Back to results
US 6,401,525 B1Granted
Leak detection in liquid carrying conduits
AssigneeI.P.R. Co. (21) Limited
InventorAngus Lamberton Jamieson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeI.P.R. Co. (21) Limited
InventorAngus Lamberton Jamieson
Estimating the term…
A drogue capable of being inserted into a water pipe and comprising a flexible bar in which are a pressure sensor, a battery pack, an electronics assembly and a magnetometer. The bar is surrounded by a bladder with an inlet valve at the front and an outlet valve at the rear. The drogue is attached to a suitable cable so that electrical signals can be conveyed to a computer to enable leaks within the water pipe to be identified and the position of the drogue identified. Also presented is a corresponding method which derives signals relating to volumetric flow for a series of locations in a conduit, in order to detect leakage and determine locations of such leakage, by measuring flow effects around a (moveable) large body and also measuring flow effects around a (moveable) small body at each location (the two bodies capable of being moved together thru the conduit at a set distance apart). The method is also practiced by measuring the differential pressures around each of the two bodies, as well as detecting localized turbulences, to derive information relating to volumetric flow rate at positions along the conduit.
A method for detecting leaks in a conduit carrying a liquid, the method comprising deriving, for a series of locations along the conduit, a set of signals related to an actual amount of volumetric flow in the conduit by means of measuring the effects of flow around a relatively large body and around a relatively small body at each said location, and using a calculated change in between said locations volumetric flow as an indication of the location of a leak.
Apparatus for detecting leaks in a conduit carrying a liquid, the apparatus comprising at least one test body to be passed through the conduit so as to provide a relatively large obstruction and a relatively small obstruction to flow at a set of sequential locations spaced along the conduit;
Apparatus for detecting leaks in a conduit-carrying a liquid, the apparatus comprising first and second test bodies to be passed through the conduit, each of the test bodies being provided with means for measuring the pressure difference around it at a set of sequential locations spaced along the conduit, and means for transmitting signals representative of said pressure differences to a remote location at which the pressure difference signals are used to derive a measure of the volumetric flow rate of the liquid at said set of locations along the conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.