Studying and Analyzing Leak Locations in Deeply Buried and High-Resistivity Pipeline Based on a DC Potential Method

Bin Miao,Shucai Liu,Maofei Li,Ningjun Zhu

doi:10.1109/access.2021.3122508

Abstract

It is not uncommon for underground water supply or heating pipelines to break and leak, but such events can cause serious inconvenience to the lives of residents. The accurate and timely detection of the leak locations is the primary objective in solving pipeline rupture issues. Based on the direct current (DC) resistivity method, which provides a stable signal, convenient interpretation, and strong anti-interference ability, we adopted the pole-pole device form of the DC potential method to detect the locations of leaks in high-resistivity water supply or heating pipelines. A finite element numerical simulation method was used to study the characteristics of the leakage point potential distribution with and without metal pipeline interference. The numerical simulation results show that the pole-pole DC potential method has strong anti-interference ability and can effectively locate locations of leaks in pipelines with metal interference. The numerical simulation results were verified by physical experiments. The research results show that the pole-pole DC potential method can effectively detect the locations of leaks in high-resistivity pipelines.

Highlights

The construction and maintenance of water supply and heating pipelines are the foundation that ensures the normal operation of a city
According to the above present research work, we can arrive at the following conclusions: 1) The potential measured by the pole-pole method on the ground spreads outward in concentric circles with the position of the leakage point as the center, and the potential above the leakage point is the largest
The potential at a long horizontal distance from the leakage point is distributed in an ellipse with the metal pipe as the long axis, and the horizontal position of the leakage point is the intersection of the long axis and the short axis of the ellipse

Summary

Introduction

The construction and maintenance of water supply and heating pipelines are the foundation that ensures the normal operation of a city. With the development of cities, the water supply and heating pipes in some old urban areas have been in disrepair for many years and are prone to rupture [1]. The methods commonly used to detect leaks in water supply and heating pipes include the listening method [2]– [4] and the ultrasonic instrument detection method [5], [6]. The listening method is greatly affected by external factors. The signal of this method is greatly interfered by urban industry. There are some methods that can accurately detect

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion