MOEK Tests New Leak Detector That Pinpoints Pipeline Failures Within 10 Centimeters
Russian district heating company MOEK has begun pilot operation of a new leak detection system developed in-house that can locate underground pipeline leaks with an accuracy of 10 centimeters, helping crews complete repairs faster while reducing excavation work.
The system consists of a diagnostic unit and two sensors and can be operated by a single technician. It can identify the location of a leak in an underground pipeline with an accuracy of 0.1 meters (10 centimeters) at depths of up to 5 meters, speeding up repairs and reducing the amount of excavation required.
"The project's key engineering breakthrough is the unique design of its sensing elements. Our engineers integrated a high-precision temperature sensor into a remote acoustic pickup sensor. That made it possible to improve the mathematical model used for correlation analysis because the speed of sound traveling through metal depends directly on the pipeline's temperature," said Pyotr Gavrilin, head of diagnostics at PJSC MOEK.
The device was named after a competition among the company's employees and students, while the number 95 commemorates the 95th anniversary of Moscow's district heating system.
