Pressure variation and effective sensing zone around small leaks inside water pipelines for reliable leak detection

Detecting and locating small leaks in the water distribution networks save water and help in making critical decisions about the network and the infrastructure. In this work, inside-pipe pressure measurements are used to evaluate the local variation of the pressure around small circular leaks as compared to main pipeline pressure, for reliable leak detection. The technique is working for pressurized pipelines and may be used for liquids and gases. In addition, since large leaks are easy to find, the attention is given to detecting small leaks, which are difficult to be detected using the commercial acoustic methods; specifically with plastic pipes. The current study thereafter helps in characterizing the effective zone of pressure sensing around the leak. A pressure probe, mounted on a movable platform, moves inside a water-pressurized pipe very close to the wall in order to measure the pressure variation at the vicinity of the leak. The effects of pipeline pressure, leak size, and the clearance distance between the pipe wall and the pressure probe on the measured pressure drop around the leak are investigated. Results showed that direct pressure measurements inside the pipe can be effectively used for leak detection. The local pressure drop due to the small leak is very localized around the leak and captured within the leak diameter in the longitudinal direction and almost leak-like radius above the leak in the radial direction. As the line pressure increases, the measured pressure drop increases but the zone of pressure variation is still confined around the leak itself. If the sensor is moving over the leak, then the magnitude of the measured pressure drop is inversely proportional to the sensor speed inside the pipe.