Process and apparatus for testing pipelines for leaks
AssigneeHoechst Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsGeorg Drescher, Karl-Heinz Uhle
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Liquid-conveying pipelines are tested for leaks during inoperative periods. To this end, the pipeline is hermetically closed at its two ends and the pressure prevailing in the interior of the pipeline is continuously measured. Once the pressure prevailing therein is found to drop, a substitute liquid is conveyed through the pipeline in the quantity necessary to make up for that decrease in volume of the normally conveyed liquid which is caused by the relevant temperature drop, an alarm device is actuated if the pressure continues to drop, and the magnitude of the leak is ascertained as an inference from the quantity of substitute liquid introduced per unit time into the closed pipeline.
Claims7
A process for testing liquid-conveying pipelines for leaks during inoperative periods, which comprises:
- hermetically closing the pipeline at its two ends;
- continuously measuring the pressure prevailing in the interior of the pipeline;
- introducing into the closed pipeline, upon the pressure prevailing therein being found to drop, a substitute liquid similar to that normally conveyed therethrough, the substitute liquid being introduced in the quantity necessary to make up for that decrease in volume of the normally conveyed liquid which is caused by the relevant temperature drop, and an alarm device being actuated if the pressure continues to drop;
- and, upon the actuation of the alarm device, ascertaining the size of the leak as an inference from the quantity of substitute liquid introduced per unit time into the closed pipeline.
An apparatus for testing liquid-conveying pipelines for leaks during inoperative periods in connection with a system wherein two containers are connected together by means of a pipeline which is partially buried within the earth and which is provided at its two ends with automatically actuated valves, and wherein a pump for driving liquid through the pipeline is connected downstream of the outlet of a first of the containers, the apparatus causing adjustment signals to be passed to the valves in accordance with operational requirements, in which apparatus:
- a pipeline has a pressure sensitive means interposed therein between automatically actuated valves and is connected to a line running to a leakage monitoring device, which in turn is connected to a further line opening into a section of the pipeline lying between the pump and the first container;
- and the leakage monitoring device is provided with a quantity recording device, with termperature- and pressure-recording means, and with a second pump and a flowmeter disposed downstream of the second pump, and the pressure-recording means being connected to the pressure sensitive means and to the drive of the second pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.