초록 ▼

A drogue capable of being inserted into a water pipe and comprising a flexible bar in which are a pressure sensor, a battery pack, an electronics assembly and a magnetometer. The bar is surrounded by a bladder with an inlet valve at the front and an outlet valve at the rear. The drogue is attached t

A drogue capable of being inserted into a water pipe and comprising a flexible bar in which are a pressure sensor, a battery pack, an electronics assembly and a magnetometer. The bar is surrounded by a bladder with an inlet valve at the front and an outlet valve at the rear. The drogue is attached to a suitable cable so that electrical signals can be conveyed to a computer to enable leaks within the water pipe to be identified and the position of the drogue identified. Also presented is a corresponding method which derives signals relating to volumetric flow for a series of locations in a conduit, in order to detect leakage and determine locations of such leakage, by measuring flow effects around a (moveable) large body and also measuring flow effects around a (moveable) small body at each location (the two bodies capable of being moved together thru the conduit at a set distance apart). The method is also practiced by measuring the differential pressures around each of the two bodies, as well as detecting localized turbulences, to derive information relating to volumetric flow rate at positions along the conduit.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method for detecting leaks in a conduit carrying a liquid, the method comprising deriving, for a series of locations along the conduit, a set of signals related to an actual amount of volumetric flow in the conduit by means of measuring the effects of flow around a relatively large body and aro

1. A method for detecting leaks in a conduit carrying a liquid, the method comprising deriving, for a series of locations along the conduit, a set of signals related to an actual amount of volumetric flow in the conduit by means of measuring the effects of flow around a relatively large body and around a relatively small body at each said location, and using a calculated change in between said locations volumetric flow as an indication of the location of a leak.