Apparatus, system, and method for monitoring flow in a passage

Abstract

An assembly for sensing flow material in a passage of a member is disclosed. The assembly has a housing, a communication device disposed at least partially in the housing, and a controller disposed at least partially in the housing. The assembly also has a sensor array disposed at least partially in the housing, and an external-surface-mounting attachment portion configured to non-intrusively attach the assembly to a surface. The sensor array includes a pressure sensor, a density sensor, a corrosion sensor, and a vibration sensor. The controller controls the communication device to transmit sensed data collected by the sensor array at a frequency of between about one transmission per second and about fifty transmissions per second.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An assembly for monitoring a member in which a material is disposed, comprising:
 a housing;   a communication device disposed at least partially in the housing;   a controller disposed at least partially in the housing;   a sensor array disposed at least partially in the housing; and   an external-surface-mounting attachment portion configured to non-intrusively attach the assembly to a surface;   wherein the sensor array includes a pressure sensor, a density sensor, a corrosion sensor, and a vibration sensor;   wherein the controller controls the communication device to transmit sensed data collected by the sensor array; and   wherein the sensed data includes at least one of a density data sensed by the density sensor and a corrosion data sensed by the corrosion sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor array further includes a temperature sensor and a location sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is a material pressure sensor that includes a strain gauge. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the density sensor is a material density sensor that includes an ultrasonic transducer. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion sensor is a material corrosion sensor that includes a magnetometer. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the vibration sensor is a member vibration sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor array is a non-radioactive sensor array. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the material is fuel. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 disposing a fluid material in a structural member;   providing a non-invasive sensor array at a surface of the structural member;   using the non-invasive sensor array to sense a density of the fluid material;   using the non-invasive sensor array to sense corrosion of the structural member; and   transmitting data of the sensed density of the fluid material and the sensed corrosion of the structural member;   wherein sensing the density of the fluid material is non-radioactive sensing.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising using the non-invasive sensor array to sense a pressure of the fluid material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising using the non-invasive sensor array to sense a temperature of the fluid material. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the fluid material is fuel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising using the non-invasive sensor array to sense a vibration of the structural member. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising using the non-invasive sensor array to sense a geographic location of the non-invasive sensor array. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting data includes wirelessly transmitting data at a frequency of up to 42 transmissions per second. 
     
     
         16 . An assembly for monitoring a member in which a fluid material is disposed, comprising:
 a housing;   a sensor array disposed at least partially in the housing; and   an external-surface-mounting attachment portion configured to non-intrusively attach the assembly to a surface;   wherein the sensor array includes a fluid material pressure sensor, a fluid material density sensor, and a member vibration sensor; and   wherein the fluid material density sensor is a non-radioactive fluid material density sensor.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further including a communication device and a controller disposed in the housing. 
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the controller controls the communication device to transmit sensed data collected by the sensor array at a frequency of between about one transmission per second and about fifty transmissions per second. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid material density sensor is configured to emit an ultrasonic wave that passes through the fluid material in the member, reflects off of a rear wall portion of the member, and returns to the fluid material density sensor. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid material is fuel.