Flexible leak detection system and method for double carcass hose

• US 7,509,841 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ContiTech USA, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Veyance Technologies Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Moreno, Airton Domingos, De Carvalho, Cesar Cosenza, Werneck, Marcelo Martins, Spaolonzi, Mauricio Pinto
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; David A.
• Application Number:
  US11/486,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20080011056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 74/40, 73/10.2, 73/405.R, 73/615.6, 731/37, 73/40, 73 46- 493, 138/104, 138/137, 340/605
• US Class Current: 73/49.1
• 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 fluid collection housing externally mountable to the hose line segment and having sidewalls defining an internal housing chamber configured to be placed in fluid communication with the collection space;

a sensor casing mounted through at least one of the sidewalls of the fluid collection housing, the sensor casing having a first end within the internal housing chamber and a second end outside of the fluid collection housing;

a sensor unit removably coupled to the sensor casing the sensor unit being configured to detect the presence of fluid within the internal housing chamber of the fluid collection housing and communicate the existence of fluid within the fluid collection housing; and

a valve assembly coupled to the first end of the sensor casing, the valve assembly configured to selectively permit fluid in the collection space to enter the internal housing chamber when a pressure threshold for the fluid is exceeded within the collection space.

2. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor casing has a passageway for the fluid extending between the first and second ends, and the sensor unit is configured to be inserted into the second end of the sensor casing.

3. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises:

an elongate piston housing;

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

and

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

4. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is configured to communicate the existence of fluid within the fluid collection housing by positional detection of the sensor unit, visible light indicia, or telemetry communication.

5. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect the presence of fluid within the fluid collection housing by positional change in a sensor unit component responsive to fluid leaking movement, or transmission property change in an optical fiber responsive to fluid contact between the optical fiber and the fluid.

6. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor casing includes a forward nose portion and an enlarged head portion, and the sensor unit includes a unit casing configured to be removably received in the enlarged head portion of the sensor casing.

7. A leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is one of a plurality of alternatively configured sensor units, each of the alternatively configured sensor units configured to be removably coupled to the sensor casing so as to be readily interchangeable with another of the sensor units.

8. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit comprises an electronic device for collecting and storing data about the presence of fluid within the fluid collection housing.

9. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device comprises an RFJD tag for identifying the sensor unit.

10. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 9, further comprising:

a mobile reader unit for collecting and storing data from the RFID tag.

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

12. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one externally visible light source for communicating the existence of fluid within the fluid collection housing.

13. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor unit comprises at least one transmitter unit for transmitting leak detection data to at least one remote receiver.

14. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one transmitter unit comprises a pulse micro-ultrasonic transmitter.

15. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one transmitter unit comprises a pulse micro-radio transmitter.

16. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one transmitter unit comprises a micro-ultrasonic transmitter and a micro-radio transmitter.

17. 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 fluid collection housing externally mountable to the hose line segment and having sidewalls defining an internal housing chamber in fluid communication with the collection space;

a sensor casing mounted through a least one of the sidewalls of the fluid collection housing, the sensor casing having a first end within the internal housing chamber and a second end outside of the fluid collection housing;

a sensor unit removably coupled to the sensor casing, the sensor unit being configured to detect the presence of fluid within the internal housing chamber of the fluid collection housing and communicate the existence of fluid within the fluid collection housing; and

a valve assembly coupled to the first end of the sensor casing, the valve assembly configured to selectively permit fluid in the collection space to enter the internal housing chamber when a pressure threshold for the fluid is exceeded within the collection space.

18. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 17 wherein the sensor casing has a passageway for the fluid extending between the first and second ends, and the sensor unit is received in the second end of the sensor casing.

19. A leak detection system according to claim 17, wherein the sensor casing includes a forward nose portion and an enlarged head portion, and the sensor unit includes a unit casing configured to be removably received in the enlarged head portion of the sensor casing.

20. A leak detection system according to claim 17, wherein the sensor unit is one of a plurality of alternatively configured sensor units, each of the alternatively configured sensor

21. A fluid leak detection system according to claim 17, wherein the sensor unit is configured to communicate the existence of fluid within the fluid collection housing by positional detection of the sensor unit, visible light indicia, or telemetry communication.

22. A leak detection system according to claim 17, wherein the sensor unit is configured to detect the presence of fluid within the fluid collection housing by positional change in a sensor unit component responsive to fluid leaking movement, or transmission property change in an optical fiber responsive to fluid contact between the optical fiber and the fluid

23. A method for detecting fluid 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 sidewall of the fluid collection housing;

c. selecting a sensor unit configured to couple to the sensor casing and configured to detect the presence of fluid within the internal housing chamber and communicate the existence of fluid within the internal housing chamber;

d. removably coupling the sensor unit to the sensor casing

and

e. selectively admitting fluid through a valve assembly from the collection space into the internal housing chamber for detection by the sensor unit when a pressure threshold for the fluid is exceeded in the collection space.

24. The method according to claim 23 further comprising:

collecting data from the sensor 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.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the sensor unit is one of a plurality of alternatively configured sensor units, each of the alternatively configured sensor units configured to be removably coupled to the sensor casing so as to be readily interchangeable with another of the sensor units.