AUTOMATED LEAK DETECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A system (10) for automated soil gas sampling, analysis and reporting to determine the presence and magnitude of a fluid leak from fluid storage vessels (12) by detecting the presence of a unique and identifiable tracer chemical in the fluid leak. The system (10) includes an array of sampling probes (20) disposed in earthen material (4) supporting fluid storage vessels (12). Each of the sampling probes (20) is connected to a first valve (30) selectable between individual sampling probes in the array. The first valve (30) is connected to a second valve (36) which communicates a gas sample from the first valve (30) to a sample loop (37) and loads the gas sample into the sample loop (37). Switching of the second valve (36) from the first valve (30) to a carrier gas source (38) introduces a pressurized carrier gas into the sample loop (37) displacing the gas sample out of the sample loop (37) and into a gas chromatograph (44) for analysis. A process controller (50) governs all switching functions of the valves, actuation of the vacuum pump (42) and the gas chromatograph (44) in accordance with a pre-programmed instruction set. Data output by the gas chromatograph (44) is processed to determine the presence of a tracer in the soil gas sample and actuate a signal flag indicative of the presence of the tracer chemical in the soil gas sample.