Evaluation of Acoustic Leak Detection Technology for District Heating Systems Application

摘要

Recent advances in commercially available acoustic sensors and signal processing have made acoustic detection of gas and fluid leaks cost-effective and efficient. As a result, a variety of industries are beginning to use acoustic leak detection systems. This report describes a DOE funded effort at Argonne National Laboratory to obtain laboratory-generated data to establish the effectiveness of an advanced acoustic leak detection system for finding, locating, and sizing leaks in district heating (DH) piping systems. The results of experiments carried out with DH insulated piping suggest that acoustic leak detection technology can be applied effectively to monitor, locate, and detect leaks in underground piping. Leak monitoring can be carried out with appropriately spaced acoustic sensors placed either on the pipe or on the ends of acoustic waveguides in contact with the pipe. Acoustic detection of leaks less than 10 gpm is possible in underground DH pipes. With advanced signal processing and sensors, the range of detection for steam leaks could be greater than 500 m and the location accuracy a few meters. Acoustic background noise and attenuation data from field pipes are required to accurately establish leak detection sensitivity and leak location. (ERA citation 12:039155)