John L Bacon

US Patent:

6834556, Dec 28, 2004

Filed:

Nov 1, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/286054

Inventors:

Russell P. Cain - Columbia MD
Bliss G. Carkhuff - Laurel MD
John M. Bacon - Chesapeake Beach MD

Assignee:

The Johns Hopkins University - Baltimore MD

International Classification:

G01F 132

US Classification:

7386124

Abstract:

Some techniques for monitoring health of a vessel include attaching a sensor suite of one or more sensors to an outer skin of the vessel and providing power for the sensor suite based on a temperature difference between a fluid temperature of a contained fluid inside the vessel and an ambient temperature outside the vessel. Some techniques include attaching a sensor suite by cinching a belt around the vessel and causing two ends of a strain gauge in the sensor suite to become rigidly attached to the outer skin of the vessel, for example, on opposite sides of a weld joining two sections of the vessel. These techniques allow a pipeline to be readily instrumented and monitored remotely which reduces manpower costs for performing manual inspections, reduces the risks of injury from performing manual inspections during hazardous weather conditions, and reduces the likelihood of undetected leaks.