Flexible leak detection system and method for double carcass hose

• US 20080011056A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 01/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ContiTech USA, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Veyance Technologies Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Spaolonzi, Mauricio Pinto, Moreno, Airton Domingos, De Carvalho, Cesar Cosenza, Werneck, Marcelo Martins
• Granted Patent: US 7,509,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/40
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/047 with photo-electrical detection means, e.g. using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/283 for double-walled pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/38 by using light G01M3/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A fluid leak detection system mounts to a hose line segment of the type comprising at least an inner carcass and an outer containment carcass separated from the inner carcass by a collection space. The system includes a housing defined by sidewalls externally mountable to the hose line segment and having an internal housing chamber in fluid communication with the collection space. A system sensor casing mounts through a sensor housing sidewall and a plurality of alternatively configured sensor units are provided, each interchangeably coupling with the sensor casing. The sensor units detect the presence of fluid within the sensor housing and communicate the fluid status of the chamber for remote evaluation.

Claims

1. A fluid leak detection system for a hose line segment of the hose type comprising at least an inner carcass and an outer containment carcass separated from the inner carcass by a collection space, the detection system comprising:

a housing defined by sidewalls externally mountable to the hose line segment and having an internal housing chamber in fluid communication with the collection space;

a sensor casing mounting through at least one sensor housing sidewall;

one of a plurality of alternatively configure sensor units coupling with the sensor casing, the sensor unit having fluid detection means for detecting the presence of fluid within the sensor housing and communication means for communicating the existence of fluid within the sensor housing.

2. A leak detection system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor units detachably couple with the sensor casing outside of the housing sidewall.

3. A leak detection system according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of sensor units interchangeably couple with the sensor casing.

4. A leak detection system according to claim 3 wherein the plurality of sensor units interchangeably couple with the sensor casing external to the sensor housing.

5. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor units comprises at least one optical sensing element positioned within the sensor casing within the sensor housing chamber for optically detecting the presence of fluid in the housing chamber.

6. A leak detection system according to claim 5, wherein the communication means of the one sensor unit comprises at least one externally visible light source.

7. A leak detection system according to claim 5, wherein the communication means of the one sensor unit comprises at least one transmitter unit for transmitting leak detection data to at least one remote receiver.

8. A leak detection system according to claim 7, wherein the one transmitter unit comprises a pulse micro-ultrasonic transmitter.

9. A leak detection system according to claim 7, wherein the one transmitter unit comprises a pulse micro-radio transmitter.

10. A leak detection system according to claim 7, wherein the one transmitter unit comprises a micro-ultrasonic transmitter and a micro-radio transmitter.

11. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor units comprises an elongate piston housing;

a piston slideably contained within the housing and moving from a first position to a second position responsive to fluid force moving the piston within the elongate piston housing;

a magneto device mounted to the piston and moving therewith between the first and second positions.

12. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor units comprises data storage means for collecting data from the fluid detection means.

13. A leak detection system according to claim 12, wherein the one sensor unit further comprises an RFID tag for identifying the sensor unit.

14. A leak detection system according to claim 13, wherein the one sensor unit further a mobile reader unit for collecting and storing data from the fluid detection means and from the RFID tag.

15. A fluid leak detection system comprising:

a hose line segment of the hose type comprising at least an inner carcass and an outer containment carcass separated from the inner carcass by a collection space;

a housing defined by sidewalls externally mountable to the hose line segment and having an internal housing chamber in fluid communication with the collection space;

a sensor casing mounting through at least one sensor housing sidewall;

one of a plurality of alternatively configure sensor units coupling with the sensor casing, the sensor unit having fluid detection means for detecting the presence of fluid within the sensor housing and communication means for communicating the existence of fluid within the sensor housing.

16. A leak detection system according to claim 15 wherein the sensor units detachably couple interchangeably with the sensor casing outside of the housing sidewall.

17. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein communication means employed by at least one of the plurality of sensor units is from the group comprising:

positional detection of the sensor unit;

visible light indicia;

telemetry communication.

18. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the fluid detection means employed by at least one of the plurality of sensor units is from the group comprising:

positional change in a sensor unit component responsive to fluid leaking movement;

transmission property change in an optical fiber responsive to fluid contact between the optical fiber and the fluid.

19. A method for detecting leaks in a double carcass hose of the hose type having at least an inner carcass and an outer containment carcass separated from the inner carcass by a collection space, comprising:

a. affixing a fluid collection housing to the hose, the housing having sidewalls defining an internal housing chamber in fluid communication with the collection space;

b. mounting a sensor casing through at least one sensor housing sidewall;

c. selecting one of a plurality of alternatively configured sensor units, the plurality of sensor units each interchangeably coupling with the sensor casing;

d. coupling the selected one sensor unit to the sensor casing, the one sensor unit having fluid detection means for detecting the presence of fluid within the sensor housing chamber and communication means for communicating the existence of fluid within the sensor housing chamber.

20. The method according to claim 19 further comprising:

collecting data from the one leak detector unit;

storing the data in a mobile reader memory;

downloading the stored data from the mobile reader memory into a computer memory; and

providing website access to the data stored in the computer memory.