Millennium Projects
Technical Details
Millennium Project Number: M-2002-018
Project Title:PigPen Infrasound Sensor
Project Start Date: 2002
Projected End Date: 2007
Technical Details:
Develop a system of sensors and detection equipment that can locate and identify various types of construction equipment working near natural gas pipelines, and warn the gas system operator of an impending threat and the nature of the threat. Develop an array of "smart sensors" that will pick up distinct signals generated by various types of excavation equipment. The objective of this project is to design, develop and then evaluate through field testing the use of sensors for monitoring when pipes are impacted by third parties. Preliminary investigations show that it is possible to detect an excavation threat and identify excavation equipment using seismic/acoustic signatures. The challenge is to passively detect equipment that could cause damage to the pipe without signaling a response to environmental noise that is benign. Once a signal is registered, it is to be communicated through hardware or wireless means to a control center. Advanced signal processing is needed to distinguish the frequency of one type of noise from other gas and non gas noises. The contractor will investigate time-lag triangulation and vector analysis to develop a compact low-cost signal processor. When fully developed, the Pigpen project offers the potential of a low-cost method for detecting and locating excavating activity that could threaten gas transmission and distribution system integrity.
Also funding this project is the US Department of Transportation.