Algorithm for Locating Multiple Leaks in a Pipeline with an Invariance Condition

Abstract

This paper addresses the problem of multiple leaks’ location in a pipeline by considering available measurements of pressure and flow rate at the ends of the pipeline. New conditions are derived that allow the establishment of a well-posed identification problem for two leaks. These conditions are deduced from the existence of the redundant description of the intermediate flow in the line, the invariance of the conduit's physical parameters with respect to the flow's operating points, and the relationship that links the hydraulic gradients of the respective scenarios of one and two leaks. These joint conditions, which have not been established before, eliminate the assumption of sequential leaks reported in the literature and are the paper's main contribution. Moreover, a minimization algorithm considering these conditions is introduced here. Synthetic data demonstrate the proposed algorithm's effectiveness for five situations.