US4131216A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Leak detection system and method for fluid delivery piping
Assignee: Dresser Industries Inc
•
Filing: 1977-04-28
•
Granted: 1978-12-26
•
Expires: 1997-04-28
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for detecting leaks in an underground piping network supplying liquid petroleum products pumped from an underground storage tank to an aboveground dispenser outlet. A highly sensitive flow detector situated in a parallel looped bypass arrangement is selectively operated for ascertaining existence or non-existence of a piping leak. Following a sufficient time lapse of non-dispensing for enabling temperature stabilization of the piping network to occur, the detector is actuated in a controlled sequence of go, no-go steps that culminates in ascertaining existence or non-existence of a piping leak while at the same time eliminating any false indication occasioned by detector malfunction.
Inventors
- 👤 William J. Gerstenmaier
- 👤 John A. Todd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 18:26
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D7/00; B67D7/06; G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/02; G01M3/26; G01M3/28; G01M3/2892
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
In a fluid delivery installation including a fluid source, at least one fluid dispensing outlet, fluid supply piping connecting said fluid source with said dispensing outlet, and a pump capable of being selectively operative for supplying fluid under pressure from said source through said connecting piping to said dispenser outlet, a leak detector system for ascertaining existence of a fluid leak in said installation and comprising in combination: a) bypass piping connected in parallel with at least a portion of said fluid supply piping; b) a flow detector situated in said bypass piping and capable of being electrically energized for detecting existence of fluid flow in said bypass piping; and c) control means to serially energize said flow detector in a predetermined sequence of go, no-go steps for ascertaining existence of a pipe leak.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
In a fluid delivery installation including a fluid source, at least one fluid dispensing outlet, fluid supply piping connecting said fluid source with said dispensing outlet, and a pump capable of being selectively operative for supplying fluid under pressure from said source through said connecting piping to said dispenser outlet, a leak detector system for ascertaining existence of a fluid leak in said installation and comprising in combination: a) bypass piping connected in parallel with at least a portion of said fluid supply piping; b) a flow detector situated in said bypass piping and capable of being electrically energized for detecting existence of fluid flow in said bypass piping; and c) control means to serially energize said flow detector in a predetermined sequence of go, no-go steps for ascertaining existence of a pipe leak.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
In a fluid delivery installation according to claim 1 in which said control means actuates said pump into pumping relation concomitantly with the conduct of at least one of said steps.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
In a fluid delivery installation according to claim 2 in which a no-go response to at least one of said steps reflects a malfunction of said flow detector and said control means is responsive to a no-go stop signal to operatively disconnect said pump and said dispenser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
In a fluid delivery installation according to claim 2 in which the first step of said control means comprises delaying the subsequent step until after a predetermined minimum time period has elapsed following the last dispensing operation of said dispensing outlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
In a fluid delivery installation according to claim 4 in which said flow detector comprises a flow switch that closes in response to a detected fluid flow therein and said control means is operative for deducing existence of leakage flow by said serial energization of said flow detector.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
A leak detector system for ascertaining existence of a fluid leak in a fluid delivery installation supplying fluid pumped from a source through supply piping to a dispensing outlet, and comprising in combination: a) bypass piping connected in parallel with at least a portion of the fluid supply piping; b) a flow detector for situating in said bypass piping and capable of being electrically energized for detecting existence of fluid flow in said bypass piping; and c) control means to serially energize said flow detector in a predetermined sequence of go, no-go steps for ascertaining existence of a pipe leak in the delivery installation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
A leak detector system for ascertaining existence of a fluid leak in a fluid delivery installation supplying fluid pumped from a source through supply piping to a dispensing outlet, and comprising in combination: a) bypass piping connected in parallel with at least a portion of the fluid supply piping; b) a flow detector for situating in said bypass piping and capable of being electrically energized for detecting existence of fluid flow in said bypass piping; and c) control means to serially energize said flow detector in a predetermined sequence of go, no-go steps for ascertaining existence of a pipe leak in the delivery installation.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
A leak detector system according to claim 6 in which said control means functions to actuate the pumping relation of the fluid supply concomitantly with conducting of at least one of said steps.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A leak detector system according to claim 7 in which a no-go response to at least one of said steps reflects a malfunction of said flow detector.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
A leak detector system according to claim 8 in which said flow detector comprises a flow switch that closes in response to a detected fluid flow therein and said control means is operative for deducing existence of leakage flow by said serial energization of said flow detector.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of detecting a leak in a fluid delivery installation that includes fluid delivery piping connecting a fluid source with a fluid dispensing outlet and a pump capable of being selectively activated for supplying fluid under pressure from the source through the delivery piping to the dispenser, said method comprising the steps of providing a bypass connection in parallel flow relation to at least a portion of the delivery piping, and in the absence of fluid being dispensed by the installation performing a test for ascertaining existence of fluid flow in said bypass connection by a predetermined test cycle comprised of a plurality of sequentially conducted go, no-go steps.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
110 words
A method of detecting a leak in a fluid delivery installation that includes fluid delivery piping connecting a fluid source with a fluid dispensing outlet and a pump capable of being selectively activated for supplying fluid under pressure from the source through the delivery piping to the dispenser, said method comprising the steps of providing a bypass connection in parallel flow relation to at least a portion of the delivery piping, and in the absence of fluid being dispensed by the installation performing a test for ascertaining existence of fluid flow in said bypass connection by a predetermined test cycle comprised of a plurality of sequentially conducted go, no-go steps.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of detecting a leak according to claim 10 in which the first of said test cycle steps comprises delaying the subsequent step until after a predetermined minimum time period has elapsed following the last dispensing operation of the dispensing outlet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method of detecting a leak according to claim 11 in which said test cycle steps include the energizing and de-energizing of a flow detector switch in said bypass connection in a controlled go, no-go sequence.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method of detecting a leak according to claim 13 in which at least one of said steps also includes activating said pump.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of detecting a leak according to claim 13 in which the fluid delivery installation comprises a gasoline dispensing site for dispensing gasoline from an underground storage tank and said steps are operative for detecting a leak in at least the underground portion of said installation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3969923A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-12-25 | 1982-06-26 | 1982-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-12-25 | 1986-06-26 | 1986-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-12-25 | 1990-06-26 | 1990-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |