DIDIER ILUNGAProject ManagerRand WaterSouth Africa

2

SMARTBALL LEAK DETECTION TECHNOLOGY FOR LARGE DIAMETER PRESSURISED

PIPELINES

(Case Studies B1 Rand Water Pipeline &Cape Town Voelvlei Pipeline)

3

� SmartBall is a latest and innovative leak detection system from Pure Technologies.

� It’s a Free-Swimming Leak Detection SystemIt’s a non-interruptive leak detection system.

� SmartBall consists of a foam ball with an instrumented aluminium core capable of detecting very small acoustic events in pipeline

4

5

Steps to perform the SmartBall survey• Presite review

• Installation of SmartBall tracking sensors

• Installation of extraction net

• Insertion of the SmartBall

• Progress of the SmartBall Inside the pipeline

• Retrieval of the ball at the end of the survey

• Analysis data and report

6

Fig1:SmartBall and the foam ball

7

• Fig 2:SmartBall Instrument

8

• Fig 3:Existing opening point

9

Insertion Stark

Fig 4:Insertion of the SmartBall

10

How can SmartBall locate leaks?

Fig 5:Principle of the SmartBall

1-Insertion2-3-Ball rolls in the pipe and records noise4-Extraction

11

Acoustic energy Principle

• When pressurised water leaks from a pipe, it creates a distinctive acoustic signal that travels through the water flowing in the pipeline.

• The SmartBall identifies the resulting sound created by the release of pressure when it passes directly the leak.

12

13

SmartBall Tracking Device: SmartBall Receiver (SBR)

-Every 3 seconds the SmartBall emits and ultra-sonic chirp

-The sound travels through the pipe

-The SBR detects how long the chirp takes to arrive, determines approximate distance to the SmartBall

14

SmartBall Tracking the progress of the Ball

Real time tracking of SmartBall’s position in pipe up to 1200 meters away

15

SmartBall Retrieval: NetCollapsible net inserted through Valve

16

SmartBall Retrieval: Net assisted by Camera

Real time video of the Ball entering the extraction net

17

SmartBall Data Acquisition:

Analysis of the Data

-Identify leaks using “Leak Indication Power ”

18

Case studies B1Pipeline

• B1 Rand Water pipeline is a 1370mm steel

pipeline with lead caulked joints laid in 1964.• It transmits water from starts from Zuikerbosh

pumping station to Zwartkoppies station.

19

A section of 5km of the B1 pipeline was inspected for leaks using the SmartBall leak detection system

from Water hammer tower in Buscillias to BoltonWold on Donald Street.

20

Results of the survey

• A total of Seventeen leak locations were identified by the SmartBall technology.

• Fourteen leaks were on the joints and 3 inside chamber.

• All these leaks were repaired by Rand Water.

21

LEAK LOCATIONS Phase 1: Distance surveyed 2500m

Leak number Distance from insertion (m) Description

1 617 Small

2 637 Medium

3 738 In the chamber Medium

4 2405 Large

22

LEAK LOCATIONS Phase 2: Distance surveyed 5000m

Leak number Distance from insertion Description

1 643 Medium

2 804 Medium

3 922 Medium

4 947 Medium

5 990 Medium

6

7

1514

1700

Medium

In chamber

8 1776 Medium

9

10

1819

2495

Medium

Small

11 2782 Medium

23

LEAK LOCATIONS Phase 2: Distance surveyed 5000M

Leak number Distance from insertion Description

12 2959 Large

13 3352 Medium

14 3788 Medium

15 3832 Medium

16 4177 Large

17 4308 Medium

18 4567 Medium

24

EXCAVATION RESULTS

Fig 7a: Exposed Leak on B1 Pipeline (6 0’clock)

25

Fig 8:Exposed Leak on the B1 Pipeline(12 0’clock)

26

Fig 10:Exposed Leak on the B1 Pipeline(5 0’clock)

27

Case studies 2: Voelvlei Pipeline

• Voelvlei Pipeline is a 1525mm PCP pipeline that

transmits water from Voelvlei to PlattekloofReservoir in Cape Town.

• A section of 11,5km was inspected,from Conterkloof Road to Plattekloof Road.

• 1 Leak was identified on the joint and repaired by City of Cape Town.

28

LEAK LOCATIONS : Distance surveyed 11,500m

Leak number Distance from insertion (m) Description

1 2112,2 Large

29

EXCAVATION RESULTS

Fig 13: Exposed Leak on Voevlei Pipeline (12 0’clock)

30

SUMMARY/ UNIQUE ADVANTAGES

• High sensitivity to leak noise,

• Accurate leak location(< 1m),• Leak location upon data processing (Usually

next day),• Operate in all kind of pipes under pressure,• Minimum pipe diameter 250mm and above,

• Long survey lengths for a single deployment;(20 km per day at 0.5 m/s flow velocity)for more than 12 hours,

31

• Operates through existing openings with site works,

• Requires only two 90mm access ports per survey,

• Proceed through valves, tees, siphon…• Leak size estimation presented in report,

• Leak location presented in report as well as GPS coordinates,

• Comply with water quality standards.

32

RECOMMENDATIONS

• The SmartBall technology be utilised in South Africa and in Africa to detect leaks on pipelines network in order to repair them and reduce water leakage.

• A leak detection program be designed and implemented by Water companies incorporating the use of the SmartBall.

33

THANK YOU