Method and Apparatus for Acoustically Detecting Fluid Leaks

A method of controlling an industrial furnace installation, the industrial furnace installation including:

• an industrial furnace component;
• a cooling circuit provided in thermal communication with the industrial furnace component the cooling circuit including a fluid conduit for receiving a cooling fluid flow therealong;
• a fluid conduit leak detection system comprising,
• an acoustic emitter positioned at a first location along said conduit;
• and
• an acoustic sensor positioned at a second location along said conduit spaced from said first position,
• a processor electronically communicating with the acoustic sensor and operable to output control signals to control at least one operating parameter of the industrial furnace installation,
• the acoustic emitter operable to output and propagate at least one output acoustic signal through said cooling fluid flow, the at least one acoustic signal including one or more preselected frequency components, the preselected frequency components having a frequency range selected to preferentially propagate along said conduit to said acoustic sensor,
• the acoustic sensor operable to receive and sense the at least one output acoustic signal to detect the at least one said preselected frequency component or a harmonic frequency correlated to the at least one preselected frequency component,
• the method comprising:
• the acoustic emitter outputting into and along the cooling fluid flow at least one said acoustic signal,
• with the acoustic sensor, detecting the output acoustic signal;
• and
• wherein on identifying in the detected acoustic signal a threshold change in one or more frequency bands in the frequency component or the harmonic frequency correlated to at least one said preselected frequency component, outputting at least one said control signal from said processor.

A method controlling a steel making furnace installation, the steel making furnace installation including:

• an electric arc furnace, and
• a cooling panel, thermally communicating with a sidewall portion of the electric arc furnace,
• the cooling panel including a conduit for receiving a flow of cooling fluid flow therealong,
• a fluid leak detection system comprising an acoustic emitter, an acoustic sensor, and a processor electronically communicating with the acoustic sensor, the acoustic emitter being operable to output and propagate an acoustic signal in said cooling fluid flow, the sensor being operable to receive and sense the emitted acoustic signal, the processor being operable to output control signals to control at least one operating parameter of the steel making furnace installation,
• the acoustic signal including at least one preselected frequency components or at least one harmonic frequency correlated to said preselected frequency components,
• the method comprising:
• positioning the acoustic emitter at a first location along said conduit to output said acoustic signal along a central portion of said cooling fluid flow spaced from the conduit sidewall,
• positioning the acoustic sensor at a downstream location along said conduit, spaced from the acoustic emitter to receive and sense the output acoustic signal at the central portion of said cooling fluid flow,
• providing the cooling fluid flow along the conduit as a substantially free-surfaceless flow,
• from the acoustic emitter outputting the acoustic signal so as to propagate through said cooling fluid flow and along said conduit,
• with the acoustic sensor, detecting the output acoustic signal, and
• on identifying whether in the detected acoustic signal, a threshold change at least one said frequency component or harmonic frequency of said frequency component, outputting said control signals.