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WS2 Leak Analysis in Pipes Using Transients: 2.1 Hydrostatic Method
WS2 Leak Analysis in Pipes Using Transients: 2.1 Hydrostatic Method
L. Ubertini
Department of Hydraulics and Transportation, University of Rome “La Sapienza”
1. INTRODUCTION
Many problems face engineers in the design and maintenance of water distribution
networks. These problems can be grouped into two types: network characteristic definition
problems, and problems associated with computer hydraulic modeling. The network
characteristic definition problems involve physical parameters such as unknown pipe and valve
layouts, unauthorized users of water, and pipes deteriorating and forming leaks. Computer
hydraulic modeling can pose uncertainty, not necessarily with the accuracy of the software
package, but rather with the confidence in parameters used in the models. Some of the largest
issues in water distribution are calibration of models and detecting leaks.
It has been estimated that, as an example, within the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in most
European countries, at least 25 % of the water supply is being lost from water distribution
networks. This is very costly for both the water utility who directly loses money and the
consumer who is indirectly penalized through increases in water rates. There is no completely
satisfactory method for finding leaks or unauthorized use of water at present without costly meter
reading and exact quantification of flows. Although there have been methods in the past that can
quantify and locate leaks, they have only really been for single long pipelines rather than
networked systems.
The aim of the present paper is to show that leak detection and evaluation in pipe systems
can be reached by means of unsteady-state tests that minimize both time consuming and costs for
Water Supply Companies as well as minimize the risks for the integrity of conduits.
In the paper, first the traditional techniques for leak detection are described; second,
principles on which the proposed technique is based are analyzed; third numerical and
experimental evidence of the effects of leaks on pressure transient are shown.
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The traditional method of determining and locating leaks is to test each length of pipe line
as it is layed. This involves pressurizing the pipe with a low-cost liquid, usually water. Pressure
sensors are then positioned in the pipe to see if there is any reduction of pressure that could mean
the presence of a leak. This is a good technique because leaks can be found when the pipe has
just been placed and the leaking pipe can be easily replaced with a non-faulty member. The only
problem with this method is that it cannot easily be done with existing pipe networks, due to the
fact that part of the network has to be shut down. Another traditional technique is just to measure
the inflow and compare it with the outflow. If there are any differences there must be leaks. It
should be said that this is a very cost efficient way to show the existence of leaks. A drawback
with this is that the number and location of leaks are unknown, thus tracking them down can be a
problem.
t a
s (1)
2
where: s = distance to the leak from the section where the pressure wave has been produced,
T = time difference between the initial transient wave and the reflected wave,
a = wave propagation velocity.
Moreover, by considering partial reflection of pressure waves which takes place at a leak,
the discharge behavior of the leak itself can be assessed.
The second effect is the distortion in the oscillatory peaks and troughs that occur after the
main pressure rise has occurred.
The third and last effect due to the leakage is a reduction in the
amplitude of the oscillatory pattern after the main pressure rise has
occurred.
Thus, for a given change of the flow, the presence of a leak can be
detected by analyzing the pressure signal, that is the pressure time-history
at a section of the pipe. Of course, the larger and the faster the flow change
which gives rise to transient, and then the larger and the steeper the
pressure wave, the better the leak detection. The measured pressure signal
can be compared with the predictions of a numerical model for the same
transient assuming the pipe to be intact. Alternatively, experimental values
previously obtained, such as when the pipe was just built, can be taken into
account.
Numerical modeling
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Firstly, the possibility of locating a leak on the basis of transient tests is shown by
discussing the results of numerical simulations; details of the numerical model are given in
(Brunone 1989, 1999) as well as in Appendix I.
Example refers to an iron outfall pipe with diameter D = 300 mm,
length L = 1000 m, characteristic roughness = 0.4 mm (Colebrook-White
equation), a = 1250 m/s. Transients are caused by an increase ho of the
piezometric head in the initial section created, for example, by a pressurized
tank truck. The pressure signal, hm, is shown (Fig. 1) at the measurement
section (s = sm = 50 m) downstream of the controlled valve whose action
gives rise to the transient ( ho = 5 m). In the graph, the bold line represents
an intact pipe, whereas the thin lines refer to a damaged pipe where, at the
section s = 400 m, a leak of different discharge behavior is located: C A =
20, 80 and 180 mm2, respectively, with C and A being the coefficient of
discharge and the area of the leak. Furthermore, the dimensionless time =
t/ is considered, with t being the time since the beginning of the valve
motion and = 2L/a. Fig. 1 shows that for the intact pipe, hm is practically
constant and equal to ho in the time interval [1, 3], with 1 = sm/(2L), the
time at which the pressure wave approaches section m, and 3 = 1 - sm/L,
the time when the pressure wave, reflected back at the end diffuser, arrives
at section m. For a damaged pipe, by contrast, at 2 = s /L - 1, a reduction
y of hm occurs, an effect which increases with increasing C A .
Laboratory Tests
With respect to the case of an intact pipe, numerical simulations confirm that, when a
pressure wave arrives at the orifice node, a part of it is transmitted and the other part is reflected
back, with the reflection phenomenon depending on the characteristics of the leak. Therefore, as
already mentioned, the pressure signal conveys information about the state of the system: not only
the presence of a leakage, but also its location and size.
(i) upstream pressurized tank (air vessel) in which the pressure can be held nearly constant; in
fact, during tests the speed of two submerged pumps, drawing water from the recycling
reservoir, can be varied;
(ii) polyethylene pipe, 352 m in length of internal diameter 93.8 mm and wall thickness of 8.1
mm; the pipe is arranged in concentric circles with bends having a minimum radius equal
to 1.5 m and is almost horizontal, except for the last short part;
In order to simulate a leak, a device with a variable diameter orifice at its wall has been
used (Fig.2). Pressure has been measured at the upstream tank and at the downstream end section
of the pipe (the measurement section in Fig. 2). Pressure transducers are of the strain-gauge type,
with a recording range of 0 to 60 m of water, an accuracy of 0.5% of the full-range scale and a
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time response of 50 ms. Output signals from pressure transducers are read directly into a PC at a
rate of 130 Hz.
Transient events have been caused by quick closure of the end valve. The device
simulating the leak has been placed at a distance s = 128.12 m from the end section of the pipe.
In tests, different values of the orifice diameter have been considered in order to evaluate the
effects of the dimension of the leak on the characteristics of the pressure signal, for a given shape
of the leak. Furthermore, some tests have concerned an intact pipe with the orifice simulating the
leak closed by a disk. As a result of the pressure signal analysis extended to all tests, the mean
value of the velocity of the water hammer wave a = 359.9 m/s has been estimated; small
differences in the a value from test to test can be explained with the existence of small trapped air
volumes.
To allow detailed discussion, only four of the experimental results from the laboratory
apparatus are chosen as entirely typical of the remainder. The related traces of pressure signal, hm,
observed at the measurement section are shown in Figs. 3 to 6, where the reference datum for hm
is the floor of the laboratory and t is time since data acquisition.
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s s100 (2)
s
are shown.
Test s
(no.) (m) (%)
1 --- ---
2 131.0 2.25
0
3 130.8 2.11
2
4 129.5 1.12
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Basing on Table II, it can be seen that for all considered cases the error in leak location is
acceptable. Moreover, for given hm and shape of the leak, the smaller d the greater because of
uncertainty in determining the actual time at which the reflected wave reaches the measurement
section. In other words, the larger hm, and then y, the more evident the discontinuity in the
pressure signal due to the reflected wave.
On the basis of the value of y, the discharge behavior of the leak can be determined using
inverse transient calculations (Brunone 1999).
Results of both numerical simulation and laboratory tests carried out on a long pipe
confirm the reliability and validity of the proposed technique, at least when a simple pipe system is
considered. The transient tests proposed do not require complex equipment to be carried out, in
fact pressure measurement at only one section is needed, and do not give rise to dangerous over-
pressures (about 10 – 15 m of water column). The state of the pipe can then be determined
periodically by comparing the present pressure signal with the one recorded, as an example, just
after the construction corresponding to an intact pipe.
REFERENCES
Brunone, B. (1989). “A technique for leak detection in wastewater outfalls.
Numerical experiments”, Congress on ‘Wastewater Outfalls’, Ischia, Italy,
Univ. of Naples, D.223-236 (in Italian).
Brunone, B. (1999). “A transient test-based technique for leak detection in
outfall pipes”, J. Water Resour. Plng. and Mgmt., ASCE (in press).
Brunone, B., and Ferrante, M. (1999). “On leak detection in single pipes using
unsteady-state tests”, In M.H. Hamza (Editor): Modeling and Simulation,
IASTED ACTA PRESS, Anaheim, California, 268-272.
Brunone, B., Golia, U.M., and Greco, M. (1995). “Effects of two-dimensionality
on pipe transients modeling”, J. Hydr. Engrg., ASCE, 121(12), 906-912.
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Jönsson, L. (1994). “Detection of leaks using pressure transients”, Report, Univ.
of Lund, Sweden.
Jönsson, L. (1995). “Leak detection in pipelines using hydraulic transients.
Laboratory measurements”, Report, Univ. of Lund, Sweden.
Liggett, J. A., and Chen, L. (1994). “Inverse transient analysis in pipe
networks”, J. Hydr. Engrg, ASCE, 120(8), 934 -955.
Pudar, R.S., and Liggett, J.A. (1992). “Leaks in pipe networks”, J. Hydr. Engrg,
ASCE, 118(7), 1031-1046.
Wylie, E. B., and Streeter, V. L. (1993). “Fluid transients in systems”, Prentice
Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
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APPENDIX I – NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF TRANSIENTS IN DAMAGED
PIPES
characteristic line) the orifice node, respectively. In (A2) and (A3), the condition of a common
piezometric head, ht hut hdt , at the orifice node is assumed and Qut ( Qdt ) is the upstream
(downstream) discharge and s = axial co-ordinate, with s = 0 at the initial section of the pipe. In
t t
(A2) and (A3), coefficients are defined as: Cu ht 1t BQt 1t ; Bu B R Q 1
;
t t t t t t t t t t t t
Cd h 1 BQ; Bd B R Q
1
t t
1 ; where h 1 and Q 1 (h1 and Q1 ) are the
piezometric head and the discharge at the node upstream (downstream) the orifice node at time
t t , respectively; t = time step; B a / gA is the pipe characteristic impedance; A = cross-
sectional area of the pipe; R s / 2 gDA 2 is the pipe resistance coefficient; = Darcy-
Weisbach friction factor and D = pipe internal diameter.
Furthermore, at any time t the continuity equation must be satisfied at the orifice node:
Qu Qd Qt
t t
(A4)
The boundary conditions to be satisfied both at the upstream and downstream end section
of the pipe depend on the characteristics of the induced action, which gives rise to he pressure
wave, along with on those of the pipe.