# US 10,309,574 B2 · Systems and methods for leak detection and sealing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,574 B2 - Document ID: US10309574B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/471,522 - Filed: 2017-03-28 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-28 - Assignees: Hyperloop Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Hyperloop Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Filip Finodeyev - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309574B2 ## CPC - F16L 55/1683: {by means of a patch which is fixed on the wall of the pipe by means of an adhesive, a weld or the like} - B64D 1/12: Releasing - G01M 3/243: {for pipes} - G01M 3/2815: {using pressure measurements} - B64U 2101/30: for imaging, photography or videography - B64U 2201/20: Remote controls - F16L 55/32: being self-contained - F16L 2101/30: Inspecting, measuring or testing - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B64U: UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES [UAV]; EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract Systems and methods for detecting and sealing a leak in a low-pressure transportation system including a low-pressure environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the low-pressure transportation system. The systems and methods including at least two sensors provided within the interior of the low-pressure environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak, a controller in communication with the at least two sensors, a membrane deployer in communication with the controller, and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, the system comprising: at least two sensors provided within the interior of the pressure controlled environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak; a controller in communication with the at least two sensors; a membrane deployer in communication with the controller; and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, wherein the leak is an inflow of ambient air into the pressure controlled environment due to a pressure gradient between an ambient exterior environment having a higher relative pressure and the pressure controlled environment having a lower relative pressure. ### Claim 2 A system for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, the system comprising: at least two sensors provided within the interior of the pressure controlled environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak; a controller in communication with the at least two sensors; a membrane deployer in communication with the controller; and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, wherein the membrane deployer is an aerial vehicle, and the aerial vehicle is structured and arranged to transport the sealing membrane to the hole and to deploy the sealing membrane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 2, wherein the aerial vehicle is unmanned. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 2, wherein the aerial vehicle comprises a shell launcher that is structured and arranged to deploy the sealing membrane in a folded state within a shell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 4, wherein the sealing membrane is structured and arranged to separate from the shell and unfurl from the folded state to an unfolded state prior to sealing the leak. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 1, wherein the at least two sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor that are arranged at positions that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance within the interior of the pressure controlled environment. ### Claim 7 A system for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, the system comprising: at least two sensors provided within the interior of the pressure controlled environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak; a controller in communication with the at least two sensors; a membrane deployer in communication with the controller; and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, wherein the at least two sensors comprises a first sensor and a second sensor that are arranged at positions that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance within the interior of the pressure controlled environment, and wherein the first sensor is structured and arranged to measure a characteristic associated with a first leading shockwave emanating from the hole, the second sensor is structured and arranged to measure a characteristic associated with a second leading shockwave emanating from the hole, and the controller is configured to approximate a position of the hole based upon the measured characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave, the measured characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave, and the predetermined distance. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 7, wherein the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave comprises a time that the first leading shockwave is detected by the first sensor, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave comprises a time that the second leading shockwave is detected by the second sensor. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 7, wherein the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave comprises an amplitude of the first leading shockwave, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave comprises an amplitude of the second leading shockwave. ### Claim 10 A system for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, the system comprising: at least two sensors provided within the interior of the pressure controlled environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak; a controller in communication with the at least two sensors; a membrane deployer in communication with the controller; and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, wherein the sealing membrane comprises a membrane material and an adhesive provided on a pressure controlled environment-facing side of the membrane material, and the adhesive is structured and arranged to adhere to the outer surface of the pressure controlled environment and to resist a pressure differential that urges portions of the sealing membrane through the hole. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 1, wherein the sealing membrane further comprises a reinforcement material that reinforces the sealing membrane. ### Claim 12 A system for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, the system comprising: at least two sensors provided within the interior of the pressure controlled environment that are structured and arranged to detect the leak; a controller in communication with the at least two sensors; a membrane deployer in communication with the controller; and a sealing membrane deployable by the membrane deployer and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, wherein the sealing membrane comprises at least one gauge operable to measure at least one characteristic associated with the sealing membrane and operable to communicate the characteristic to the controller. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system for detecting and sealing the leak according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of a microphone and a pressure gauge. ### Claim 14 A method for detecting an approximate position of a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface and an interior, and a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, at least a first and a second sensor arranged at respective positions a predetermined distance apart within the interior of the pressure controlled environment, and a controller in communication with the first and second sensor, the method comprising: communicating the positions of the first and second sensors within the interior of the pressure controlled environment to the controller; measuring, with the first sensor, a characteristic associated with a first leading shockwave emanating from the hole; measuring, with the second sensor, a characteristic associated with a second leading shockwave emanating from the hole; and calculating, using the controller, an approximate position of the hole in the pressure controlled environment based upon the positions of the first and second sensors, the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 14, wherein the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave comprises a time that the first leading shockwave is detected by the first sensor, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave comprises a time that the second leading shockwave is detected by the second sensor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 14, wherein the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave comprises an amplitude of the first leading shockwave, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave comprises an amplitude of the second leading shockwave. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 15, wherein the first and second sensors are microphones. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 16, wherein the first and second sensors are pressure gauges. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 15, wherein the first sensor is a sensor that first detects the shockwave. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method for detecting the approximate position of the leak according to claim 15, wherein the second sensor is a sensor that detects the shockwave after a first sensor. ### Claim 21 A method for detecting and sealing a leak in a pressure controlled transportation system comprising a pressure controlled environment having a wall with an outer and an inner surface, and an interior, a hole passing through the wall that defines the leak in the pressure controlled transportation system, at least a first and a second sensor arranged at respective positions a predetermined distance apart within the interior of the pressure controlled environment, a controller in communication with the first and second sensor, an aerial vehicle in communication with the controller, and a sealing membrane deployable by the aerial vehicle and structured and arranged to provide a pressure-tight seal over the hole on the outer surface of the wall to seal the leak, the method comprising: communicating the positions of the first and second sensors within the interior of the pressure controlled environment to the controller; measuring, with the first sensor, a characteristic associated with a first leading shockwave emanating from the hole; measuring, with the second sensor, a characteristic associated with a second leading shockwave emanating from the hole; calculating, using the controller, an approximate position of the hole in the pressure controlled environment based upon the positions of the first and second sensors, the characteristic associated with the first leading shockwave, and the characteristic associated with the second leading shockwave; instructing, using the controller, the aerial vehicle to transport the sealing membrane to the approximate position of the hole; and deploying the sealing membrane from the aerial vehicle to seal the leak. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method for detecting and sealing a leak in accordance with claim 21, further comprising: adhering the sealing membrane to the outer surface of the pressure controlled environment with an adhesive to resist a pressure differential that urges portions of the sealing membrane through the hole.