Fluid flow detector with tethered drag block

A device comprising:

• a drag block, the drag block sized and shaped for insertion into a fluid piping while maintaining a clearance radius from an internal wall of the fluid piping, wherein the drag block is deformable upon receipt of a control signal;
• a strain sensor coupled with the drag block, the strain sensor emitting an electrical signal derived from a magnitude of tensile force received from the drag block;
• a tether disposed between the drag block and the strain sensor, the tether coupled at a first tether end with the strain sensor and at a second tether end to the drag block, and the tether transferring the magnitude of tensile force from the drag block and to the strain sensor;
• a strain to flow converter, the strain to flow converter communicatively coupled with the strain sensor and deriving a measurement datum from the electrical signal received from the strain sensor;
• and
• a controller, the controller communicatively coupled with both the drag block and the strain to flow converter, and the controller adapted to provide the control signal to deform the drag block.

A method comprising:

• installing a device partially within an internal wall of a fluid piping, the device comprising:
• a tensile force detector, the tensile force detector adapted to detect tensile force and emit an electrical signal upon tensile force detection;
• a wireless communications interface, the wireless communications interface communicatively coupled with the tensile force detector and transmitting the received electrical signal by a wireless energy mode;
• and
• a drag block, the drag block coupled with the tensile force detector, the drag block sized and shaped for insertion into a fluid piping while maintaining a clearance radius from the internal wall of the fluid piping, and communicating the electrical signal from the wireless communications interface, wherein the drag block is deformable upon receipt of a control signal.