Testbed for real-time monitoring of leak in low pressure gas pipeline

Gas pipelines are the most vital and commonly used method of transportation of fuel, water, gas. Any form of leak in the pipeline can be catastrophic to mankind, incurring huge financial losses. In this paper, an experimental study has been carried out with respect to a real-time monitoring on the pressure and the flow variations. A small section of the pipeline with valves is considered to generate a synthetic leak in a pipeline. The regulation of these valves can be used to monitor the effects of leak on pressure and flow parameters of the town gas. Town gas is widely used in household and industrial applications in Singapore. A systematic test has been performed to analyze the irregularities due to leak. The performance and the magnitude of the signals will help in defining the effects due to leak location and valve operation.