Asel-Tech’s RLDS is the most reliable and sensitive leak detection system available on the market today with proven commercial success. The system is capable of reliably detecting and locating leak incidents in a matter of seconds. Some advantages of our acoustic leak detection and location system can be summarized as follows:
1.Very fast – detects leaks at the speed of sound and it is not dependent on the size of the leak.
2.Detection is not dependent on flow parameters, so steady state/no-flow is not an issue.
3.It does not require third person instrumentation.
4.The system works with liquids, gases, and multiphase products.
5.Calibration is not required.
6.No proprietary software required.
7.No mute/dead zones – 100% of the pipeline is monitored.
8.It employs specially developed algorithms and processes for leak sensors.
ASEL-TECH’S SONIC LEAK DETECTION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY
The RLDS technology can effectively be employed detect leaks in pipelines that transport various types products – liquids, gases, or multiphase. It can be adopted in above – ground, belowground or subsea pipelines.
The RLDS operating principle is based on the detection of pressure transient waves caused by an onset of a pipeline leak. Unlike “Acoustic Emission” technology, Asel-Tech’s system is not designed to detect the audible noise produced by leak flow – it does not detect sound in the pipeline material whether it is steel, stainless or HDPE etc.
The pressure transient waves our system detects are caused by the sudden drop in pressure and the immediate line re-pressurization at the location of a leak onset. This onset causes pressure oscillations in the fluid pressure and propagates as a sonic wave signal at the speed of sound through the fluid or gas, away from the leak location in opposite directions guided by the pipeline wall.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
The RLDS hardware system is made up of the following subsystems:
1.FSS Sonic Sensors.
2.SRU-504 Sonic Remote Unit.
3.CMS Central Monitoring Station.
Acoustic sensors installed at opposite ends of the pipeline segment will intercept and transmit the leak signal to corresponding Asel-Tech SRU-504 remote unit. The SRU-504 is responsible for the acquisition and signal conditioning from the acoustic sensors and sending to the signals to a CMS. When all the aspects that define a leak signal are confirmed, an alarm will be declared by the Central Monitoring Station computer (CMS).
SYSTEM PERFORMANCEMETRICS
In comparison with other leak detection and location methodologies, Asel-Tech’s RLDS boasts unparalleled performance and reliability. This is attributed to its speed, simplicity, and straightforwardness in obtaining data without having to depend on third party instruments or proprietary software. Of particular importance in evaluating leak detection systems are the following criteria:
RESPONSE TIME
Sonic Leak detection Systems is absolutely the fastest available today. The time it takes to declare an alarm is measured in seconds or minutes rather than hours or days as in some other detection methods. Asel-Techs system detects a specific and unique sonic wave-which travels from the source of the leaks onset to strategically placed sensors at the speed of sound.
SENSITIVITY
The RLDS systems sensitivity is a variable value, and differs according to pipeline arrangement. The maximum sensitivity permitted by any system depends on several factors and is unique to every segment of a pipeline. The main factors that determine system sensitivity are:
1.Pipeline length and diameter.
2.Operational conditions such as pressure, temperature, and flow.
3.Type of fluid being transported (liquid, gas or multiphase flow).
4.Number and location of the installed acoustic sensors.
5.General arrangements of pumps, valves, separators among others.
6.Background noise and operational events produced under normal operational conditions.
The system has varying degrees of sensitivity along the pipeline. The middle section (equal – distant from the sensors on either end of the pipeline segment) tends to have the best sensitivity because the signal has less distance to travel, than say a signal generated from a leak close to one of the sensors – in this case the signal has a longer distance to travel to the other sensor and may encounter additional attenuation.
LEAK LOCATION ACCURACY
Asel-Tech’s RLDS system boasts unprecedented accuracy in determining location of a leak. Theoretical leak location accuracy is 2% of the protected pipeline section length. Depending on local pipeline conditions, we have at times experienced better results.
Leak Location is computed at the supervisory computer level using wave time of flight, wick is calculated via the difference between wave arrival times at the two opposing sensors and length of the pipeline segment.
For added leak location accuracy, the Asel-Tech system features:
1.Time synchronization from a Global Positioning System (GPS).
2.Actual wave propagation speed measurements are taken in the field and fed to the Central Monitoring Station computer for added leak location accuracy.
ROBUSTNESS
Asek-Tech’s systems have undergone extensive field trials, and are documented to be able to withstand extreme environmental conditions.
About Asel-Tech
Asel-Tech has spent a considerable amount of time and resources over the past 10 years to improve our technology to the point where it is has become unparalleled in reliability and performance in the realm of leak detection. Asel-Tech’s RLDS system is the only leak detection system available that offers virtually 100% pipeline coverage without any dead zones. The RLDS combines an Artificial Neural Network, specially designed algorithms coupled by signal processing techniques to ensure a very high degree of accuracy plus very low false alarm rates.
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