FLUID LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20120324985A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Byrd, Douglas Scott, Gu, Yili, Annin, Scott Victor, Hains, John Victor, Khaliq, Abdul, VanDevelde, John Patrick, Whitright, Brian James
• Application Number:
  US13/166,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324985A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/40.5R
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/3227 for radiators

Abstract

A fluid leak detection system is provided, and includes a fluid conduit, a fluid-cooled device having an inlet and an outlet, an inlet flow meter, an outlet flow meter, and a controller. The inlet flow meter is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit. The inlet flow meter monitors the inlet of the fluid-cooled device for an inlet temperature and an inlet flow rate. The inlet flow meter has an inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve. The outlet flow meter is fluidly connected to the fluid conduit. The outlet flow meter monitors the outlet of the fluid-cooled device for an outlet temperature and an outlet flow rate. The outlet flow meter has an outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve. The controller is in communication with the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter.

Claims

1. A fluid leak detection system, comprising:

a fluid conduit;

a fluid-cooled device having an inlet and an outlet;

an inlet flow meter fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, the inlet flow meter monitoring the inlet of the fluid-cooled device for an inlet temperature and an inlet flow rate, the inlet flow meter having an inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve;

an outlet flow meter fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, the outlet flow meter monitoring the outlet of the fluid-cooled device for an outlet temperature and an outlet flow rate, the outlet flow meter having an outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve;

a controller in communication with the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter, the controller including a memory having the inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve and the outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve stored therein, the inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve substantially identical to the outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve, and a zero flow condition where a fluid flow in the fluid conduit is substantially halted and values of the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate are saved in the memory of the controller, the controller including;

a control logic for monitoring the inlet flow meter for the inlet temperature and the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow meter for the outlet temperature and the outlet flow rate;

a control logic for determining the difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature, the memory of the controller including a set of data stored therein that indicates a percentage of error in flow rate based on the difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature;

a control logic for determining the difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate;

a control logic for calculating an actual flow rate difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate, the actual flow rate difference based on the percentage of error in flow rate, the difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate, and the zero flow condition; and

a control logic for indicating a leak condition in the fluid leak detection system if the actual flow rate difference is above a threshold value.

2. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, further comprising an inlet valve fluidly connected to the fluid conduit an outlet valve fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are manual valves.

3. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, further comprising a shutoff valve fluidly connected to and selectively blocking the fluid flow through the fluid conduit.

4. The fluid leak detection system of claim 3, wherein the controller is in communication with the shutoff valve, and wherein the controller includes control logic for selectively sending a signal to the shutoff valve to substantially block the flow of fluid to the inlet of the fluid-cooled device.

5. The fluid leak detection system of claim 4, wherein the threshold value further includes a level one threshold value and a level two threshold value, wherein the level two threshold value is greater than the level one threshold value.

6. The fluid leak detection system of claim 5, wherein if the controller detects the level one threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to an alarm, wherein the signal instructs the alarm to emit one of a level one tone and a level one visual indicator.

7. The fluid leak detection system of claim 5, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to an alarm, wherein the signal instructs the alarm to emit one of a level two tone and a level two visual indicator.

8. The fluid leak detection system of claim 7, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to the shutoff valve to substantially block the flow of fluid to the inlet of the fluid-cooled device.

9. The fluid leak detection system of claim 7, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to a turbine indicating that a false outage condition is to be induced.

10. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, further comprising a check valve fluidly connected to the fluid conduit and located downstream of the outlet flow meter.

11. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-cooled device is one of a gas turbine flame detector, a three way liquid fuel valve, and a check valve of a liquid fuel purge system.

12. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter are both Coriolis flow meters for measuring a mass flow rate of the fluid flow traveling through the fluid conduit.

13. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter include substantially identical accuracy and tolerance.

14. The fluid leak detection system of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow meter and the outlet flow meter originate from the same manufacturer.

15. A turbine having a fluid leak detection system, comprising:

a fluid conduit;

a fluid-cooled device having an inlet and an outlet;

an inlet flow meter fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, the inlet flow meter monitoring the inlet of the fluid-cooled device for an inlet temperature and an inlet flow rate, the inlet flow meter having an inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve;

an outlet flow meter fluidly connected to the fluid conduit, the outlet flow meter monitoring the outlet of the fluid-cooled device for an outlet temperature and an outlet flow rate, the outlet flow meter having an outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve;

a shutoff valve fluidly connected to and selectively blocking a fluid flow through the fluid conduit;

a controller in communication with the shutoff valve, the inlet flow meter, and the outlet flow meter, the controller including a memory having the inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve and the outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve stored therein, the inlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve substantially identical to the outlet flow meter drift versus process fluid temperature curve, and a zero flow condition where the fluid flow in the fluid conduit is substantially halted and values of the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate are saved in the memory of the controller, the controller including;

a control logic for monitoring the inlet flow meter for the inlet temperature and the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow meter for the outlet temperature and the outlet flow rate;

a control logic for determining the difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature, the memory of the controller including a set of data stored therein that indicates a percentage of error in flow rate based on the difference between the inlet temperature and the outlet temperature;

a control logic for determining the difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate;

a control logic for calculating an actual flow rate difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate, the actual flow rate difference based on the percentage of error in flow rate, the difference between the inlet flow rate and the outlet flow rate, and the zero flow condition;

a control logic for indicating a leak condition in the fluid leak detection system if the actual flow rate difference is above a threshold value; and

a control logic for sending a signal to the shutoff valve to substantially block the flow of fluid to the inlet of the fluid-cooled device in the event the actual flow rate difference is above the threshold value.

16. The turbine of claim 15, wherein the threshold value further includes a level one threshold value and a level two threshold value, wherein the level two threshold value is greater than the level one threshold value.

17. The turbine of claim 16, wherein if the controller detects the level one threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to an alarm, wherein the signal instructs the alarm to emit one of a level one tone and a level one visual indicator.

18. The turbine of claim 16, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to an alarm, wherein the signal instructs the alarm to emit one of a level two tone and a level two visual indicator.

19. The turbine of claim 18, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes a control logic for sending a signal to the shutoff valve to substantially block the flow of fluid to the inlet of the fluid-cooled device.

20. The turbine of claim 18, wherein if the controller detects the level two threshold value, then controller includes control logic for sending a signal to a turbine indicating that a false outage condition is to be induced.