Leak Detection in Pipelines using the Damping of Fluid Transients
Publication: Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 128, Issue 7
Abstract
Leaks in pipelines contribute to damping of transient events. That fact leads to a method of finding location and magnitude of leaks. Because the problem of transient flow in pipes is nearly linear, the solution of the governing equations can be expressed in terms of a Fourier series. All Fourier components are damped uniformly by steady pipe friction, but each component is damped differently in the presence of a leak. Thus, overall leak-induced damping can be divided into two parts. The magnitude of the damping indicates the size of a leak, whereas different damping ratios of the various Fourier components are used to find the location of a leak. This method does not require rigorous determination and modeling of boundary conditions and transient behavior in the pipeline. The technique is successful in detecting, locating, and quantifying a 0.1% size leak with respect to the cross-sectional area of a pipeline.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Abramowitz, M., and Stegun, I. A. (1972). Handbook of mathematical functions with formulas, graphs, and mathematical tables, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, D.C.
Bergant, T., Simpson, A. R., and Vítkovský, J.(2001). “Developments in unsteady pipe friction modelling.” J. Hydraul. Res., 39(3), 249–257.
Black, P. (1992). “A review of pipeline leak detection technology.” Pipeline systems, B. Coulbeck and E. Evans eds., Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 287–297.
Brunone, B.(1999). “Transient test-based technique for leak detection in outfall pipes,” J. Water Resour. Plan. Manage., 125(5), 302–306.
Brunone, B., Golia, U. M., and Greco, M. (1991). “Modelling of fast transients by numerical methods.” Proc., Int. Meeting on Hydr. Transients with Column Separation, IAHR, Valencia, Spain, 201–209.
Covas, D., and Romas, H. (1999). “Leakage detection in single pipeline using pressure wave behaviour.” Water industry system: modelling and optimization application, Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, 287–299.
Fuchs, H. V., and Riehle, R.(1991). “Ten years of experience with leak detection by acoustic signal analysis.” Appl. Acoust., 33(1), 1–19.
Furness, R. A., and Reet, J. D. (1998). “Pipe line leak detection techniques.” Pipe line rules of thumb handbook, E. W. McAllister, ed., Gulf, Houston, 476–484.
Griebenow, G., and Mears, M.(1989). “Leak detection implementation: modeling and tuning methods.” J. Energy Resour. Technol., 111, 66–71.
Hovey, D. J., and Farmer, E. J.(1999). “DOT states indicate need to refocus pipeline accident prevention.” Oil & Gas J., 97(11), 52–53.
Jönsson, L., and Larson, M. (1992). “Leak detection through hydraulic transient analysis.” Pipeline systems, B. Coulbeck and E. Evans, eds., Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 273–286.
Liggett, J. A., and Chen, L.-C.(1994). “Inverse transient analysis in pipe networks.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 120(8), 934–955.
Liou, C. P.(1994). “Mass imbalance error of waterhammer equations and leak detection.” J. Fluids Eng., 116, 103–109.
Liou, C. P.(1998). “Pipeline leak detection by impulse response extraction.” J. Fluids Eng., 120, 833–838.
Liou, C. P., and Tian, J.(1995). “Leak detection-transient flow simulation approaches.” J. Energy Resour. Technol. , 117, 243–248.
McInnis, D., and Karney, B.(1995). “Transients in distribution networks: field tests and demand models.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 121(3), 218–231.
Mpesha, W., Gassman, S. L., and Chaudhry, M. H.(2001). “Leak detection in pipes by frequency response method.” J. Hydraul. Eng., 127(2), 134–147.
Press, W. H., Teukolsky, S. A., Vetterling, W. T., and Flannery, B. P. (1992). Numerical recipes: the art of scientific computing, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
Pudar, R. S., and Liggett, J. A.(1992). “Leaks in pipe networks.” J.Hydraul. Eng., 118(7), 1031–1046.
Vardy, A. E., and Hwang, K.-L.(1991). “A characteristics model of transient friction in pipes.” J. Hydraul. Res., 29(5), 669–684.
Vítkovský, J. (2001). “Inverse analysis and modelling of unsteady pipe flow: theory, applications and experimental verification.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia.
Vítkovský, J., Simpson, A. R., and Lambert, M. F.(2000). “Leak detection and calibration using transients and genetic algorithms.” J. Water Resour. Plan. Manage., 126(4), 262–265.
Weil, G. J., Graf, R. J., and Forister, L. M. (1994). “Remote sensing pipeline rehabilitation methodologies based upon the utilization of infrared thermography.” Proc., Urban Drainage Rehabilitation Programs and Techniques, ASCE, New York, 173–181.
Wiggert, D. C.(1968). “Unsteady flows in lines with distributed leakage.” J. Hydraul. Div., Am. Soc. Civ. Eng., 94(HY1), 143–162.
Wylie, E. B., and Streeter, S. L. (1993). Fluid transients in systems, Prentice–Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
Zielke, W.(1968). “Frequency-dependent friction in transient pipe flow.” J. Basic Eng., 90, 109–115.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Hydraulic Engineering
Volume 128 • Issue 7 • July 2002
Pages: 697 - 711
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Mar 12, 2001
Accepted: Feb 13, 2002
Published online: Jun 14, 2002
Published in print: Jul 2002
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.