Intelligent valve control methods and systems

摘要

A method for determining a burst pipe that requires immediate feeding-valve closing using acoustic and/or vibration sensors coupled to the pipe lor detecting signals, a microprocessor for analyzing signals from said sensors in real-time, a memory coupled to said microprocessor for storing data, including digital signatures acoustic and/or vibration signatures, as well as an actuator electrically coupled to said microprocessor and mechanically coupled to said feeding-valve. When the sensor signals match stored leak-signatures or when a persistent sensor signal produces no match, the system of the present invention initiates a valve closing. To improve detection, signals from other sensors, i.e. water sensors, smoke detectors, heat sensors or acoustic/vibration sensors mounted on other pipes are also used. Some of the said systems have IP addresses and can communicate over the Internet or wirelessly with others.