Methods, systems, and devices for detecting and locating fluid leaks along a resistance cable

1 . A system for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the system comprising:

control circuitry;

current measurement circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured for:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire; and

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and a resistance parameter of the resistance wire, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry is configured for simultaneously providing:

a first virtual threshold to the near end of the resistance wire; and

a second virtual threshold to the far end of the resistance wire; and

the first virtual threshold is approximately equal to the second virtual threshold.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first virtual threshold is approximately equal to a ground threshold; and

the second virtual threshold is approximately equal to the ground threshold.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the current measuring circuitry comprises a first transimpedance amplifier and a second transimpedance amplifier;

the first transimpedance amplifier is configured for providing the first virtual threshold; and

the second transimpedance amplifier is configured for providing the second virtual threshold.

4 . The system of claim 3 further comprising voltage monitoring circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein:

the first transimpedance amplifier comprises a first feedback resistor;

the second transimpedance amplifier comprises a second feedback resistor; and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

determining the first current value based on measuring a first voltage across the first feedback resistor; and

determining the second current value based on measuring a second voltage across the second feedback resistor.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the voltage monitoring circuitry comprises at least one single-ended successive-approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC).

6 . The system of claim 1 further comprising voltage monitoring circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein:

the current measuring circuitry comprises:

a first transimpedance amplifier comprising a first feedback resistor,

a second transimpedance amplifier comprising a second feedback resistor; and

switch circuitry configured for:

when in a first state:

electrically decoupling the first transimpedance amplifier from the far end of the resistance wire;

electrically decoupling the second transimpedance amplifier from the near end of the resistance wire;

electrically coupling the first transimpedance amplifier to the near end of the resistance wire to provide the first virtual threshold; and

electrically coupling the second transimpedance amplifier to the far end of the resistance wire to provide the second virtual threshold;

and

when in a second state:

electrically decoupling the first transimpedance amplifier from the near end of the resistance wire;

electrically decoupling the second transimpedance amplifier from the far end of the resistance wire;

electrically coupling the first transimpedance amplifier to the far end of the resistance wire to provide the second virtual threshold; and

electrically coupling the second transimpedance amplifier to the near end of the resistance wire to provide the first virtual threshold;

and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

configuring the switch circuitry to the first state;

determining a first near end current value based on measuring a first near end voltage across the first feedback resistor when in the first state; and

determining a first far end current value based on measuring a first far-end voltage across the second feedback resistor when in the first state;

configuring the switch circuitry to the second state;

determining a second near end current value based on measuring a second near end voltage across the second feedback resistor when in the second state; and

determining a second far end current value based on measuring a second far-end voltage across the first feedback resistor when in the second state, wherein:

determining the first current value of the first measured leak current at the near end of the resistance wire is based on the first near end current value and the second near end current value; and

determining the second current value of the second measured leak current at the far end of the resistance wire is based on the first far end current value and the second far end current value.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:

the sense cable further comprises a return wire; and

and the current measuring circuitry is configured for electrically coupling with the far end of the resistance wire via the return wire.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry includes at least one microcontroller, and the microcontroller includes at least one integral single-ended successive-approximation (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured for measuring one or more resistors to determine the first current value and the second current value.

9 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a user interface coupled with the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for providing an indication of the approximate location via the user interface.

10 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a communication interface coupled with the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is further configured for providing an indication of the approximate location via the communication interface.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the communication interface comprises at least one of an Ethernet interface, an RS-232 interface, an RS-422 interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a Bluetooth® interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and a controller area network (CAN) bus interface.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured for receiving the resistance parameter from one of a communication interface and a user interface.

13 . The system of claim 1 further, wherein the resistance parameter comprises one or more of a resistance-per-unit-length, a length, and/or a total resistance of the resistance wire.

14 . A system for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the system comprising:

control circuitry;

current measurement circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is configured for:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire; and

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and a resistance parameter of the resistance wire, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry comprises switch circuitry; and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

when determining the first current value of the first measured leak current at the near end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry; and

when determining the second current value of the second measured leak current at the far end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein determining the approximate location is further based on at least one of a bias voltage and a ground applied to the source wire.

16 . The system of claim 14 further comprising voltage monitoring circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein:

the current measuring circuitry includes a current sink resistor; and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

determining the first current value based on measuring a first voltage across the current sink resistor; and

determining the second current value based on measuring a second voltage across the current sink resistor.

17 . The system of claim 14 further comprising voltage monitoring circuitry coupled with the control circuitry, wherein:

the current measuring circuitry includes a first current sink resistor and a second current sink resistor;

and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

determining the first current value based on measuring a first voltage across the first current sink resistor; and

determining the second current value based on measuring a second voltage across the second current sink resistor.

18 . A method implemented on at least one processor for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the method comprising:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire via current monitoring circuitry;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire via the current monitoring circuitry;

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and resistance parameter of the resistance wire; and

providing an indication of the approximate location via at least one of a user interface and a communication interface, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry is configured for simultaneously providing:

a first virtual threshold to the near end of the resistance wire; and

a second virtual threshold to the far end of the resistance wire;

and

the first virtual threshold is approximately equal to the second virtual threshold.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be implemented by at least one processor, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor provide a method for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the method comprising:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire via current monitoring circuitry;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire via the current monitoring circuitry;

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and a resistance parameter of the resistance wire; and

providing an indication of the approximate location via at least one of a user interface and a communication interface, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry is configured for simultaneously providing:

a first virtual threshold to the near end of the resistance wire; and

a second virtual threshold to the far end of the resistance wire;

and

the first virtual threshold is approximately equal to the second virtual threshold.

20 . A method implemented on at least one processor for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the method comprising:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire via current monitoring circuitry;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire via the current monitoring circuitry;

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and resistance parameter of the resistance wire; and

providing an indication of the approximate location via at least one of a user interface and a communication interface, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry comprises switch circuitry; and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

when determining the first current value of the first measured leak current at the near end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry; and

when determining the second current value of the second measured leak current at the far end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry.

21 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions to be implemented by at least one processor, the instructions when executed by the at least one processor provide a method for monitoring a sense cable that comprises a source wire and a resistance wire, the method comprising:

determining a first current value of a first measured leak current at a near end of the resistance wire via current monitoring circuitry;

determining a second current value of a second measured leak current at a far end of the resistance wire via the current monitoring circuitry;

determining an approximate location of a leak coupling via a fluid between the source wire and the resistance wire based on the first current value, the second current value, and a resistance parameter of the resistance wire; and

providing an indication of the approximate location via at least one of a user interface and a communication interface, wherein:

the current measurement circuitry comprises switch circuitry; and

the control circuitry is further configured for:

when determining the first current value of the first measured leak current at the near end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry; and

when determining the second current value of the second measured leak current at the far end of the resistance wire, electrically decoupling the current measurement circuitry from the near end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry and electrically coupling the current measurement circuitry to the far end of the resistance wire via the switch circuitry.