Novel Negative Pressure Wave-Based Pipeline Leak Detection System Using Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Pressure Sensors

Abstract

This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository link City Research Online Abstract-In this paper, the design and underpinning technical principles of the novel design of a negative pressure wave (NPW)-based pipeline leak detection (PLD) system has been reported, which is configured using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) pressure sensors. To evaluate this, a pipeline leakage test platform has been established and experiments have been conducted, to verify the performance of a system using this FBG-based approach. The results show that a system using FBG-based sensors can accurately determine the pressure change trends along the pipeline and thus allow the calculation of the NPW velocity online. A key comparison is made with traditional NPW detection techniques, showing that the novel detection system is capable of achieving the higher leak-location accuracy and the detection of smaller leakage volumes. This arises from the ability of the FBG-based system to allow an increased number of sensors to be multiplexed along the pipeline. Their corresponding output signals generated show a very satisfactory, high signal-to-noise ratio. The system has been evaluated, especially in its response to extraneous signals and thus disturbances caused by the pump starting or stopping can be eliminated. This was achieved through an analysis of the time sequence of the pressure changes captured by the multi-sensor array being carried out and thus immunity to such effects demonstrated. The system has thus been designed to minimize the instances where a false alarm occurs.Index Terms-Pipeline leak detection (PLD), negative pressure wave (NPW), pressure sensor, fiber Bragg grating (FBG), pressure change.

Pipeline Leak Detection and Location Based on Model-Free Isolation of Abnormal Acoustic Signals

“…Since the operation sub-signals are generated by upstream or downstream, under the condition of ignoring the medium flow speed, if the time difference ∆t ij satisfies Equation 27, the abnormal sub-signal x sub (a i ) and y sub (b j ) are operation sub-signals. (27) Finally, filtering (x sub (a i ) = 0, y sub (b j ) = 0) these operation sub-signals, their influence on leak location can be eliminated.…”

“…Even if they are usually replaced by artificially simulated leaks, the number of samples is still limited and not able to cover all the leak situations. And for these pipelines of the transportation of certain dangerous substances such as natural gas, hydrogen and liquid chlorine, the artificially simulated leaks are usually generated with water or air as the replacement [16,26,27], which will affect the extracted features. To address this problem, Martini et al [28] combined the autocorrelation function with the kurtosis to detect water leaks.…”

Surface Crack Detection in Pipelines Using CSRR Microwave Based Sensor

“…There are several pipeline leak detection methods, which are based on different working principles and approaches [5], and more common methods include the use of acoustic emission [6], fiber optic sensor [7], ground penetration radar [8,9], negative pressure wave [10], pressure point analysis [11], infrared thermography, and mass-volume balance [12].…”

Multi-parameter dynamical measuring system using fibre Bragg grating sensors for industrial hydraulic piping

“…A differential FBG pressure sensor using magnetic transfer was proposed with a sensitivity of 11.2 pm/kPa [35]. FBG pressure sensors were used for pipeline leak detection based on negative pressure waves [36].…”