Method and apparatus for acoustically detecting fluid leaks

A water leak detection system for detecting a water coolant leak in a cooling panel of an electric arc furnace (EAF);

• said cooling panel including a cooling fluid conduit thermally communicating with a portion of the EAF to be cooled, the cooling-fluid conduit receiving a flow of water as a coolant flow therein,
• an acoustic emitter operable to emit an output acoustic signal into said coolant flow at a first location along said conduit, said output acoustic signal including a preselected baseline frequency component in a frequency range selected at between greater than about 10 kHz to about 100 kHz,
• said output acoustic signal comprises a pulsed signal having a pulse frequency duration selected at between about 0.25 and 5 minutes, and a pulse repetition cycle of between about 1 to 5 minutes,
• an acoustic sensor assembly including at least one acoustic sensor disposed at a second location along said conduit spaced from said first location, said acoustic sensor operable to sense the emitted acoustic signal in said coolant flow and output data signals representative of the sensed emitted acoustic signal at the second location,
• a processor electronically communicating with said acoustic sensor assembly, the processor having memory and programme instructions stored in said memory operable to,
• compare whether the baseline frequency component of the sensed emitted acoustic signal deviates from preselected target frequency and intensity stored in said memory by a threshold amount;
• and
• on identifying that the compared baseline frequency component deviates from the preselected target frequency by the threshold amount, output at least one of a signal indicative of a potential water coolant fluid leak in the cooling panel and one or more control signals operable to effect an automated safety protocol for the EAF;
• and
• wherein said cooling-fluid conduit comprises a serpentinely extending conduit portion, having an upstream inlet end portion and a downstream outlet end portion, said coolant flow comprising a substantially free-surfaceless water flow, and wherein the first location is spaced towards said inlet end portion, and the second location is spaced towards said outlet end portion.