METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING A FLUID CONDUIT SYSTEM FOR LEAKS

摘要

A method and apparatus are proposed for monitoring a fluid conduit system for leaks. To detect a leakage flow of less than 25 1/h, after closing a main valve (4), the time is measured that is taken by the pressure in the conduit system (12, 13) to drop to a predetermined first value. On reaching this value, a shunt valve (6) is opened and the time is measured that is required by the pressure to rise to a second predetermined value. The leakage flow is calculated from the two times and the two pressures together with known constants for the conduit system. Fig. 1