RAINDROP: tRansforming Acoustic SensINg for leak detection in trunk mains and water DistRibutiOn Pipelines

该提案旨在开发一套三种创新的声学传感技术，用于检测干线和配电管道中的漏水，能够提供相对于当前能力的显着改进的检测，并实现必要的步骤变化，以应对水务行业面临的挑战。虽然主要针对水务行业，与英国水务行业研究（UKWIR）倡议“2050年零泄漏”保持一致，但这项工作也与天然气和石油行业相关。管道泄漏是这三个行业的主要问题，浪费了自然资源，造成了负面的环境和经济影响，并造成了严重的安全隐患。在水工业中，声学方法是检测泄漏的主要方法。然而，现有方法的成功应用需要定期进入管道，例如通过消火栓，这从根本上限制了这些方法的应用。这些问题在水管、塑料管和长距离油气管道中尤为严重。我们将开发的技术是：(i)使用环向管道上的光纤，使用分布式声学传感（DAS）监测整个管道的声压；（ii）使用细金属棒，将离散位置的管壁振动与地面耦合；顶部可以使用传统传感器（例如加速度计或检波器）进行监测（iii）便携式“地理照相机”，用于检测和精确定位地表泄漏。它们得到了英国水务工业研究及其成员以及英国漏水网络的广泛认可，为分布式声学监测管道以防止泄漏以及远程检测泄漏开辟了可能性。研究将包括理论建模，重点是基于物理的机械方法；在实验室、室外试验场和活水管网进行实验测量；信号处理。

This proposal aims to develop a suite of three innovative acoustic sensing technologies for detecting water leaks in trunk and distribution mains that is able to provide significantly improved detection relative to current capabilities and enable the step change necessary to meet the challenges facing the water industry. Although primarily aimed at the water industry, aligning with the UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) initiative 'Zero Leakage 2050', the work is also relevant to the gas and oil sectors. Leakage from pipes is a major issue in all three sectors, wasting natural resources, resulting in negative environmental and economic impacts, and causing serious safety risks. In the water industry, acoustic methods are the dominant methods for detecting leaks. However, successful application of existing methods requires regular access to the pipes, e.g. via a hydrant, which fundamentally limits the application of these methods. These problems are particularly acute in water trunk mains, in plastic pipes and in long distance oil and gas pipelines.The technologies we shall develop are:(i) Monitoring acoustic pressure along an entire pipeline using distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) using circumferential on-pipe optical fibres(ii) Coupling the vibration of the pipe wall at discrete locations to the ground surface using fine metal rods, the top of which can be monitored using conventional sensors (e.g. accelerometers or geophones)(iii) A portable 'geo- camera' to detect and pinpoint leaks from the ground surfaceReceiving widespread endorsement from both UK Water Industry Research and their members, along with the UK Water Leakage Network, they open up possibilities for both distributed acoustic monitoring of pipelines for leak prevention, as well as the remote detection of leaks.The research will comprise theoretical modelling, with a focus on physics-based mechanistic approaches; experimental measurements, in the laboratory, at outdoor test sites and on the live water network; and signal processing.