Pipeline Monitoring System Using Acceleration-Based Wireless Sensor Network

This paper focuses on the design and implementation of pipeline monitoring system using acceleration-based wireless sensor network. In this paper, a Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS)-based wireless sensor network was developed for nondestructive monitoring of pipeline systems. The system incorporates MEMS accelerometers for measuring flow-induced vibration on the surface of a pipe to determine the change in water pressure caused by rupture and the damage location. Also, field measurements of vibration were performed in pipe sections of a water-filled loop subjected to a wide range of flow rates. In addition, experimental investigation of the relationship between flow-induced vibration and the pressure fluctuations was carried out. The experimental results showed that there is a sharp change in the induced vibration of the pipe surface of about 0.07 g force and 0.22 g force, when the valves were half opened and completely opened, respectively. The results also showed that the correlation coefficient of the measured data is 1.00, which showed that there is a positive linear relationship between the flow-induced vibrations and pressure fluctuations. The results also showed that a nonlinear but proportional relationship exists between the water flow rate and flow-induced vibrations.