Identification of a Partial Plugging in a Gas-Transport Pipeline by Acoustic Method

Abstract

This paper describes how to accurately locate and estimate a partial plugging in a gastransport pipeline by an acoustic method.
The acoustic method proposed is one of the indirect estimation methods. This method identifies the inner structure of the pipeline via the acoustic standing waves excited by noise introduced at one terminal of the pipeline.
Experiment and simulation to ensure the method were carried out. The pipe made of vinyl chloride whose length is 4.113m and whose diameter is 16.0mm (cross-sectional area was 201mm²) was employed. To avoid disturbing influences, the pipe was straight and had the uniform cross-sectional area without any connecting point. Results by experiment and simulation demonstrated very similar time responses which show the clear pulses due to a partial plugging. From the shape of pulses and the pulse occurrence times, the location and the degree of the partial plugging were calculated A partial plugging with open diameter of 15.6mm (95% cross-sectional area of the pipeline) was clearly located and estimated with reasonable accuracy.