Gas Leak Location Detection Based on Data Fusion with Time Difference of Arrival and Energy Decay Using an Ultrasonic Sensor Array.

Tao Wang,Mingyu Hong,Xiaoran Wang

doi:10.3390/s18092985

Abstract

Ultrasonic gas leak location technology is based on the detection of ultrasonic waves generated by the ejection of pressured gas from leak holes in sealed containers or pipes. To obtain more accurate leak location information and determine the locations of leak holes in three-dimensional space, this paper proposes an ultrasonic leak location approach based on multi-algorithm data fusion. With the help of a planar ultrasonic sensor array, the eigenvectors of two individual algorithms, i.e., the arrival distance difference, as determined from the time difference of arrival (TDOA) location algorithm, and the ratio of arrival distances from the energy decay (ED) location algorithm, are extracted and fused to calculate the three-dimensional coordinates of leak holes. The fusion is based on an extended Kalman filter, in which the results of the individual algorithms are seen as observation values. The final system state matrix is composed of distances between the measured leak hole and the sensors. Our experiments show that, under the condition in which the pressure in the measured container is 100 kPa, and the leak hole–sensor distance is 800 mm, the maximum error of the calculated results based on the data fusion location algorithm is less than 20 mm, and the combined accuracy is better than those of the individual location algorithms.

Highlights

In recent years, as the scale of industry has gradually expanded, pressure vessels and pipes have become increasingly used
With the aim of detecting and locating gas leaks by using ultrasonic waves, a algorithm derived from the data fusion method is proposed, wherein an ultrasonic leak location system location algorithm derived from the data fusion method is proposed, wherein an ultrasonic leak based on a planar sensor array was designed and developed
The innovation of this element planar array was used to locate leak holes whose locations were estimated by the eigenvectors work is that a four element planar array was used to locate leak holes whose locations were of the two algorithms (TDOA & energy decay (ED)), and data fusion was applied to the leak hole location

Summary

Introduction

As the scale of industry has gradually expanded, pressure vessels and pipes have become increasingly used. It is vital to ensure the tightness of pressure vessels before and during their use; doing so requires a leak location approach to identify any leak holes so that the dangers associated with leakage accidents can be avoided [5]. Used leak detection methods include differential pressure methods [6,7,8], mass spectrometry methods [9], infrared thermal imaging methods [10] and ultrasonic methods [11].

Methods

Results

Conclusion