Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes
Wireless sensor networks (WSN) have emerged as a robust and cost-effective solution for buried pipeline monitoring due to the low cost (a maximum of a few tens of UK pounds (GBP)), low power supply capacity (in the order of 1 watt/hour) and small size (centimetre scale) requirements of the wireless...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4611 |
| _version_ | 1827747014627033088 |
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| author | Omotayo Farai Nicole Metje Carl Anthony David Chapman |
| author_facet | Omotayo Farai Nicole Metje Carl Anthony David Chapman |
| author_sort | Omotayo Farai |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wireless sensor networks (WSN) have emerged as a robust and cost-effective solution for buried pipeline monitoring due to the low cost (a maximum of a few tens of UK pounds (GBP)), low power supply capacity (in the order of 1 watt/hour) and small size (centimetre scale) requirements of the wireless sensor nodes. One of the main challenges for WSN deployment, however, is the limited range of underground data communication between the wireless sensor nodes of less than 3 m, which subsequently increases deployment costs for a utility owner for buried pipeline monitoring. A promising alternative to overcome this limitation is using low-frequency (<1 kHz) acoustic signal propagation along the pipe. This paper examines the feasibility of using low-frequency acoustic signal propagation along exposed and buried medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) pipes and makes predictions of the potential distances at which reliable data communication can be achieved. Quantification of the acoustic attenuation was performed using both analytical and numerical models in addition to laboratory and field experiments. The predicted acoustic data communication distance ranged between approximately 18 m for an exposed and approximately 11 m for a buried MDPE pipe. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using low-frequency acoustic signal propagation for achieving reliable wireless underground communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:42:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b6e241db9fd44284aa49e195274c610a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:42:09Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-b6e241db9fd44284aa49e195274c610a2023-11-17T16:23:05ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-04-01137461110.3390/app13074611Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water PipesOmotayo Farai0Nicole Metje1Carl Anthony2David Chapman3Independent Researcher, Birmingham B16 8FT, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKSchool of Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UKWireless sensor networks (WSN) have emerged as a robust and cost-effective solution for buried pipeline monitoring due to the low cost (a maximum of a few tens of UK pounds (GBP)), low power supply capacity (in the order of 1 watt/hour) and small size (centimetre scale) requirements of the wireless sensor nodes. One of the main challenges for WSN deployment, however, is the limited range of underground data communication between the wireless sensor nodes of less than 3 m, which subsequently increases deployment costs for a utility owner for buried pipeline monitoring. A promising alternative to overcome this limitation is using low-frequency (<1 kHz) acoustic signal propagation along the pipe. This paper examines the feasibility of using low-frequency acoustic signal propagation along exposed and buried medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) pipes and makes predictions of the potential distances at which reliable data communication can be achieved. Quantification of the acoustic attenuation was performed using both analytical and numerical models in addition to laboratory and field experiments. The predicted acoustic data communication distance ranged between approximately 18 m for an exposed and approximately 11 m for a buried MDPE pipe. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using low-frequency acoustic signal propagation for achieving reliable wireless underground communication.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4611buried pipeline monitoringwireless sensor networkacoustic signal propagationfinite element analysisacoustic data communication |
| spellingShingle | Omotayo Farai Nicole Metje Carl Anthony David Chapman Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes Applied Sciences buried pipeline monitoring wireless sensor network acoustic signal propagation finite element analysis acoustic data communication |
| title | Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes |
| title_full | Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes |
| title_fullStr | Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes |
| title_short | Analysis of Acoustic Signal Propagation for Reliable Digital Communication along Exposed and Buried Water Pipes |
| title_sort | analysis of acoustic signal propagation for reliable digital communication along exposed and buried water pipes |
| topic | buried pipeline monitoring wireless sensor network acoustic signal propagation finite element analysis acoustic data communication |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4611 |
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