METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SEALING CAPACITY AND DETECTING LEAK POINT IN PIPELINE WITH SHUT-OFF ELEMENT Russian patent published in 2021 - IPC G01M3/24 F17D5/02 

FIELD: diagnostics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the field of technical diagnostics, in particular, to methods for controlling the sealing capacity of pipelines, and can be used to assess the sealing capacity of pipelines and detect leak points in pipelines of nuclear power plants. The method for controlling the sealing capacity and detecting a leak point in a pipeline with a shut-off element consists in recording acoustic signals at two points along the length of the pipeline and subsequently processing the received acoustic signals. Acoustic signals are recorded in the wide ultrasonic range at two points along the length of the pipeline, located on the pipeline before and after the shut-off element. The recorded ultrasonic signals are processed by an analog-to-digital converter and two signal spectra corresponding to the record points are constructed based on the obtained values using the Fourier transform. A range from 15,000 to 90,000 Hz is selected in the constructed signal spectra, and the highest amplitude value is selected in this range in both signal spectra. The amplitudes of the signal spectra are then divided in the specified frequency range by the largest amplitude value, and the difference between the signal spectra before and after the shut-off element is determined by the proposed formula. Based on the determined values, a conclusion is made on the absence of leaks if the difference S between the signal spectra is less than -100 or the presence of an insignificant leak if the difference between the signal spectra is in the range from -100 to 100. The conclusion about a significant leak is made when the difference between the signal spectra is greater than 100. It is also proposed to record ultrasonic signals using acoustic emission sensors.

EFFECT: reducing the duration of conducting the diagnostic examination and eliminating the influence of the pipeline geometry on the result obtained during the diagnostic examination.

2 cl, 4 dwg