Acoustic leak detection system and method with enviromental noise isolation

An acoustic leak detection system with environmental noise isolation, comprising:

• a hollow shell adapted for attachment around a pipe, the hollow shell being substantially cylindrical and having an interior surface, wherein said hollow shell comprises first and second portions, each of the portions being substantially semicylindrical;
• a first pair of magnets attached to opposing edges of the first portion of the hollow shell;
• a second pair of magnets attached to opposing edges of the second portion of the hollow shell for releasably attaching the first portion to the second portion;
• a pair of gaskets attached to the inner surface of the hollow shell, the pair of gaskets being spaced apart from one another and adapted for encircling the pipe and bearing against the pipe to form an acoustically isolated region defined between the pipe, the pair of gaskets and the inner surface of the hollow shell;
• an acoustic sensor mounted within the hollow shell for detecting sound generated by a leak in the pipe within the acoustically isolated region and converting the sound to a signal;
• a controller connected to the acoustic sensor, the controller having means for analyzing the signals produced by the acoustic sensor to determine when the acoustic sensor has detected sound corresponding to a leak in the pipe within the acoustically isolated region;
• and
• an alarm connected to the controller for generating an alert signal when the analyzed signal indicates a leak in the pipe within the acoustically isolated region.