Patent · US Active

Method and system for detecting a leak in a pipeline

US9500554B2 · kind B2 · utility

8Cited by
17References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 27, 2014
Grant dateNov 22, 2016
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 20, 2035

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01M3/38
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

System and method for detecting a leak in a pipeline with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element. At least one heat pulse is propagated through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and fluid exposed to the sensing cable. A temperature profile of the sensing cable corresponding to the heat pulse at each of a plurality of sensor locations on the optical fiber sensor array is measured over time. A leak in a pipeline is detected by determining one or more properties of the fluid exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.