1. Pair of Autonomous Micro-Submarines for In-Pipe Leak Detection
An invention for detecting and locating leaks in pipes
By: Bilal Ahmed Siddiqui
Advisor: Dr. Sami El-Ferik
Systems Engineering, College of Computer Science and Engineering.
Names are not real and used for demonstration purposes only.
Each student should write his name and, name of his advisor, and the name of his department & college

2. outline Introduction Background
Existing Methods and their Short Comings
Methodology
Description of Invention
Advantages over Existing Products
Every presentation should begin with a presentation outline

3. Introduction Pipes carry oil, water, chemicals.
Corrosion, damage cause leaks.
Pipes buried underground.
KSA looses 30% of water transported due to leaks.
Causes millions of dollars of losses annually.

4. Conventional Leak Detection
Difficult to locate small leaks.
On ground sonars/radars.
Infrared thermography
Acoustic methods.
Hydrant vibration methods.
Trace liquid methods.
Water metering.

5. In-Pipe Methods In-pipe PIG. Floating devices. In-pipe wheeled robots.
In-pipe crawling robots.
In-pipe swimming robots.

6. Problems with Prior Art (Existing methods)
Above ground methods are labor intensive.
Consumption of energy.
Wheeled, rolling and crawling motion cause noise.
PIG needs external energy.
Underwater and underground, wireless communication does not work.
Localization underground difficult (No GPS or communication).
Water supply has to be shut down for detecting small leaks.

7. Our Invention
We propose a system of 2 two micro-submarines linked together by power and communication umbilical cord housed in a flexible tube.
Each contains propulsion system, micro-generators for energy harvesting, microcontroller and sensors.
Each equipped with retractable legs for clamping to the pipe walls for making assembly static.
These legs also function as arresting hooks to latch on to communication/power hubs for data collection and recharging on-board batteries.

8. Overview Propeller Prop Shroud Follower Sub Sensors Control Fins
Umbilical Cable
Leading Sub

9. Small Leaks
Pipe
Leak

10. On Mission
Pipe
Follower Sub
Leak
Leading Sub

11. Lead Micro-Submarine Fins CPU Navigation Unit Shroud Cable Propeller
Sensors
Smart Leg
Turbine
Motor

12. Follower Micro-Submarine
Smart Leg
Turbine
Sensors
Fins
Propeller
Cable Winder
Motor
Cable
Fins
Power Pack

13. Locating Leak
Suction Cup
Smart Leg
Leak

14. Follower Sub (Zoomed)
Turbine
Smart Leg

15. Full deployment
Smart Leg
Smart Hub

16. Leading Sub (Zoomed)
Smart Hub

17. Animation
Please click External Video File.

18. Advantages over Prior Art
This invention does not require a significant flow velocity to propel itself due to propulsion system.
It can negotiate significant turn angles of the pipe.
The “listening” submarine remains static in the flow without making contact with the pipe due to neutral buoyancy and umbilical cord. This avoids the interference in leak signal caused by turbulence created by wheeled, legged and other devices. The submarines are also of efficient hydrodynamic shape, which minimizes the wake turbulence.

19. Advantages over Prior Art
4) Unlike a single submarine system, this invention turns off the propulsion during the leak detection phase, thereby creating no propulsion “noise”. 5) This invention also avoids the difficulties in underwater communications, by communication cables, which also supply power. 6) It also eliminates the need for a tether cable. 7) This invention can provide almost indefinite continuous operation by the above mentioned methods of recharging the batteries and energy production by turbines.

20. Potential end Users Water and Desalination Companies.
Oil Companies, e.g. Aramco.
Industrial Plants.
Can be easily modified for other means of exploration.
US Patent Application US A1 “Dual Submarine Leak Detection System.”

21. Thank you