LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM

• US 20170003192A1
• Filed: 06/28/2016
• Published: 01/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Original Assignee: Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Corporation (Compagnie De Saint-Gobain)
• Inventors: Ding, Jian L., Ling, Gerald H., Clark, Sarah L., Braun, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,365,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/045 with electrical detection means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/165 by means of cables or similar elongated devices, e.g. tapes

Abstract

A leak detection system including a sensor having a first condition when dry and a second condition when wet; a communication device operatively coupled to the sensor; and an attachment element adapted to attach the leak detection system to an area for monitoring fluid leakage, wherein the attachment element is removable, reusable, or both.

Claims

1. A leak detection system comprising:

a sensor having a first condition when dry and a second condition when wet;

a communication device operatively coupled to the sensor; and

an attachment element adapted to attach the leak detection system to an area for monitoring fluid leakage, wherein the attachment element is removable, reusable, or both.

2. The leak detection system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises:

a substrate; and

a detection element in communication with the substrate,

wherein the substrate is adapted to change in response to fluid contact.

3. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein the substrate is adapted to change between a first size when dry and a second size when wet, the first and second sizes being different from one another.

4. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the substrate comprises a temperature reactive material adapted to change in temperature upon contact with fluid.

5. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein the detection element comprises an electrical circuit.

6. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein the detection element further comprises a first element disposed at a first location of the substrate and a second element disposed at a second location of the substrate, wherein the first and second elements are separated by a distance, D_D, as measured in the dry state and a distance, D_W, as measured in the wet state, and wherein D_D is different than D_W.

7. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the detection element is not visible from an outer surface of the substrate.

8. The leak detection system of claim 2, wherein the attachment element is removably engageable with the area for monitoring fluid leakage.

9. A leak detection array comprising:

a length of material having a number of leak detection systems, each leak detection system comprising;

a sensor; and

a communication device operatively coupled to the sensor,

wherein the length of material is dividable into n-divisible sections, where n is the number of leak detection systems in the leak detection array.

10. A fluid system comprising:

an equipment having a fluid; and

a leak detection system attached to the equipment, the leak detection system comprising;

a sensor having a first condition when dry and a second condition when wet;

a communication device operatively coupled to the sensor and adapted to send a signal to a receiving device when the sensor senses a fluid leakage; and

an attachment element adapted to attach the leak detection system to an area for monitoring fluid leakage.

11. The fluid system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises:

a substrate; and

a detection element in communication with the substrate,

wherein the substrate is adapted to change in response to fluid contact.

12. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein the substrate is adapted to change between a first size when dry and a second size when wet, the first and second sizes being different from one another.

13. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the substrate comprises a temperature reactive material adapted to change in temperature upon contact with fluid.

14. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein the detection element comprises an electrical circuit.

15. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein the detection element further comprises a first element disposed at a first location of the substrate and a second element disposed at a second location of the substrate, wherein the first and second elements are separated by a distance, D_D, as measured in the dry state and a distance, D_W, as measured in the wet state, and wherein D_D is different than D_W.

16. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the detection element is not visible from an outer surface of the substrate.

17. The fluid system of claim 11, wherein the substrate is flexible.

18. The fluid system of claim 10, wherein the leak detection system further comprises:

an attachment element adapted to attach the leak detection system to an area for monitoring fluid leakage.

19. The fluid system of claim 10, wherein the leak detection system is part of a leak detection array.

20. The fluid system of claim 19, wherein the leak detection array comprises a plurality of leak detection systems.