Method for locating leaks in a fluid pipeline and apparatus therefore

A method for determining a location of a leakage from a pipeline, the steps including:

• monitoring various physical characteristics of a fluid in the pipeline at one or more monitoring locations, and
• creating signals from data representing the physical characteristics of the fluid in the pipeline monitored over time, and
• sending the signals from the monitoring locations to a processing location, and
• preparing a mathematical algorithm for determining the location of the leakage as a function of the created signals, and
• analyzing the signals using the mathematical algorithm to determine the location of the leakage, and
• wherein said monitoring includes:
• measuring a pressure of the fluid and measuring a flow rate of the fluid;
• and
• wherein said creating step includes:
• creating a pressure signal representing fluid pressure and creating a flow rate signal representing fluid flow rate.

An apparatus for determining the location of a leakage of fluid from a pipeline which comprises:

• a plurality of means for monitoring physical characteristics of the fluid in the pipeline, and
• a means for collecting, organizing, and communicating data obtained by the monitoring means, and
• a means for determining the location of the leakage, and
• an output device for communicating information relating to the location of the leakage, and
• wherein said plurality of monitoring means measure the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at stations along said pipeline.

A kit for attachment to an existing fluid pipeline which enables operators of the pipeline to detect locations of leaks occurring in the pipeline, said kit including:

• a plurality of monitoring station pipeline interfaces including means to measure various properties of the fluid within the pipeline and means to collect and sequence measurements taken by said measuring means,
• a central data processing station containing means to determine a pipeline's leak location from said measurements and means to communicate this information to an operator, and
• a communication system including means to transport said measurements from said monitoring stations pipeline interfaces to said central data processing station, and
• wherein each of said monitoring stations includes means to measure both a pressure and a flow rate of the fluid within the pipeline, and wherein fluid data thus collected representing the pressure and the flow rate is transformed into an electronic signal;
• whereby said fluid data is utilized by said central processing station;
• whereby a pipeline's performance is enhanced by utilization of said kit thereon.

A system for conveying various fluids and determining the occurrence and location of a leakage of said fluids thereby enhancing safety, minimizing disruptions in normal operation due to leakages, and facilitating rapid leakage damage mitigation, repair, and cleanup, said system comprising in combination:

• a hollow conduit for transporting said fluid, and
• a plurality of fluid characteristic monitoring means for monitoring the characteristics of the fluid in the conduit, and providing output signals proportional to the characteristics being monitored, and
• a leak detection algorithm, and
• a leak location algorithm, said leak location algorithm having means to compare said output signals before detection of a leak with said output signals after detection of a leak, and
• an algorithm processing means receiving the output from the monitoring means and performing an analysis to determine the existence and location of a leakage,
• whereby said system safely, reliably, and efficiently transports fluids.

A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the existence and location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a plurality of physical characteristics of the fluid which change in response to a leak in the pipeline, before a leak exists, at a plurality of separate locations along the pipeline;
• establishing baseline values for the physical characteristics, the baseline values corresponding to the absence of a leak;
• collecting data representing changes in the monitored physical characteristics that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the physical characteristics and a sequence corresponding to when each physical characteristic was recorded;
• analyzing the data to detect non-baseline values for the data by utilizing statistical filtering which distinguishes between mere pipeline noise and a variation in values resulting from a leak;
• recording an amount of time between which two or more of the separate locations first detect non-baseline values for the physical characteristics;
• and
• determining an arithmetic value representative of the location of the leak by inputting into an algorithm the amount of time recorded in said recording step, a speed of sound in the fluid and a distance between the separate locations.

A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a pressure of the fluid and a flow rate of the fluid at a plurality of separate locations along the pipeline before a leak exists;
• establishing initial values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at each location, each of the initial values corresponding to the absence of a leak;
• calculating an initial value for fluid horsepower of the fluid at each location from initial values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid at each location;
• detecting a leak;
• collecting data representing changes in values of the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the pressure and the flow rate and a sequence corresponding to when each value was recorded;
• calculating a post-leak value for fluid horsepower of the fluid at each location from the data;
• calculating a change in fluid horsepower of the fluid between the initial values calculated and post-leak values calculated at each location;
• and
• determining an arithmetic value of the location of the leak by inputting into an algorithm the changes in fluid horsepower calculated at each location and a distance between the separate locations.

A method for analyzing measurements of physical characteristics of a fluid within a pipeline to determine the location of a leak in the pipeline, comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a pressure of the fluid and a flow rate of the fluid on a periodic basis beginning before a leak exists, at a single location along the pipeline;
• establishing baseline values for the pressure of the fluid and the flow rate of the fluid, the baseline values corresponding to the absence of a leak;
• causing an event having an effect on fluid pressure and fluid flow rate similar to an effect of a leak by mimicking disruption of the fluid in the pipeline in a manner affecting fluid pressure and fluid flow rate, the event having a known location along the pipeline;
• monitoring a fluid pressure reaction and a fluid flow rate reaction to the event;
• calculating a time corresponding to a phase difference between the fluid pressure reaction to the event and the fluid flow rate reaction to the event;
• establishing an equation for leak location as a function of time from the time and event location encountered in said causing step and said calculating step;
• detecting a leak;
• collecting data representing differences in the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate that occur as a result of the leak, the data including measured values of the fluid pressure and fluid flow rate and a sequence corresponding to when each value was recorded;
• calculating a time corresponding to a phase difference between a fluid pressure reaction to the leak and a fluid flow rate reaction to the leak;
• and
• determining an arithmetic value of the location of the leak by inputting into the equation the time corresponding to a phase difference between the fluid pressure reaction to the leak and the fluid flow rate reaction to the leak.