Method and apparatus for ultrasonic leak location

• US 5,433,104 A
• Filed: 08/19/1993
• Issued: 07/18/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kunze, Ulrich, Knoblach, Walter, Schulze, Gunther
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brock, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/109,387
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40.5 A, 73/587, 73/592
• US Class Current: 73/40.50A
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/24 using infrasonic, sonic, or ultrasonic vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/243 for pipes

Abstract

A method for ultrasonic leak location includes showing sound levels at various measuring locations along a measurement segment, which is a part of an annular structure, with a bar diagram. The same bar diagram is added again to the bar diagram. A particular sound level having the highest value and being located the most in the middle of the placed together bar diagrams is picked out. A segment around the associated pickup positions having one complete set of pickup positions is picked out. Two compensating straight lines for that set having an intersection being ascertained to identify the leakage position are determined. Another method includes providing at least a sound level having a position substantially facing the leakage position with a correction value. An apparatus for ultrasonic leak location includes a number of ultrasound pickups being disposed along a measuring segment. Amplifiers and components forming an effective value connect a data processing system to outputs of the ultrasound pickups. The data processing system forms a placed together representation of two bar diagrams. In another apparatus, the data processing system stores correction values for the sound levels and corrects the sound levels accordingly.

Claims

1. A method for ultrasonic leak location, which comprises:

showing sound levels at various measuring locations along a measurement segment defined as a part of an annular structure, with a bar diagram;

adding the same bar diagram again next to the bar diagram;

picking out a particular sound level having the highest value and being located the most in the middle of the placed together bar diagrams;

picking out a segment around a location of the particular sound level, which segment has one complete set of pickup positions; and

determining two inclined straight lines for that set having an intersection being ascertained to identify the leakage position.

2. An apparatus for ultrasonic leak location, comprising:

a number of ultrasound pickups being disposed along a measuring segment defined as a part of an annular structure and having outputs;

said outputs being connected to

means for showing sound levels measured by said ultrasound pickups at various measuring locations as a bar diagram;

means for adding the same bar diagram again next to the bar diagram;

means for picking out a particular sound level having highest value and being located the most in the middle of the placed together bar diagram;

means for picking out a segment around a location of the particular sound level, which segment has one complete set of pickup positions; and

means for determining two inclined straight lines for that set having an intersection being ascertained to identify the leakage position.