Containment failure detection device and method
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorsMark Scott Haboian, Charles Edward Rudd
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for detecting a containment failure. The device has a gas supply means (18) for providing a gas to a containment failure volume (16, 60) and for maintaining a constant gas pressure in the containment failure volume. The device also has gas flow monitoring means (26) for monitoring flow of the gas into the containment failure volume. The flow of gas into the containment failure volume is indicative of a containment failure.
Claims17
A method of detecting a containment failure in a fluid-containing system having a monitorable containment failure volume, comprising the steps of:
- supplying a supply of gas to a containment failure volume;
- maintaining a constant pressure of said gas supply in the containment failure volume;
- monitoring for an increase in pressure in said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage into said containment failure volume from said fluid-containing system when said pressure of said containment failure volume is lower than a pressure within the fluid-containing system;
- and
- monitoring for flow from said gas supply to said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage from said containment failure volume when said pressure of said containment failure volume is higher than the pressure within the fluid-containing system.
An apparatus for detecting a containment failure, comprising:
- a fluid storage vessel having an inner wall and outer wall defining a containment failure volume therebetween;
- supply means for providing a supply of gas to said containment failure volume;
- pressure monitoring means for monitoring an increase in pressure in said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage into said containment failure volume from said fluid storage vessel when said pressure of said containment failure volume is lower than a pressure within the fluid storage vessel;
- and
- flow monitoring means for monitoring flow from said supply means to said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage from said containment failure volume when said pressure of said containment failure volume is higher than the pressure within the fluid storage vessel.
An apparatus for detecting a containment failure, comprising:
- a fluid storage vessel having an inner wall and outer wall defining a containment failure volume therebetween;
- supply means for providing a supply of gas to said containment failure volume;
- prevention means positioned between said containment failure volume and said supply means for preventing flow reversal from said containment failure volume to said supply means;
- pressure monitoring means positioned between said containment failure volume and said prevention means for monitoring an increase in pressure in said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage into said containment failure volume from said fluid storage vessel when said pressure of said containment failure volume is lower than a pressure within the fluid storage vessel;
- flow monitoring means for monitoring flow from said supply means to said containment failure volume as indicative of leakage from said containment failure volume when said pressure of said containment failure volume is higher than the pressure within the fluid storage vessel;
- and
- means positioned between said supply means and said prevention means for releasing an increase in pressure from said supply means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.