SENSITIVITY ASSESSMENT OF A GRADIENT-BASED LEAK LOCALIZATION PROCEDURE FOR PRESSURE SENSOR FAULTS USING A LABORATORY MODEL OF A TRANSMISSION PIPELINE

This research addresses the topic of leakage localization in liquid transmission pipelines. Particularly, it deals with the standard gradient-based procedure used for performing such a task. The procedure relies on pressure gradient calculations based on pressure data collected from measurement points distributed along the pipeline. This study aimed to verify this procedure regarding its sensitivity to typical systematic errors related to pressure transducers. The primary measure evaluated was the accuracy of the calculated coordinate of a leak spot. The uncertainty of the leak localization result was also estimated following the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement convention. A laboratory model of the pipeline was used to practically implement and test the procedure. During experiments, low-intensity leakages with a level of 0.25–2.00% were simulated. Regarding typical systematic errors, the bias (zero moving) type and the proportional ratio type were considered, which were numerically simulated in the measurement data. The findings reveal how sensitive the examined procedure is in relation to these errors, considering their different levels and scenarios related to used pressure transducers.