Method for locating leaks in a fluid pipeline and apparatus therefore
First Claim
1. A method for determining the location of a leakage of a transported fluid from a pipeline, the steps including:
- defining one or more monitoring locations along a pipeline, andmonitoring, at one or more of these monitoring locations, one or more physical characteristics of the transported fluid prior to an occurrence of a leak to establish baseline values of these characteristics, andmonitoring the physical characteristics after the occurrence of a leak so that differences between the monitored characteristics before and after the occurrence of a leak are identified, andcollecting data representing the differences in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the physical characteristics and a sequence corresponding to when each physical characteristic was recorded, andprocessing the data representing the differences in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak using an algorithm that determines the leak'"'"'s location relative to the monitoring location; and
wherein the monitored physical characteristics are selected from a group including fluid pressure and fluid flow rate.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining the location of a leak in a fluid containing pipeline. Plural monitoring stations sample fluid flow criteria which change in the presence of a leak. The change in the criteria as a function of a variable such as time will allow extrapolation to discern the location. At each location either pressure or flow rate or both are measured. The measurements occur at regular intervals and a record of fluid flow criteria is created for each monitoring station. The record of each monitoring station is continually transmitted to a central location where a data processor analyzes the records and establishes the leak'"'"'s location. One of three algorithms, or any combination thereof, is used by the data processor to calculate the leak'"'"'s location. Each algorithm is tuned to the specific pipeline to compensate for unique characteristics thereof. An output device communicates the location of the leak to an operator or automatically takes appropriate action in response to the leak.
169 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for determining the location of a leakage of a transported fluid from a pipeline, the steps including:
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defining one or more monitoring locations along a pipeline, and monitoring, at one or more of these monitoring locations, one or more physical characteristics of the transported fluid prior to an occurrence of a leak to establish baseline values of these characteristics, and monitoring the physical characteristics after the occurrence of a leak so that differences between the monitored characteristics before and after the occurrence of a leak are identified, and collecting data representing the differences in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the physical characteristics and a sequence corresponding to when each physical characteristic was recorded, and processing the data representing the differences in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak using an algorithm that determines the leak'"'"'s location relative to the monitoring location; and wherein the monitored physical characteristics are selected from a group including fluid pressure and fluid flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for determining a location of a leakage from a pipeline, the steps including:
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monitoring various physical characteristics of a fluid in the pipeline at one or more monitoring locations, and creating signals from data representing the physical characteristics of the fluid in the pipeline monitored over time, and sending the signals from the monitoring locations to a processing location, and preparing a mathematical algorithm for determining the location of the leakage as a function of the created signals, and analyzing the signals using the mathematical algorithm to determine the location of the leakage, and wherein said monitoring includes; measuring a pressure of the fluid and measuring a flow rate of the fluid; and wherein said creating step includes; creating a pressure signal representing fluid pressure and creating a flow rate signal representing fluid flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for determining the location of a leakage of fluid from a pipeline which comprises:
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a plurality of means for monitoring physical characteristics of the fluid in the pipeline, and a means for collecting, organizing, and communicating data obtained by the monitoring means, and a means for determining the location of the leakage, and an output device for communicating information relating to the location of the leakage, and wherein said plurality of monitoring means measure the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at stations along said pipeline. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A kit for attachment to an existing fluid pipeline which enables operators of the pipeline to detect locations of leaks occurring in the pipeline, said kit including:
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a plurality of monitoring station pipeline interfaces including means to measure various properties of the fluid within the pipeline and means to collect and sequence measurements taken by said measuring means, a central data processing station containing means to determine a pipeline'"'"'s leak location from said measurements and means to communicate this information to an operator, and a communication system including means to transport said measurements from said monitoring stations pipeline interfaces to said central data processing station, and wherein each of said monitoring stations includes means to measure both a pressure and a flow rate of the fluid within the pipeline, and wherein fluid data thus collected representing the pressure and the flow rate is transformed into an electronic signal; whereby said fluid data is utilized by said central processing station; whereby a pipeline'"'"'s performance is enhanced by utilization of said kit thereon. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A system for conveying various fluids and determining the occurrence and location of a leakage of said fluids thereby enhancing safety, minimizing disruptions in normal operation due to leakages, and facilitating rapid leakage damage mitigation, repair, and cleanup, said system comprising in combination:
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a hollow conduit for transporting said fluid, and a plurality of fluid characteristic monitoring means for monitoring the characteristics of the fluid in the conduit, and providing output signals proportional to the characteristics being monitored, and a leak detection algorithm, and a leak location algorithm, said leak location algorithm having means to compare said output signals before detection of a leak with said output signals after detection of a leak, and an algorithm processing means receiving the output from the monitoring means and performing an analysis to determine the existence and location of a leakage, whereby said system safely, reliably, and efficiently transports fluids. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the existence and location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a plurality of physical characteristics of the fluid which change in response to a leak in the pipeline, before a leak exists, at a plurality of separate locations along the pipeline; establishing baseline values for the physical characteristics, the baseline values corresponding to the absence of a leak; collecting data representing changes in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the physical characteristics and a sequence corresponding to when each physical characteristic was recorded; analyzing the data to detect non-baseline values for the data by utilizing statistical filtering which distinguishes between mere pipeline noise and a variation in values resulting from a leak; recording an amount of time between which two or more of the separate locations first detect non-baseline values for the physical characteristics; and determining an arithmetic value representative of the location of the leak by inputting into an algorithm the amount of time recorded in said recording step, a speed of sound in the fluid and a distance between the separate locations.
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36. A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a pressure of the fluid and a flow rate of the fluid at a plurality of separate locations along the pipeline before a leak exists; establishing initial values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at each location, each of the initial values corresponding to the absence of a leak; calculating an initial value for fluid horsepower of the fluid at each location from initial values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at each location; detecting a leak; collecting data representing changes in values of the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the pressure and the flow rate and a sequence corresponding to when each value was recorded; calculating a post-leak value for fluid horsepower of the fluid at each location from the data; calculating a change in fluid horsepower of the fluid between the initial values calculated and post-leak values calculated at each location; and determining an arithmetic value of the location of the leak by inputting into an algorithm the changes in fluid horsepower calculated at each location and a distance between the separate locations.
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37. A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:
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monitoring a pressure of the fluid and a flow rate of the fluid on a periodic basis beginning before a leak exists, at a single location along the pipeline; establishing baseline values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid, the baseline values corresponding to the absence of a leak; causing an event having an effect on fluid pressure and fluid flow rate similar to an effect of a leak by mimicking disruption of the fluid in the pipeline in a manner affecting fluid pressure and fluid flow rate, the event having a known location along the pipeline; monitoring a fluid pressure reaction and a fluid flow rate reaction to the event; calculating a time corresponding to a phase difference between the fluid pressure reaction to the event and the fluid flow rate reaction to the event; establishing an equation for leak location as a function of time from the time and event location encountered in said causing step and said calculating step; detecting a leak; collecting data representing differences in the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate and a sequence corresponding to when each value was recorded; calculating a time corresponding to a phase difference between a fluid pressure reaction to the leak and a fluid flow rate reaction to the leak; and determining an arithmetic value of the location of the leak by inputting into the equation the time corresponding to a phase difference between the fluid pressure reaction to the leak and the fluid flow rate reaction to the leak.
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Specification