FEATURE Oil & Gas
Going to extremes: Detecting leaks in critical processes
Whether managing extreme temperatures, immense pressures or critical-safety regimes, ultrasonic leak detectors can keep extreme manufacturing processes working safely and efficiently. By Alexander Bardakov, Field Application Engineer for Thermal Imaging at Fluke
M
any factories and plants use compressors to deliver mains air supply,
used to operate pneumatic actuators for process equipment, which can provide power for portable tools and be used as a technique to clean components via sandblasting. Compressed air is so vital that it is often considered the fourth utility after water, electricity and natural gas. However, it is expensive to produce with every 10kW of input electrical power producing only 1kW of usable mechanical air power. The detection of compressed air leakage
is diffi cult and has become one of the hidden losses in a plant. A single 3mm leak in a compressed air line can cost more than $2,500 a year, with audits of large plants reporting losses of $5,000 to $10,000 a day from compressed air leakages. For smaller companies, the overall losses may not be as large in absolute terms but can represent a greater proportion of the company’s turnover. Today, up to 40% of the world’s industrial energy used to produce compressed air is lost due to leaks in these systems. With leaks leading to loss of air
pressure, some companies install further compressors to make up the shortfall, adding capital costs to the operational expenses caused by the leaks. The direct costs of the leak itself is not the only impact as the incorrect torque settings on air tools, for example, can lead to poor products and damaged reputation. As well as compressed air, process gas leaks, such as nitrogen, are common – and nitrogen leaks are ten times more expensive than compressed air leaks. There is also the safety aspect. Although inert gases such as nitrogen and argon are not combustible, they can displace oxygen in the air, which at high concentrations can lead to death or injury. Finding
36 December/January 2023 | Automation
compressed air call for specifi c solutions, such as ultrasonic leak detection.
The ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager The The ii900 Industrial Acoustic Imager from Fluke
and fi xing leaks of volatile gasses, such as methane, is an obvious and urgent priority.
Maintenance teams must be able to detect leaks quickly and accurately, which can be a diffi cult process under normal circumstances. However, there are many critical applications and processes that inevitably involve other extremes, such as high pressures, elevated temperatures and critical safety issues. Detecting air and gas leaks under these conditions can be particularly challenging, with high temperatures deforming components and leading to compromised gas integrity, or tiny unnoticeable leaks having major implications on processes.
As well as the safety aspects and the need to prevent injury to operators and the public, rapid detection of leaks is important to ensure these critical plants continue operation, earning their keep by producing high-quality products while keeping rework and non-essential costs to a minimum.
Leak detection
In industries such as cement manufacturing, the railway trains, automotive and oil and gas, detecting leaks is of crucial importance. Here extreme temperatures and pressures, as well as the sensitive handling of
from Fluke can detect leaks at distances of up to 100m, keeping maintenance staff away from high temperatures and dust whilst allowing the quantifi cation of leaks to help prioritise repair tasks. Once a leak is found, it can also be documented using acoustic and visual images, making leak identifi cation and reporting more intuitive. The imager’s Leak Quantifi cation feature enables users to better estimate losses and prioritise repair based on return on investment. The tool’s ease of use and rapid localisation of leaks can lead to time savings of up to 80% compared to more traditional methods of detecting leaks in these types of environments. The ii910 off ers greater sensitivity when detecting leaks. Using 64 MEMS microphone sensors, the ii910 can sense sound in the audible and ultrasonic range, precisely locating fault locations on the display, to ensure rapid assessment of risk. The tool’s ability to provide accurate long-range detection enables maintenance staff to safely detect even the smallest low pressure and low-density leaks within a facility or from outside a facility’s perimeter. The intuitive operation of this rugged camera means no training is required, making it a critical piece of equipment in response to an emergency. The ii910’s camera can also record fi ve- minute videos and has a battery life of at least six hours. The rapid and eff ective detection of air, gas and vacuum leaks ensures that these critical, extreme processes can continue to work safely and effi ciently.
CONTACT:
Fluke
www.fluke.com
automationmagazine.co.uk
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