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Home > Mechanical Tech. > SmartBall™

SmartBall™: Free Swimming Leak detection System

The Need

Leak detection systems measure ultrasonic noise, infrared temperature variances or electrical flux to detect leakage in structures like, pipes, tanks, geo-membrane retaining structures etc. These systems require that the system be installed in situ and the installation costs depend on area to be monitored. These technologies have been in use since the 1970s for leak detection with constant improvements in the system. The existing systems are uneconomical especially if you are surveying long pipelines. A need is felt in the industry to find economical, fast, economically feasible and convenient technologies for leak detection in pipelines. Pure Technologies, Ltd. has come up with a leak detection technology that may be an answer to these issues.

The Technology

SmartBall® is a free flowing leak detection system developed by Pure Technologies. It consists of a foam ball that has a smaller aluminum ball at its core. This aluminum core houses an ultrasonic device that sends ultrasonic signals and also collects the reflected sound waves. SmartBall® is inserted into the pipeline through an inspection chamber. The ball flows with the water and collects sound disturbances along the travel. Once inserted, the ball can work for about 15 hours and cover miles of pipeline in that duration. The ball can be easily retrieved from another inspection chamber at the other end. The size of the SmartBall® is selected based on criteria like the diameter of the pipeline, location of in-line valves, the size of the appurtenances through which the SmartBall® is inserted and retrieved, and the presence of other lateral lines. Typically, the SmartBall® will be less than one-third the diameter of the pipeline. SmartBall® is suitable for pipelines 10 inches in diameter or greater.

The SmartBall® can detect leaks by two methods:

1. The SmartBall® records the pulses along its travel. This data can be then retrieved by connecting the SmartBall® to a tablet computer setup.
2. Alternately, receivers can be located along the pipeline and the leak is located by knowing the position of SmartBall® relative to the receiver by analyzing the differential pulse. These surface sensors are also used to know the position of the SmartBall®.

Fig 3: Schematic diagram showing the journey of the SmartBall® from insertion in the pipeline to its recovery.

The Benefits

• SmartBall® can be used for any pipe material like concrete, steel, PVC, GRP etc.
• The batteries can work for upto 15 hours which enables SmartBall® to survey miles of pipelines once inserted (at a water flow rate of 1.64 ft/s ( 0.5 m/s), the ball can travel almost 15 miles (25 km)).
• SmartBall® does not produce any apparatus noise and hence can detect very small noise disturbances along the pipeline.
• The location of the leak can be interpolated to an accuracy of about 300mm. SmartBall® can detect very small noise disturbances to the order of: 1 litre per hour
• SmartBall® can also be used to calculate rate of flow, identify pipe joints, and locate valves or other features in the pipeline.

Status

SmartBall is commercially available and has been used by a number of water/wastewater utilities in North America and overseas, a sample of the clients include:

Barriers

• SmartBall® cannot be used for pipelines with high water pressure (>400 psi) as the insertion and retrieving procedure may not be feasible.
• If surface sensors are used to monitor the pulses, these sensors have to be moved along the pipe length if the survey involves long pipe lengths.

Points of Contact

• Mark Holley, President
  Pure Technologies US Inc.
  9130 Red Branch Road, Suite A
  Columbia, MD 21045
  Phone: 443-766-7873
  E-Mail: mark.holley@soundprint.com

Refrences

1. Papers have been presented at the ASCE Pipelines conference since 2006
   http://www.soundprint.com/html/smartball_water.php

Reviewers

• Review in Progress

Disclaimer Statement

Neither the Construction Industry Institute nor Purdue University in any way endorses this technology or represents that the information presented can be relied upon without further investigation.

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