Abstract:
A pipeline monitoring system includes at least one power generating device and at least one information device. The at least one power generating device generates electric power by movement of the fluid in the pipeline so as to power the at least one information device which then sends a signal and the monitors judges the problem of the pipeline according the signal, such that the maintenance is timely provided.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a monitoring system, and more particularly, to a pipeline monitoring system which monitors the volume of the fluid passing through the pipeline and judges the position where the abnormal signal is generated. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A conventional pipeline for delivery of water, oil, gas or the like from one position to another is built on the ground or under the ground so as to reduce the cost of transportation. However such pipeline system is damaged due to the age, vibration such as earthquake, natural disasters or vandalism. The fluid leaks into the soil or rivers to cause significant contamination to the environment. The conventional way to find out the position where the leakage happens is to send observers to patrol along the pipeline and check the possible leakage by visual manner. This costs a lot of time and is inefficient if the pipeline is installed under the ground. 
         [0003]    The present invention intends to provide a pipeline monitoring system which immediately finds out the exact damaged positions of the pipeline. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to a pipeline monitoring system and comprises at least one power generating device and at least one information device, wherein the at least one power generating device comprises blades and at least one power generating unit is driven by the rotation of the blades so as to generate electric power. The at least one information device is driven by the electric power from the at least one power generating device and generates a signal. The position of the damage of the pipeline can be judged by the signal. 
         [0005]    Preferably, the at least one information device is a wireless emitter and the signal is a first signal. 
         [0006]    Preferably, a receiving member is installed to receive the first signal of the wireless emitter. 
         [0007]    Preferably, the receiving member is connected to a vehicle on the ground or a flying object in the air. 
         [0008]    Preferably, the flying object is a remote-control flying object and navigated by satellites. 
         [0009]    Preferably, a receiving/emitting member is equipped to receive the first signal from the wireless emitter and the receiving/emitting member sends a second signal to a remote monitoring unit. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the wireless emitter uses RFID or ZIGBEE technology and the first signal includes a code or a coordinate information which provides the receiving member to identify position of the first signal. 
         [0011]    The system of the present invention is able to monitor the volume that pass through the pipeline and the power generating unit comprises two induction coil units which respectively provide electric power to the wireless emitter and a processor. The processor generates a data according to number of source of the electric power, and the data is sent to the wireless emitter and combined with the first signal. 
         [0012]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pipeline monitoring system which is able to monitor the damaged position of the pipeline. 
         [0013]    The response time can be reduced and the maintenance can be timely provided to reduce loss of cost. 
         [0014]    The power generating device generates electric power to power the wireless emitter without equipped with extra power lines. 
         [0015]    The maintenance cost can be reduced because of the rapid response and the volume of the fluid in the pipeline can be monitored. 
         [0016]    The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view to show the pipeline monitoring system of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  shows the pipeline monitoring system and the wireless emitter of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  shows that the damaged position of the pipeline is judged according to the first signal; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  shows that the operator is acknowledged the damaged position of the pipeline by the received first signal; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the pipeline monitoring system of the present invention, and 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  shows that the power generating unit comprises two induction coil units and a processor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the pipeline monitoring system of the present invention is used for monitoring the long-distance pipeline “A” such as water pipes, oil pipes or gas pipes that are installed on the ground or under the ground. The pipeline monitoring system comprises at least one power generating device  1  which is installed to the pipeline “A” and generates electric power by movement of the fluid in the pipeline “A”. The at least one power generating device  1  comprises a case  11  and at least one power generating unit  12 , wherein the case  11  has a room  111  which communicates with a pipe  112  at an angle. The pipe  112  communicates with the pipeline “A”. The room  111  has multiple blades  13  which are connected to a magnetic ring  131 , and the blades  13  are located in the pipe  112 . A cover  14  seals the room  111  and includes a hollow protrusion  141  and an engaging portion  142 . The magnetic ring  131  is mounted to the hollow protrusion  141  and an opening  143  is defined in the opposite side of the cover  14 . The blades  13  are located between the pipe  112  and the room  111 , so that some blades  13  are driven by the flowing fluid and some of the blades  13  do not have any load applied thereto to reduce the resistance of the fluid. The rotation of the blades  13  is more sensitive. The power generating unit  12  is connected to the cover  14  of the case  11  and comprises a first housing  121  which has a recess  1211 . The first housing  121  has an induction coil unit  122  connected to a center thereof and a second housing  123  is engaged with the recess  1211 . A first magnet  1231  and a second magnet  1232  are located on the inner side and the outer side of the second housing  123 . A shaft  1233  is located centrally in the second housing  123  and extends through the induction coil unit  122  corresponding thereto. The first magnet  1231  is located corresponding to the induction coil unit  122 , and the second magnet  1232  is located corresponding to the opening  143  and is magnetically connected to the magnetic ring  131 . The power generating unit  12  is connected to the cover  14  of the case  11  by engagement of the engaging portion  142  and the recess  1211 . When the blades  13  rotate, the magnet ring  131  and the second magnet  1232  are rotated and the second housing  123  is rotated. The first magnet  1231  on the second housing  123  is rotated so that the induction coil unit  122  is rotated to generate electric power which is delivered by a cable  124  that is electrically connected to the induction coil unit  122 . 
         [0024]    At least one information device is electrically connected to the cable  124  so as to receive the electric power from any power generating device  1  and generates a signal. The at least one information device is a wireless emitter  2  which uses RFID or ZIGBEE technology. The at least one information device can also be other types of information device such as a light warning device. The signal is a first signal  21  and includes a code or a coordinate information (not shown). The first signal  21  can also be other types of signals such as light signals. The wireless emitter  2  provides the situation of the pipeline “A” and is not restricted in this invention. 
         [0025]    A receiving member  3  as shown in  FIG. 3  receives the first signal  21  from the wireless emitter  2 , and the first signal  21  includes a code or a coordinate information which provides the receiving member  3  to identify position of the first signal  21  so as to rapidly identify the position of the damaged position of the pipeline “A”. When the fluid in the pipeline A flow, the blades  13  will be rotated to drive the power generating unit  12  to generate electric power, which powers the wireless emitter  2  so that the wireless emitter  2  continuously sends the first signal  21  to be received by the receiving member  3 . When the pipeline “A” is damaged, the fluid in the pipeline “A” cannot pass through so that the wireless emitter  2  cannot function due to lack of electric power. The receiving member  3  cannot receive the first signal  21  and the operator can identify the position where the first signal  21  fails to be sent. The position is the damaged position of the pipeline “A”. As shown in  FIG. 4 , the system can also be used to check cracks of the pipeline “A”. When the valve “B” of the pipeline “A” is shut off, if the receiving member  3  can receive the first signal  21 , it means that the fluid is flowing in the pipeline “A”. The operator checks the position that receives the first signal  21  to judge the position of the leakage. The receiving member  3  is connected to a vehicle on the ground or a flying object in the air, wherein the flying object is a remote-control flying object navigated by satellites to shorten the time required for monitoring. 
         [0026]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the present invention wherein the receiving member  3  is replaced by the receiving/emitting member  4  which receives multiple first signals including code and coordinate information delivered by the wireless emitters  2 . The wireless emitter  2  can only send signals to a short distance, and the receiving/emitting member  4  receives the first signals  21  and transfers these first signals  21  into second signals  41  and sends the second signals  41  to a remote monitoring unit  5  located at a long distance. Therefore, the remote monitoring unit  5  can monitor the condition of the pipeline “A”. Where the second signal  41  is not sent, the position is the damaged position. 
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows yet another embodiment of the present invention. The power generating unit  12 A comprises two induction coil units  122 A which respectively provide electric power to the wireless emitter  2  and a processor  6  via two cables  124 A. The processor  6  generates a data  61  according to number of source of the electric power, the diameter of the pipeline “A”, and the number of turns of the induction coil units  122 A. The data  61  is the volume of the fluid passing through the pipeline “A”, and the data  61  is sent to the wireless emitter  2  and combined with the first signal  21 . Therefore, the monitoring system can monitor the volume of the fluid in the pipeline “A” to judge the condition of the pipeline “A” by the first signals  21  received by the receiving member  3 . The two respective sources of the electric power that provide the wireless emitter  2  and the processor  6  can avoid interference between the wireless emitter  2  and the processor  6  when they are powered by the same source of electric power. The interference makes the data  61  to be not precise and may affect the monitoring. 
         [0028]    By the flowing fluid to drive the power generating device  1  to generate electric power, the electric power powers the wireless emitter  2  which generates the first signal continuously, so that the operator can judge the damaged position of the pipeline “A” according to the receiving of the first signal  21  and responds to the damage within a short period of time. Furthermore, the volume of the fluid can also be monitored. No extra electric power source is needed for the wireless emitter  2  and the processor  6  when the power generating device  1  is in function. 
         [0029]    While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.