US 11,375,677 B2 · Fluid conservation system and methods of use

Abstract

A system and associated method are disclosed for dynamically and automatically optimizing fluid usage and preventing waste in an at least one pipe system, such as an irrigation system. In at least one embodiment, an at least one fluid sensor is positioned and configured for monitoring a flow of fluid through a pipe of an at least one zone of the pipe system. At least one control valve is positioned in-line with the pipe and configured for being selectively actuated for controlling the flow of fluid therethrough. At least one controller is positioned and configured for being in communication with each of the fluid sensor and control valve. At least one central computing system is in selective communication with the controller and configured for receiving and processing data related to at least one of the fluid sensor, controller and control valve.

A method for dynamically and automatically optimizing fluid usage and preventing waste in an at least one pipe system, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning an at least one fluid sensor for monitoring at least one of a fluid pressure and a fluid flow rate within a pipe of an at least one zone of the pipe system;
positioning an at least one control valve in-line with the pipe of at least one zone of the pipe system, the at least one control valve configured for being selectively actuated for controlling a flow of fluid through the associated pipe;
positioning an at least one controller for being in communication with each of the at least one fluid sensor and at least one control valve so as to receive data collected by the at least one fluid sensor and selectively actuate the at least one control valve;
implementing an at least one central computing system in selective communication with the at least one controller and configured for receiving and processing data related to at least one of the at least one fluid sensor, controller and control valve;
the at least one computing system storing an at least one usage profile for the at least one pipe system, each said usage profile containing at least one of a unique zone identifier, a zone location, a zone elevation, a crop type, a soil type, a watering schedule, an average gallons per watering cycle, an average fluid flow rate, and an average fluid pressure rate;
the at least one computing system establishing an at least one baseline for the at least one usage profile;
the at least one fluid sensor periodically measuring at least one of the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate within the associated pipe and transmitting said measurements to the at least one controller;
the at least one controller transmitting said measurements to the at least one computing system;
the at least one computing system modeling at least one of the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate within the associated pipe as a time series driven by the following discrete time Markov chain:
Xn+1=ρXn+b+εn
where Xn represents the value of fluid pressure or fluid flow rate at time n, ρ represents a correlation coefficient, b represents a scaled baseline expected pressure or flow rate value, and εn represents the measurement noise at time n;
the at least one computing system calculating the parameters ρ, b, and variance σ2 using the following formula:
P
ρ
,
b
,
σ
2
⁡
(
x
m
,
x
m
-
1
,
⁢
…
⁢
,
x
2
,
x
1
)
=
P
⁡
(
x
1
)
⁢
P
ρ
,
b
,
σ
2
⁡
(
x
2
❘
x
1
)
⁢
P
ρ
,
b
,
σ
2
⁡
(
x
3
❘
x
2
)
⁢
⁢
…
⁢
⁢
P
ρ
,
b
,
σ
2
⁡
(
x
m
❘
x
m
-
1
)
=
P
⁡
(
x
1
)
⁢
(
e
-
(
x
1
-
ρ
⁢
x
0
+
b
)
2
σ
2
2
⁢
π
⁢
σ
2
)
⁢
⁢
…
⁢
⁢
(
e
-
(
X
m
-
ρ
⁢
X
m
-
1
+
b
)
2
σ
2
2
⁢
π
⁢
σ
2
)
where X0=x0, X1=x1, . . . , Xm=xm;
the at least one computing system calculating a 1−ε confidence interval around a mean ε[Xn+1|Xn=xn]=ρxn+b and variance σ2;
and
upon the at least one computing system determining that a next measurement Xn+1=xn+1 is not in the calculated interval:
the computing system concluding that a leak likely exists in the associated pipe;
and
the computing system transmitting instructions to the associated at least one controller to cause the associated at least one control valve to shut off the flow of fluid to the associated pipe.

167 more elements

Fluid conservation system and methods of use

Life of this patent

Fluid conservation system and methods of use

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20