Method and apparatus for detecting and locating leak holes in a pipeline using tracers
US7197914B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 6, 2004 |
| Grant date | Apr 3, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 12, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T436/13
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for finding the location of one or more holes in a fluid flow system such as pipe, duct, or conduit using one or more tracers that interact with or can be chemically or physically differentiated from those of the liquid or gas contents located outside the system and pulled back into the system when the system is placed under a vacuum. The preferred embodiment of this detection and location method uses one or more interactive tracers that are injected into a pipe or duct that may be leaking at one location and then monitor the concentration of these tracers at the same or another location in the pipe or duct. Detection and location are accomplished by analysis of the characteristic features of measured curves of tracer concentration. Various types of interactive tracers may be used, including partitioning and reactive tracer gaseous tracers.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.