Method of detecting and monitoring a leak caused by a through wall crack in a high pressure fluid system

摘要

A method of detecting and monitoring leaks in the piping of a nuclear reactor senses the acoustic energy from the leak and analyzes its frequency spectrum versus acoustic amplitude. A choke flow condition will exist where the leak flows at sonic velocity; here the acoustic energy is directly proportional to the area of the crack producing the leak. This is utilized to provide an indication of crack enlargement.