US 5,517,181 AGranted

Hazardous fluid leak detector

AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United Staes Department of Energy

InventorsHarold E. Gray, Felder M. McLaurin, Monico Ortiz, William A. Huth

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Abstract

A device or system for monitoring for the presence of leaks from a hazardous fluid is disclosed which uses two electrodes immersed in deionized water. A gas is passed through an enclosed space in which a hazardous fluid is contained. Any fumes, vapors, etc. escaping from the containment of the hazardous fluid in the enclosed space are entrained in the gas passing through the enclosed space and transported to a closed vessel containing deionized water and two electrodes partially immersed in the deionized water. The electrodes are connected in series with a power source and a signal, whereby when a sufficient number of ions enter the water from the gas being bubbled through it (indicative of a leak), the water will begin to conduct, thereby allowing current to flow through the water from one electrode to the other electrode to complete the circuit and activate the signal.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An apparatus for detecting leaks of a hazardous material from an enclosure, said material being confined in said enclosure, while confining said leaks of hazardous material in an enclosed space which comprises:

means for containing said leaks of said hazardous material from said enclosure in an enclosed space;
a vessel containing an electrically non-conductive liquid;
a source of a reference gas, said reference gas being of a type that does not contribute ions when said gas is absorbed in said electrically non-conductive liquid;
means for supplying said reference gas from said source of a reference gas to said enclosed space and circulating said reference gas through said enclosed space for entraining at least part of said leaked hazardous material in said circulating reference gas;
means for extracting said circulating reference gas from said enclosed space and transporting said extracted reference gas into said non-conductive liquid contained in said vessel;
and
means for detecting changes in the conductivity of said non-conductive liquid resulting from ions of said leaked hazardous material deposited in said non-conductive liquid by said extracted reference gas.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.