Detection of leaks in pipelines
US5416724A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 16, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01M3/243
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and process for determining the existence and location of a leak in an underground pipe, comprises a plurality of remote acoustic transmission sensor units distributed along the pipe and each containing equipment for analyzing acoustic signals from the pipe. The equipment includes a mechanism for identifying acoustic features of the acoustic signals which distinguish the acoustic signals of a leak from ambient acoustic signals. A control unit is connected to each of the remote units and includes additional equipment for further analyzing the signals to determine the proximity of the signal to a particular remote unit and, using the amplitude of the signal and the transmission characteristics of the pipe, determining the location of the leak.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.