EP2542872A1 - Procédé et appareil pour la détection de fuites - Google Patents

Procédé et appareil pour la détection de fuites

Info

Publication number
EP2542872A1
EP2542872A1 EP11750217A EP11750217A EP2542872A1 EP 2542872 A1 EP2542872 A1 EP 2542872A1 EP 11750217 A EP11750217 A EP 11750217A EP 11750217 A EP11750217 A EP 11750217A EP 2542872 A1 EP2542872 A1 EP 2542872A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
temperature
time period
alarm
detector
processor
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP11750217A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP2542872A4 (fr
Inventor
Kenneth Klokker
Tonny Lemqvist
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP2542872A1 publication Critical patent/EP2542872A1/fr
Publication of EP2542872A4 publication Critical patent/EP2542872A4/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01M—TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/002—Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using thermal means
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01K—MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01K1/00—Details of thermometers not specially adapted for particular types of thermometer
    • G01K1/14—Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
    • G01K1/143—Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations for measuring surface temperatures

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for leak detection in pres- surised tubes for flowing substances, which apparatus comprises at least one detector connected to the outside of a tube, which detector measures the actual temperature, which detector is connected to an analogue measuring circuit, which analogue circuit sends a temperature dependent signal to a processor, which processor stores a temperature dependent data set in a memory, which processor repeats the storing of a new temperature dependent data set in the memory after a first defined time period.
  • WO 06036513 relates to a system and method for detecting water and/or gas leaks by monitoring usage patterns.
  • the existence of a leak is detected by looking for usage patterns wherein water or gas is always being used, at least at a low rate.
  • a leak is indicated if usage does not drop to zero, at least for a period of time, during a given time interval e.g., during a 24-hour period. The severity of the leak is indicated by the minimum amount of usage during the given time period.
  • the leak detection system is provided in connection with an Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) system
  • WO 00125743 relates to a method of automatic monitoring a flow condition and to indicators to be used by the method.
  • a method is intended for indicating a possible leak in a cold water supply pipe and a method is intended for indicating a possible low heat exchange in a domestic heat exchanger.
  • the methods use measurements of tempera- tures on the surface of a pipe and measurements of temperatures of the surroundings or of another pipe.
  • the leak indicator monitors a temperature difference between the surface of the cold water supply pipe and the temperature of the surroundings, and the low heat exchange indicator monitors a temperature difference between the surface of an inlet pipe and the surface of an outlet pipe of the heat exchanger.
  • US 05062442 concerns apparatus functions for monitoring small leakages in order to activate an alarm in the event that there has been more than a predetermined volume of small leakage through the water taps or other part of the system and to automatically turn off a main valve if flow continues there through more than a predetermined time and will allow the main valve to open if the discharge of fluid is temporary stopped.
  • the system includes a main valve having a valve seat and a shunt circuit that bridges the valve seat.
  • the shunt circuit includes a volume flow meter and a shunt valve for blocking fluid flow through the circuit. The main valve opens only when the volume in the shunt path exceeds a predetermined value.
  • the shunt circuit includes a throttle that when fluid flows there through, provides a pressure drop in the shunt circuit which results in the main valve diaphragm opening when the shunt circuit predetermined value is exceeded.
  • Control apparatus ascertains the volume of fluid flow through the measuring portion of the shunt circuit and controls the closing the shunt valve, JP 61017928 concerns a leak detection monitor region by providing a moisture heated layer around a part of heat sensitive points of a multipoint heat sensitive sensor having plural heat sensitive points and detecting the difference between outputs of heat sensitive points near this layer and outputs of the other heat sensitive points.
  • a multipoint heat sensitive sensor having heat sensitive points is provided in a heat insulator cover- ing the surface of a cooling system pipe in which a high-temperature and high-pressure cooling water is flowed.
  • Heat sensitive points are paired, and a moisture heated layer is provided around heat sensitive points of ones of pairs. If leaked water penetrates, the temperature near the heat sensitive point is raised by the moisture heated layer to generate a significant thermo electromotive force in the output of the multipoint heat sensi- tive sensor. By this output signal, an alarm device is operated through an amplifier and a comparator.
  • the object of the invention can be fulfilled if the preamble to claim 1 is further modified so the processor performs an analysis of the temperature profile by analysing the change in temperature backwards in a second time period, which processor performs a search in the temperature profile for at least one rapid change of the surface temperature of the tube.
  • the temperature profile has to comprise a change in the flow in order to give the result of the slope of the heat profile.
  • the temperature profile of the change in temperature of the tube will indicate if there is a leak e.g. if the toilet continues using water because a valve is misplaced. That extra demand of water will easily be indicated in that the temperature profile will change.
  • this invention can be used. Here there is probably a temperature of the tube that is sufficient higher than the surrounding temperature. Also by district heating there will be some changes in the demand of heating. Therefore, a temperature profile will exist. Surprisingly, this invention has made it possible to indicate leaks in district heating simply by analysing the temperature profile measured at the outside of the tube.
  • the apparatus can comprise at least one alarm, which alarm is activated if no rapid change in the temperature profile is indicated in the second time period.
  • the alarm can be activated if the rapid change in temperature has not been indicated at least once per 24 hours. This can lead to alarm activation perhaps in the form of flashing LED at the surface of the apparatus or perhaps activating an acoustic alarm. Further possibilities for transmitting an alarm is of course to send an electronic communication signal e.g. to a mobile phone or to a computer network in the form of an email.
  • the processor can store a pre-alarm in the memory, which pre-alarm activates the alarm in the apparatus if no rapid change in the temperature profile is indicated in the second time period.
  • the apparatus By continuously activating the pre-alarm, the apparatus as such is always ready to transmit an alarm if no rapid change is indicated in the second time period e.g. one per 24 hours. Then the pre-alarm is activating the visual or acoustic alarm as previously mentioned.
  • the apparatus can operates in a permanent alarm mode, which permanent alarm mode activates the alarm unit after a defined time period, in which time period a rapid change in the temperature profile stats a new defined time period.
  • a permanent alarm mode activates the alarm unit after a defined time period, in which time period a rapid change in the temperature profile stats a new defined time period.
  • the detector is connected to the surface of a cold water supply line at the water inlet in a flat or house. By using the leak detector at a cold water supply, it is possible to indicate any leaks in houses. As long as there is sufficient temperature difference between the water inlet and the surrounding temperature of the apparatus, it is possible to indi- cate leak by analysing the temperature profile.
  • the detector is connected to the surface of a district heating inlet in a flat or a house.
  • district heating inlets it is supposed that there is a relative higher temperature differ- ence because district heating is probably being supplied with the temperature approximately between 60 or 80 degrees Celsius. Therefore, measuring the temperature profile in a tube that is surrounded by air of 20-25 or maybe 40 degrees Celsius, it is possible to measure a very precise temperature profile independent of the actual flow. If a rapid change in the temperature is indicated in the second time period, it indicates that there is no leak. If the temperature flow is indicated as a slow movement in the temperature it indicates a leak.
  • the apparatus can further comprise a censor, which sensor measures the temperature at the outside of a return line.
  • a censor which sensor measures the temperature at the outside of a return line.
  • the line of inlet liquid has probably a relatively high temperature, maybe approximately 70 degrees, and the outlet has a temperature that is maybe 40 degrees lower, so approximately 30 degrees. If the temperature of the return line increases only a few degrees rather fast, it indicates a kind of leak somewhere in a heating system. That leak could be a defect thermostat or maybe a hot water supply system that has a defect valve, where the heating liquid is flowing unlimited through the system. Any rapid changes of temperature in a return line indicate in that way a failure, for example, in a domestic heating system.
  • the system can comprise, for example, a mobile phone interface, or maybe a computer interface, where the alarm can be transmitted both as a text message or voice call, or it can be transmitted over a Wi-Fi net as an alarm to a computer system.
  • the return line In many domestic heating systems, there is a requirement for the return line to a certain temperature; each time the return line has a temperature higher than specified in the requirement a fine has to be paid. Therefore, if you indicate the temperature in the return line, you can send an alarm each time the return temperature is too high. In that way a house or a flat can adjust, for example, floor heating to a level where the return temperature is far below the critical level.
  • the present invention also concerns a method for indicating leak in pressurised tubes for flowing substances, which method comprises at least the following steps, measuring the temperature at the surface of a tube, convert the measured temperature into a temperature data set, store the measured temperature data set in a processor memory, repeat storing of the measured temperature data sets after a first defined time period, analysis the temperature data sets in a second time period, define a temperature profile of at least the second time period, analysis the temperature profile for rapid change of temperature, activate an alarm if no rapid change in temperature is indicated in the second time period.
  • Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a leak detecting apparatus.
  • Figure 2 shows a temperature profile of a district heating.
  • Figure 3 shows the same curvature of the district heating from figure 2 but now with a leak in the tubing inside a house.
  • Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment for a leak detecting apparatus
  • Figure 1 shows an apparatus 2 for leak detection.
  • a tube 4 in which tube e.g. water is flowing, a temperature detector 6 is placed outside the tube and the temperature detector 6 is by a line 8 connected to the leak detector 10.
  • the leak detector 10 is further connected to an alarm unit 12 and by a line 14 the leak detector 10 is further connected to a power supply 16.
  • the temperature detector 6 will by relative short time intervals deliver the actual temperature at the surface of the tube 4 and transmit that over the wiring 8 to the leak detector 10.
  • the leak detector there will at first be performed an analogue to digital conversion 18 and then the data set will be stored in a memory 22. Inside the leak detector 10, there will be a memory 22 that comprises temperature related data together with time related data.
  • a micro computer 20 that can be integratedly placed in the leak detector 10 can perform an analysis of the curvature by e.g. performing a differentiation of the curvature. If the differential quotient e.g. one per day is indicating a relative fast drop in temperature at the tube, it indicates that there is no leak. Analysing the differential quotient for the whole curvature it is rather easy to indicate that a negative value for that curve must be under a certain level in order to indicate the fast falling curve. This is a rather easy algorithm to program in the microprocessor 20 for the digital analysis of the curvature.
  • FIG. 2 shows a coordinate system 102 comprising a temperature axis 104 and a time axis 106.
  • a curve 108 indicates the actual change of a temperature in a district heating system.
  • the temperature is increasing up to a constant level 112 and the temperature is by the line 114 dropping back to the normal temperature 115. This rapid increase in temperature could indicate that a person is taking a bath.
  • the line 115 con- tinues and there is a fall in temperature 116 perhaps because it is a typical day situation in which most people is at work and the demand for heating is reduced. That leads to a falling inlet temperature because the temperature is falling in the whole system because of falling demand.
  • the temperature is increasing to the normal level because normal activity is probably starting in a whole area of a city.
  • there is a kind of demand perhaps for normal household use in a house or heating is turned on then by 122 the demand is falling and at 124 again more heating is probably turned on for a short period of time.
  • the temperature 126 is again normal and also during the night the demand is decreasing and thereby also the decreasing temperature 128 is indicated.
  • FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment for an apparatus 302 for leak detection.
  • a tube 304 in which tube a heating media is flowing where this flowing media returns in a tube 305.
  • a temperature detector 306 At the tube 304 are a temperature detector 306 and at the tube 305 is placed a temperature detector 307.
  • the temperature detector 306 is connected by a line 308 towards the leak detector 310.
  • the temperature detector 307 is connected by a line 309 also to the leak detector 310.
  • the leak detector 310 is further connected to an alarm unit 312 which alarm unit 312 is further connected to a transmission unit 313.
  • This transmission unit can be, for example, a Wi-Fi connection or it could be a mobile phone which mobile phone is able to transmit a text message or maybe perform a voice call to previous coded phone numbers inside this transmission unit.
  • the alarm unit 310 is further by line 314 connected to a power supply 316.
  • This power supply is probably performed as a battery, because the apparatus 310 can operate for a very long time period on simple batteries.
  • a traditional power supply if it is possible where the apparatus 310 is operating to access to a external power.
  • Most of the operation that is performed by the leak detector 310 is equal to the technology which is previously described relating to the figure 1, 2 and 3.
  • the major difference to what is previously described is that both the temperature of the supply liquid is measured by the temperature detector 306, and also the return line 305 comprises a temperature detector 307. In that way it is possible to indicate the temperature difference between inlet and outlet liquid.
  • the temperature difference between inlet and outlet is relatively low, and the supply line is having a high temperature and return line is more or less having a temperature as high or that the return line has increasing temperature that indicates maybe not a leak to the surroundings, but it indicates, for example, a very bad regulation somewhere in a household installation. That could be, for example, a thermostat that is constantly open. Also here it is very important to get an alarm. In the systems 302 it is also important to continuously measure the temperature of the return line, simply because there is a limited temperature that the liquid in the line has to be limited to otherwise this will be indicated in a higher price that the customer has to pay for the energy that is used.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Examining Or Testing Airtightness (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé et un appareil pour la détection de fuites dans des tubes sous pression pour substances fluides, lequel appareil comprend au moins un détecteur relié à l'extérieur d'un tube qui mesure la température réelle et qui est relié à un circuit de mesure analogique, lequel envoie un signal dépendant de la température à un processeur, ce dernier enregistrant un ensemble de données dépendant de la température dans une mémoire et répétant l'enregistrement d'un nouvel ensemble de données dépendant de la température dans la mémoire après une première période de temps définie.
EP11750217.9A 2010-03-02 2011-03-02 Procédé et appareil pour la détection de fuites Withdrawn EP2542872A4 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA201070080 2010-03-02
PCT/DK2011/050063 WO2011107101A1 (fr) 2010-03-02 2011-03-02 Procédé et appareil pour la détection de fuites

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2542872A1 true EP2542872A1 (fr) 2013-01-09
EP2542872A4 EP2542872A4 (fr) 2016-08-17

Family

ID=44541666

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11750217.9A Withdrawn EP2542872A4 (fr) 2010-03-02 2011-03-02 Procédé et appareil pour la détection de fuites

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2542872A4 (fr)
WO (1) WO2011107101A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2015028629A1 (fr) * 2013-09-02 2015-03-05 Energidata Aps Système de détection de fuite d'eau
GB2573665A (en) * 2015-01-07 2019-11-13 Homeserve Plc Flow detection device
GB2572705B (en) * 2015-01-07 2019-12-25 Homeserve Plc Water Leak Detector
GB2533936B (en) * 2015-01-07 2017-10-25 Homeserve Plc Flow detection device
GB2572274B (en) * 2015-01-07 2019-12-18 Homeserve Plc Water Leak Detector
GB2570225B (en) * 2015-01-07 2019-11-13 Homeserve Plc Flow detection device
GB201501935D0 (en) * 2015-02-05 2015-03-25 Tooms Moore Consulting Ltd And Trow Consulting Ltd Water flow analysis
EP3067671A1 (fr) 2015-03-13 2016-09-14 Flowgem Limited Détermination de flux
USD800591S1 (en) 2016-03-31 2017-10-24 Homeserve Plc Flowmeter
FR3050119A1 (fr) * 2016-04-15 2017-10-20 Finsecur Dispositif de detection du declenchement d'un sprinkler, d'un robinet d'incendie arme et systeme de detection
GB2568058A (en) * 2017-11-02 2019-05-08 Invenio Systems Ltd Identifying anomalous flow in a water distribution network
CN113551849B (zh) * 2021-06-23 2024-01-19 国网福建省电力有限公司南平供电公司 采用示踪气体喷射电缆沟防小动物封堵墙的光声分析装置

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1247082A2 (fr) * 1999-10-07 2002-10-09 Frank Nelson Espensen Procede de controle de condition d'ecoulement, indicateur de fuite et indicateur de faible echange de chaleur a utiliser dans ledit procede
US7076373B1 (en) * 2005-01-14 2006-07-11 Honeywell International Inc. Leak detection system for a water heater
GB0703336D0 (en) * 2007-02-20 2007-03-28 Thermocable Flexible Elements Temperature detector

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2011107101A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP2542872A4 (fr) 2016-08-17
WO2011107101A1 (fr) 2011-09-09

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