Methods, systems and computer program products for automatically detecting leaks in a hydrant fuel piping system

A method for testing a hydrant fuel piping system for leaks, the method comprising:

• automatically actuating one or more valves to isolate a hydrant loop of a hydrant fuel piping system from the remainder of the system;
• varying pressure in the hydrant loop;
• and
• measuring the pressure in the hydrant loop over time in response to the varying of the pressure;
• wherein varying the pressure comprises:
• applying a first low pressure level to the hydrant loop;
• applying a first high pressure level to the hydrant loop after a first predefined settling period;
• applying a second low pressure level to the hydrant loop after a second predefined settling period;
• and
• applying a second high pressure level to the hydrant loop after a third predefined settling period.

A leak detection system (LDS) for a hydrant fuel piping system comprising:

• an LDS controller for automatically actuating one or more valves to isolate a hydrant loop of a hydrant fuel piping system from the remainder of the system and for varying pressure in the hydrant loop;
• and
• a pressure transmitter coupled to the LDS controller and the hydrant loop for measuring the pressure in the hydrant loop over time in response to the varying of the pressure;
• wherein the LDS controller is further adapted to apply a first low pressure level to the hydrant loop, apply a first high pressure level to the hydrant loop after a first predefined settling period, apply a second low pressure level to the hydrant loop after a second predefined settling period, and apply a second high pressure level to the hydrant loop after a third predefined settling period.

A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• automatically actuating one or more valves to isolate a hydrant loop of a hydrant fuel piping system from the remainder of the system;
• varying pressure in the hydrant loop;
• and
• measuring the pressure in the hydrant loop over time in response to the varying of the pressure, wherein the measured pressure is used to determine the integrity of the hydrant loop without temperature compensation and by addressing influence of temperature by application of a pressure-step methodology.

A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

• automatically actuating one or more valves to isolate a hydrant loop of a hydrant fuel piping system from the remainder of the system;
• varying pressure in the hydrant loop;
• measuring the pressure in the hydrant loop over time in response to the varying of the pressure;
• evaluating pressure data derived from the measured pressure without temperature compensation and by addressing influence of temperature by application of a pressure-step methodology;
• and
• determining a tightness factor from the evaluated pressure data.