor. Data will be retrieved from all monitors sequential or in a sequence prioritized by pipe sections that are know or considered to be high risk. This ¿upload¿ activated will occur at a predetermined time using a protocol that will be determined in Phase I. Mide is proposing that the piezo-sensor is also used as the actuator (transmitter) and as the data receiver (transceiver). The monitor will pulse ¿sensor¿, causing it to create a structural acoustic wave in the pipe structure, the next monitor on the pipeline will receive and re-transmit the data to the next monitor using its piezo-element.