Analytical Model and Gas Leak Source Localization Based on Acoustic Emission for Cylindrical Storage

A theoretical model is presented for the accurate detection of a gas leak source through a pinhole in a cylindrical storage vessel using the acoustic emission (AE) technique. Pinholes of various diameters ranging from 0.20 to 1.2 mm were installed as leak sources, and safe N<sub>2</sub>...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jun-Gill Kang, Kwang Bok Kim, Kyung Hwan Koh, Bong Ki Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/9/5072
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Summary:A theoretical model is presented for the accurate detection of a gas leak source through a pinhole in a cylindrical storage vessel using the acoustic emission (AE) technique. Pinholes of various diameters ranging from 0.20 to 1.2 mm were installed as leak sources, and safe N<sub>2</sub> was used as a filler gas. AE signals were measured and analyzed in terms of AE parameters (such as frequency, amplitude and RMS) as a function of angle and axial distance. Among them, the amplitude characteristic was the most important parameter to determine the leakage dynamics of AE with a continuous waveform. The simulation of AE amplitude was performed using the theoretical model for AE. For practical applications, the theoretical formula was modified into two semi-empirical equations by introducing the normalization method to fit the angular and axial characteristics of the observed AE amplitude, respectively. The main finding of this study is that the semi-empirical equations provide an accurate solution for leak source localization in the cylindrical vessel. As a priori knowledge, the value of <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><msub><mrow><mi>κ</mi></mrow><mrow><mi>η</mi></mrow></msub></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> in Green’s function, which determines the angular and axial dependence of the AE amplitude, was determined by applying external excitation to the cylinder surface. The proposed formulas provide a suitable approach for practical application in the localization of leak sources in cylindrical storage tanks.
ISSN:2076-3417