# US 10,481,036 B2 · Pipeline leak detection system

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- Number: US 10,481,036 B2
- Document ID: US10481036B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/699,523
- Filed: 2015-04-29
- Published: 2016-11-03
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-04-29
- Applicants: Medeng Research Institute Ltd.
- Inventors: Liu Willow Zhu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481036B2

## CPC

- G01M 3/2807: {for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence)}
- G01M 3/243: {for pipes}
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

This disclosure is related to the in-service detection of a leak in a flow line, whether the medium is a fluid, liquid or gas, a mixture of fluids (gas and liquids). More particularly, the invention is related to a device or devices in series and interconnected that monitor the flow and detects immediately the occurrence of a leak, accurately pinpointing its location and calculating the quantity of the leak.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for detecting, locating, and measuring a leak in a closed system fluid transport pipeline using in-line multiphase mass flow meters at an upstream location and a downstream location, the method comprising:
continuously measuring the real-time multiphase mixture mass flow rate and mixture pressure with an upstream meter in the fluid transport pipeline at the upstream location a;
continuously measuring the real-time multiphase mixture mass flow rate and mixture pressure with a downstream meter in the fluid transport pipeline at the downstream location b; and
performing, in an automated, real-time transient analysis, of a leak response function using the above real-time measurements comprising:
detecting an upstream first n=1 leak perturbation wave at the upstream location a at time tan=1, having a transient pressure of Pan=1 a and a transient mass flow rate of Qan=1;
detecting a downstream first m=1 leak perturbation wave at the downstream location b at a time tbm=1, having a transient pressure of Pbm=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qbm=1;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, an upstream leak response function LRFa using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPa is an upstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
a
=
P
a
n
=
0
-
P
a
n
=
1
P
a
n
=
0
and δQa is an upstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Qa
=
Q
a
n
=
1
-
Q
a
n
=
0
Q
a
n
=
0
,
wherein
LRF
a
=
(
1
-
δ
Pa
)
(
1
+
δ
Qa
)
;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, a downstream leak response function LRFb using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPb is a downstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
b
=
P
b
m
=
0
-
P
b
m
=
1
P
b
m
=
0
and δQb is a downstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
b
=
Q
b
m
=
1
-
Q
b
m
=
0
Q
b
m
=
0
,
wherein LRFb=(1−δPb)(1−δQb);
where Pan=0 is the pressure and Qan=0 is the mass flow rate at the upstream location before the leak;
where Pbm=0 is the pressure and Qbm=0 is the mass flow rate at the downstream location before the leak;
wherein the distance between the upstream location and the downstream location is L, detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream location at a time tan=2;
determining a distance X from the upstream location to the leak, according to:
X
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
1
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
2
)
;
determining a first i=1 leak mass flow rate Qleaki=1 according to:
Qleaki=1=Qan=1−Qbm=1; and
indicating a leak event when LRFa and LRFb trend downward simultaneously, the location of the leak relative to the upstream location, and the leak mass flow rate.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein LRFa and LRFb trend downward simultaneously by at least a predetermined leak response function threshold.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the leak response function threshold is the combined measurement accuracy of the mass flow rate and pressure measurements from the upstream location and the mass flow rate and pressure measurements from the downstream location.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream meter at a time tbm=2; and tan=1
determining a distance Y from the downstream location to the leak according to:
Y
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
1
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
2
)
;
and
indicating the location of the leak relative to the downstream location.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the upstream location is downstream from a pump or compressor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the downstream location is upstream from a pump or compressor.

### Claim 7

A system for detecting, locating, and measuring a leak in a closed system fluid transport pipeline with in-line multiphase mass flow meters at an upstream location and a downstream location, comprising:
an upstream in-line multiphase flow meter for measuring multiphase mixture pressure and multiphase mixture mass flow rate at the upstream location in the fluid transport pipeline;
a downstream in-line multiphase flow meter for measuring multiphase mixture pressure and multiphase mixture mass flow rate at the downstream location in the fluid transport pipeline;
a remote terminal unit for continuously receiving pressure and mass flow rate data from the upstream meter and sending it to the control center;
a remote terminal unit for continuously receiving pressure and mass flow rate data from the downstream meter and sending it to the control center; and
a control center, continuously receiving the data from the remote terminal unit, the control center having a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for determining, in an automated, real-time transient analysis, a leak response function comprising:
detecting an upstream first n=1 leak perturbation wave at the upstream location a at time tan=1 having a transient pressure of Pan=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qan=1;
detecting a downstream first m=1 leak perturbation wave at the downstream location b at a time tbm=1, having a transient pressure of Pbm=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qbm=1;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, an upstream leak response function LRFa using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPa is an upstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
a
=
P
a
n
=
0
-
P
a
n
=
1
P
a
n
=
0
and δQa is an upstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
a
=
Q
a
n
=
1
-
Q
a
n
=
0
Q
a
n
=
0
,
wherein
LRF
a
=
(
1
-
δ
Pa
)
(
1
+
δ
Qa
)
;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, a downstream leak response function LRFb using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPb is a downstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
b
=
P
b
m
=
0
-
P
b
m
=
1
P
b
m
=
0
and δQb is a downstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
b
=
Q
b
m
=
1
-
Q
b
m
=
0
Q
b
m
=
0
,
wherein LRFb=(1−δPb)(1−δQb);
where Pan=0 is the pressure and Qan=0 is the mass flow rate at the upstream location before the leak;
where Pbm=0 is the pressure and Qbm=0 is the mass flow rate at the downstream location before the leak;
wherein the distance between the upstream meter and the downstream meter is L, detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream location at a time tan=2;
determining a distance X from the upstream location to the leak, according to:
X
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
1
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
2
)
;
determining a first i=1 leak mass flow rate Qleaki=1 according to:
Qleaki=1=Qan=1−Qbm=1; and
adapted to indicate a leak event when LRFa and LRFb trend downward simultaneously, the location of the leak relative to the upstream location, and the leak mass flow rate.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the distance between the upstream meter and the downstream meter is L, the leak response function further comprising:
detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream location at a time tbm=2; and
determining a distance Y from the downstream location to the leak, according to:
Y
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
1
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
2
)
;
and
indicating the location of the leak relative to the downstream location.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the pipeline is composed of multiple sections with intermediary pumping stations or compressor stations.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, where the pipeline carries any fluid such as water, oil or gas or multiphase mixture including components of water, oil or gas.

### Claim 11

A supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system for a pipeline control center for detecting, locating, and measuring a leak in a closed system fluid transport pipeline using in-line multiphase mass flow meters at an upstream location and a downstream location, comprising:
a receiver for continuously receiving multiphase mass flow rate data and pressure data from an upstream multiphase mass flow meter at the upstream location and multiphase mass flow rate data and pressure data from a downstream multiphase mass flow meter at the downstream location;
a computer for performing, in an automated, real-time transient analysis, an upstream leak response function LRFa using the data received from the upstream multiphase mass flow meter and a downstream leak response function LRFb using the data received from the downstream multiphase mass flow meter, according to:
detecting an upstream first n=1 leak perturbation wave at the upstream location a at time tan=1 having a transient pressure of Pan=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qan=1;
detecting a downstream first m=1 leak perturbation wave at the downstream location b at a time tbm=1, having a transient pressure of Pbm=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qbm=1;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, an upstream leak response function LRFa using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPa is an upstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
a
=
P
a
n
=
0
-
P
a
n
=
1
P
a
n
=
0
and δQa is an upstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
a
=
Q
a
n
=
1
-
Q
a
n
=
0
Q
a
n
=
0
,
wherein
LRF
a
=
(
1
-
δ
Pa
)
(
1
+
δ
Qa
)
;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, a downstream leak response function LRFb using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPb is a downstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
b
=
P
b
m
=
0
-
P
b
m
=
1
P
b
m
=
0
and δQb is a downstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
b
=
Q
b
m
=
1
-
Q
b
m
=
0
Q
b
m
=
0
,
wherein LRFb=(1−δPb)(1−δQb);
where Pan=0 is the pressure and Qan=0 is the mass flow rate at the upstream location before the leak;
where Pbm=0 is the pressure and Qbm=0 is the mass flow rate at the downstream location before the leak;
wherein the distance between the upstream meter and the downstream meter is L, detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream meter at a time tan=2; and
wherein the leak response function further comprising determining a distance from the upstream location to the leak X, according to:
X
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
1
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
2
)
;
determining a first i=1 leak mass flow rate Qleaki=1, according to:
Qleaki=1=Qan=1−Qbm=1; and
indicating a leak event when LRFa and LRFb trend downward simultaneously, the location of the leak relative to the upstream location, and the leak mass flow rate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the distance between the upstream meter and the downstream meter is L, further comprising:
detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the downstream location at a time tbm=2; and
wherein the leak response function further comprises determining a distance Y from the downstream location to the leak, according to:
Y
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
1
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
2
)
;
and
indicating the location of the leak relative to the downstream location.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4)

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium-comprising computer-readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer-readable code executable by a processor of a computer to implement the method according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5-6.

### Claim 14

A system using in-line multiphase mass flow meters at an upstream location and a downstream location of a fluid transport pipeline, comprising:
an in-line multiphase mass flow meter at the upstream location for measuring mass flow Q and pressure P of the mixture through the pipeline at the upstream location;
an in-line multiphase mass flow meter at the downstream location for measuring mass flow Q and pressure P of the mixture through the pipeline at the downstream location;
a computer adapted to calculate, in an automated real-time transient analysis, a leak response function comprising:
detecting an upstream first n=1 leak perturbation wave at the upstream location a at time tan=1 having a transient pressure of Pan=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qan=1;
detecting a downstream first m=1 leak perturbation wave at the downstream location b at a time tbm=1, having a transient pressure of Pbm=1 and a transient mass flow rate of Qbm=1;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, an upstream leak response function LRFa using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPa is an upstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
a
=
P
a
n
=
0
-
P
a
n
=
1
P
a
n
=
0
and δQa is an upstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Q
⁢
⁢
a
=
Q
a
n
=
1
-
Q
a
n
=
0
Q
a
n
=
0
,
wherein
LRF
a
=
(
1
-
δ
Pa
)
(
1
+
δ
Qa
)
;
determining, independent of boundary conditions, a downstream leak response function LRFb using the mass flow rate and pressure measurements received from the upstream location, wherein δPb is a downstream leak pressure alteration factor according to
δ
P
⁢
⁢
b
=
P
b
m
=
0
-
P
b
m
=
1
P
b
m
=
0
and δQb is a downstream leak flow alteration factor according to
δ
Qb
=
Q
b
m
=
1
-
Q
b
m
=
0
Q
b
m
=
0
,
wherein LRFb=(1−δPb)(1−δQb);
where Pan=0 is the pressure and Qan=0 is the mass flow rate at the upstream location before the leak;
where Pbm=0 is the pressure and Qbm=0 is the mass flow rate at the downstream location before the leak;
wherein the distance between the upstream meter and the downstream meter is L, detecting a first reflected perturbation wave at the upstream meter at a time tan=2; and
wherein the leak response function further comprising determining a distance from the upstream location to the leak X, according to:
X
=
L
2
⁢
(
1
+
t
a
n
=
1
-
t
b
m
=
1
t
b
m
=
1
-
t
a
n
=
2
)
;
determining a first i=1 leak mass flow rate Qleaki=1, according to:
Qleaki=1=Qan=1−Qbm=1; and
indicating a leak event when LRFa and LRFb trend downward simultaneously, the location of the leak relative to the upstream location, and the leak mass flow rate.