Apparatus and method for detection of a leak in a membrane of a fluid flow control system

A fluid flow control system comprising:

• a first chamber;
• a second chamber;
• a pressure tank containing a fluid having a pressure connected to the second chamber;
• a transducer disposed within the pressure tank for creating a pressure signal;
• a valve disposed between the second chamber and the pressure tank;
• a membrane disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber;
• a valve controller connected to the valve;
• a pump connected to the pressure tank;
• and
• a processor connected to the transducer, to the pump and to the valve controller for:
• a) signaling the valve controller to shut the valve;
• b) adjusting the pressure of the fluid in the pressure tank with the pump;
• c) reading the pressure signal from the transducer at a first set of predetermined intervals while the valve is shut creating a first set of pressure signal readings;
• d) calculating a baseline leak rate based on the first set of pressure signals while the valve is shut;
• e) sending a signal to the valve controller to open the valve;
• f) reading the pressure signal from the transducer at a second set of predetermined timed intervals creating a second set of pressure signal readings while the valve is open;
• g) calculating a membrane leak rate based on the second set of pressure signals;
• h) calculating a leakage rate based on the baseline leak rate and the membrane leak rate;
• and
• i) creating an alarm signal if the leakage rate exceeds a predefined value.

A computer program product for use on a computer system for detecting a leakage rate of fluid through a membrane in a fluid flow control system having a first chamber and a second chamber, the membrane disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber, the second chamber having a connection to a pressure tank, the pressure tank having a fluid with a pressure, the connection defining a fluid path, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code including:

• program code for activating a valve controller for blocking the fluid path;
• program code for adjusting the pressure of the fluid in the pressure tank;
• program code for reading the pressure in the pressure tank while the fluid path is blocked;
• program code for creating a pressure measurement at each of a first set of multiple timed intervals while the fluid path is blocked and after the pressure is adjusted;
• program code for calculating a blocked pressure rate based on the pressure measurements in the pressure tank at the first set of multiple timed intervals;
• program code for activating the valve controller unblocking the fluid path;
• program code for reading the pressure within the pressure tank while the fluid path is unblocked;
• program code for creating a pressure measurement at each of a second set of multiple timed intervals after the fluid path is unblocked;
• program code for calculating an unblocked pressure rate based on the pressure measurements in the pressure tank at the second set of multiple timed intervals;
• and
• program code for calculating a leakage rate based on the blocked pressure rate and the unblocked pressure rate.