Apparatus and method of detecting breaches in pipelines

US10732065B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Instrumar Limited · CA

Inventors

• Stuart Inkpen · St. John's, CA
• Chris Nolan · St. John's, CA
• Bill Conway · St. John's, CA
• Dana Linfield · Portugal Cove - St. Philip's, CA
• David Bonnell · Reading, GB
• Joshua Swamidas · St. John's, CA

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 2, 2016
• Grant date: Aug 4, 2020
• Expiry date: Jul 25, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01M3/16
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A pipeline breach monitor includes an electric field sensor and a signal processing unit in communication with the electric field sensor. The electric field sensor includes an upper substrate, and a plurality of electrodes embedded in the upper substrate. The electrodes are substantially parallel to each other in the upper substrate and comprise at least one sense electrode and a plurality of elongate sensor electrodes disposed around the at least one sense electrode. The signal processing unit is configured to (i) apply a voltage signal to the sensor electrodes, (ii) receive at least one measurement set comprising a measurement of a phase and a magnitude of a current generated in the at least one sense electrode and the sensor electrodes, and (iii) generate an assessment of accumulation of a substance proximate the electric field sensor from the at least one measurement set and at least one predetermined substance accumulation profile.