Monitoring chemicals and gases along pipes, valves and flanges
OwnerGregory J. Hummer, Matthew Hummerinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Detection and real-time reporting (via wireless to a remote receiver) of the release of harmful or otherwise unwanted chemicals or chemicals of corrosion into the environment and, more particularly, the undesired release of such chemicals from pipelines, supporting energy/electric/heating/cooling/storage/distribution infrastructure, refineries, chemical plants, factories, processing and manufacturing plants and equipment, storage tanks, engines, containers and the like. One or more detection devices can be placed nearby potential areas where leaks occur, or anywhere monitoring for leaks is desired. In some embodiments, the detection devices are integrated into components for monitoring said component for unwanted emissions.
Claims20
A monitoring system for monitoring chemicals in an environment comprising:
- a sensor including a detector component operative to generate data in response to the presence or absence of one or more chemicals or concentration level of one or more chemicals, communication circuitry and a power source operatively coupled to the detector component and the communication circuitry for supplying power thereto, the communication circuitry configured to transmit data generated by the detector component to an associated receiver;
- wherein the monitoring system is configured to be placed near chemical components prone to corrode or near components prone to develop unwanted emissions, said components having an interior chamber for transmitting or storing a fluid or gas;
- wherein the sensor further determines at least one of a location or operating status of to the sensor, the communication circuitry configured to transmit at least one of the location or operating status the associated receiver;
- and
- wherein the detector component includes at least one nanomaterial.
A method of monitoring multiple chemical components prone to corrode or prone to develop unwanted emissions for unwanted emissions from one or more of the components, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of sensors, each sensor including:
- a detector component operative to generate data in response to the presence or absence of one or more chemicals;
- communication circuitry;
- and
- a power source operatively coupled to the detector component and the communication circuitry for supplying power thereto, the communication circuitry configured to transmit data generated by the detector component to an associated receiver;
- associating each sensor with a respective component to be monitored;
- monitoring each component with its associated sensor over a period of time;
- and
- transmitting data generated by each sensor to a receiver;
- wherein each chemical component has an interior chamber for extracting, processing, transmitting or storing a fluid or gas, and wherein each sensor is located near a respective chemical component;
- wherein at least one of the sensors further determines at least one of a location or operating status of the sensor, the communication circuitry configured to transmit at least one of the location or operating status to the associated receiver;
- and
- wherein the detector component comprises at least one nanomaterial.
A component for fluid or gas transmission or storage comprising:
- an interior chamber for transmitting or storing a fluid or gas;
- and
- a sensor including a detector component operative to generate data in response to the presence or absence of one or more chemicals or concentration level of one or more chemicals, communication circuitry and a power source operatively coupled to the detector component and the communication circuitry for supplying power thereto, the communication circuitry configured to transmit data generated by the detector component to an associated receiver;
- wherein the sensor further determines at least one of a location or operating status of the sensor, the communication circuitry configured to transmit at least one of the location or operating status to the associated receiver;
- and
- wherein the detector component comprises at least one nanomaterial.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.