Author(s): Asiedu R. Sarpong; Ling Zhou; Tongchuan Che

Linked Author(s): Ling Zhou

Keywords: Conveyance pipe; Leak; Localization; Signal-to-noise-ratio; Transient wave; Wavelet transform

Abstract: Transient wave-based leak detection methods have been extensively developed for urban water supply pipes. However, these methods may become inaccurate or even invalid in long water conveyance pipes, which are extremely large in terms of both diameter and length, due to the fast wave damping (i.e., limited leak information carried by reflected waves), whose mechanisms are still unclear. To clarify this problem, this paper aims to demonstrate the applicability of transient wave reflection (TWR) method in long water conveyance pipes. Specifically, to localize a leak anomaly from limited reflected amplitudes, to use wavelet transform to identify the reflected wave in noisy environment, and to determine the detection range at which this method could identify the anomaly. Experimental tests are then carried out to validate the TWR in real pipes. It is found that the TWR method produced accurate localization estimates of a leak in long water pipes which depends on the size and distance location of the leak from the measurement section. The critical signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) was established at 7 dB upon which an allowable leak detection range along the long pipeline is determined.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/HIC2024_P470

Year: 2024