Finding an Invisible Leak in HDPE Pipes

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Which technology is the most accurate for finding an invisible leak in high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes? 

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19 Answers

  2. Dear Sridhar, for HDPE Pipes above DN300 traditional methods aren't the most appropriate. If you can find a publishing from IWA named "Leak detection, technology and implementation" you will find technology matrices for each Pipe Material.  

    For HDPE Piplines, you can find that the recommended technologies for DN

  3. Sridhar, did you find the leak yet?? If so what did you use... best wishes

     

  4. Dear Sridhar, after zoning your leak on larger scale with methods like step test and correlation, hydrophone is really reliable technique which we use a lot with best results. Good luck...

  5. Dear Shridhar ,

    Honestly  their is no particular technology in the world which give us exact pin-point leak locations in plastic or non metallic pipes .

    I have worked with SmartBall as well as acoustic correlatore too fails in plastic pipes , their is only either options are you use acoustic hydrophones or tracer gas (helium). 

    But in helium you can't get the pin-point data & in cloudy conditions it is difficult to find leakages. My point of view tends to acoustic hydrophones which give good data in any pipes . You can use it with correlators , however plastic pipes are bad conductor of sound so hydrophone takes water is their medium to correlate not the pipe wall . 

     

    Thanks,

    Ashutosh Paswan

    NRW Expert

    ADCC Infocad Limited.

  6. SmartBall - Experiences from Germany

    in addition to Martas' comment I added a link to a project report from IKT - Institute for Underground Infrastructure.  My former colleaque Katrin Harting was project manager of this exciting project, funded by the Ministry of Environment in Northrhine-Westfalia, Germany . She tested different systems and SmartBall was included. Please have a look at page 53 with a general description of the system and on page 132 where it was tested in fresh water pipeline DN 1400.

    I am very sorry, it is written in german but I think google translater will help to translate and understand the important parts of this document.

    Christoph

    1 Comment

  8. Invicible might b,but still hissing that surveying might locate. Acoustic listening and location possibly based on echologics work even for PVC,subsurface pipes with water,under most types of soils,despite the low hiss .

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  11. Leak detection with high-sensitivity correlation technology

    There is a system on the market that can be used from above ground to detect leakages.

    The company vonRoll from Switzerland has developed a system using sensitive correlation technologie to find the precise position of these leakages. If you follow this link you will find a desciption of this system: http://www.vonroll-hydro.de/en/log3000/product/log3000.html . Please find a brochure about LOG3000 attached.

    Good luck, Christoph

    3 Comments

    1. Dear Zeinab Arniri,

      I know about applications in main pipes. There is a short passage in a video of vonRoll where the correlation system is integrated in an expert system to control and maintain fresh water pipe systems, called Hydroport: http://www.idw.world/en/info.html 

  13. @ Sridhar M,

    Firstly a properly manufactured PE pipe from a reputed raw material and correct butt welding or other jointing procedures like butt welding/ socket fusion/ electro fusion should not leak. The apparent leak which you are experiencing could be due to transition fittings with other materials like steel, metal or non metal joints. All flange joints, fitting and fixtures need to inspected and it may please be ensured that good quality gaskets are used in the utility transmission or distribution main. You can also check whether the loss is due to the customer using a wrong material or jointing procedure at his retail outlet. 

    1 Comment

  15. Dear Friend，

    In my understanding, the HDPE you mentioned should be DN300 or below. The Sahara and Smart ball are not optional here (both of them only used for large DN pipe).

    If the water pressure is above or equal 0.25 MPa, I suggest that you try to use cor-relator with two special sensors (hydrophone). On the condition that pipe length is less 100m between two sensors(accelerate type), normal cor-relator is also useful.

    We have successful examples to pinpoint leakage point in PE pipe.

     

    BR,

     

    Wu Hao  

    1 Comment

  17. Hi Shridhar, it depends on many factors ie diameter, pressure (SDR rating of the pipe and its operating pressure), length between fittings for connection for correlation (make sure you have a good one) or insertion of devices such as Sahara or JD7, age and specification of the PE, type and certification of jointing especially if electrofusion has been used, type and frequency of any connections including air valves, etc... Do let me know if you want more advice regards Nick

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  18. In Kisumu, we use the step-testing and comparing flows at different sections. we use Noise Correlator and Portable UFMs.

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  19. Somebody asked the same question last week. It's mainly governed by how readily you can access the pipe - through a valve, fitting or whatever. Sahara is well proven and involves floating a microphone on a tether down the line. It will pick up the noise of the leak as it passes. Other options include Smartball which is launched into the pipe and then caught / captured further down the line in a catch pit you may need to install. If the pipe is very strategic and has plenty of capacity you could slipline it - put a new pipe inside the old. If you need more capacity you could pipe burst. International Society for Trenchless Technology and its web-site has lots of good detail on how the various systems work. 

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