Measurement of Sensor Response to Leakage of Sulfuric Acid and Sodium Hydroxide at Varying Concentrations in Renewable Energy Facilities

This study examines the performance of two widely used and reusable leak detection sensors-a point sensor and a line sensor-in detecting sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide leaks under varying chemical concentrations and leakage volumes. The objective was to analyze how sensor output changed in response to different conditions and to establish empirical equations that described these relationships. Experimental results showed that the point sensor output increased with chemical concentration up to 30% for sulfuric acid and 20% for sodium hydroxide, after which the sensor output began to decline. In both acid and alkali cases, the sensor output increased consistently as leakage volume increased, indicating higher detectability at larger volumes. The line sensor displayed similar trends, although it showed greater sensitivity to changes in leakage volume, particularly between 1 mL and 3 mL. While the line sensor offered broader coverage, some variation in output values was observed due to material differences, even though this had minimal impact on overall detection performance. Comparative analysis revealed that the point sensor exhibited greater output variation across all concentration ranges. At higher concentrations, sulfuric acid produced lower output values than sodium hydroxide. A strong correlation was observed between the electrical conductivity of the solutions and the sensor outputs. Based on this relationship, mathematical models were developed to predict sensor responses using conductivity data. These findings suggest that by setting appropriate detection thresholds based on chemical concentration and conductivity, early detection of even minor chemical leaks is possible, allowing for faster response and improved safety in industrial and laboratory environments.