This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will assess the feasibility of long-term leak monitoring of water, gas, and petroleum pipelines. The firm has designed and validated a portable acoustic leak detector which exceeds the performance of other devices which are limited to detection of acoustic leak signatures of 60 dB below the pipe noise level. Alternative technology consists of vehicle-based surveying methods, registering emissions. The new system is aimed at the challenging, unsolved problem of detecting leaks whose acoustic signatures are 90 dB below the noise level. Pipeline sensors are placed up to 20 miles apart and data is analyzed remotely. The present proposal will develop sophisticated signal processing methods needed to detect small, emerging leaks automatically. The firm is partnering with a well-established gas pipeline supplier. A series of experiments performed on a 10-mile gas pipeline will establish the sensitivity of the technology and the parameters of monitoring. Results will determine whether long-term, computerized small-leak monitoring of pipelines (gas, water, and petroleum alike) is feasible. The concept has generated enthusiasm from the gas industry. The Company projects a potential market of over $400 million, building on a portable-device water market of $100 million in which the firm is active. This award is supported by the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).
