A Scalable Sensor Network for Pipeline Vibration Analysis

用于采矿、石油和天然气行业的管道会随着时间的推移而恶化。管道维护费用昂贵，而且往往基于对个别管道段状况的最佳猜测。我们建议使用无线传感器网络来监控和报告在每个管道段检测到的振动。不同频率和管道长度上的振动的相对幅度形成了管道的振动轮廓。我们将开发传感器平台和协议，用于采集、通信和研究振动剖面及其随时间的变化，因为它们反映了管道不断变化的条件。使用该平台，管道运营商将能够尽早确定故障点。将使用机器学习技术将配置文件分类为正常或有问题的配置文件，推断最近可能需要维护的更改的位置，并确定配置文件更改到需要检查和维护的程度的时间点。我们将使用先进的数据压缩和聚合技术，以适应无线传感器节点有限的计算和通信资源。我们将把广泛使用的物联网(IoT)协议LoRaWAN与5G IoT协议整合在一起，将传感数据以压缩形式聚合并转发到监测站。在合作伙伴组织的帮助下，我们将测试该平台及其网络方面，以确保其满足异类LoRaWAN和5G通信环境的性能要求。总体目标是使及早和有效地确定需要维护的管道段的过程自动化，从而降低相应的运营成本。

The pipelines used in the mining, oil and gas industry deteriorate over time. Pipeline maintenance is expensive and often based on best guesses of the condition of individual pipeline segments. We propose to use a network of wireless sensors that monitor and report the vibrations sensed at each pipeline segment. The relative amplitudes of the vibrations at various frequencies, and across the length of a pipeline, form a vibration profile for the pipeline. We will develop the sensor platform and protocols for the acquisition, communication, and study of the vibration profiles and their changes over time as they reflect the changing condition of the pipeline. Using the platform, pipeline operators will be able to determine trouble spots as early as possible. Machine learning techniques will be used to classify the profiles as normal or problematic, to infer the most likely location of recent change that could mean need for maintenance, and to determine the points in time where the profiles change to a degree that warrants inspection and maintenance. We will use advanced data compression and aggregation techniques adapted to the limited computation and communication resources of the wireless sensors nodes. We will integrate a widely available Internet-of-Things (IoT) protocol, LoRaWAN, with 5G IoT protocols to aggregate and relay the sensed data in compressed form to monitoring stations. With the help of the partner organizations, we will test the platform and its networking aspects to ensure that it meets the performance envelope of the heterogeneous, LoRaWAN and 5G, communication environment. The overall objective is to automate the process of identifying, early and effectively, pipeline segments in need of maintenance, thus reducing the corresponding operating costs.