It's possible: “almost” real time leak detection

August 12, 2021 | Digital Marketing | Innovation

According to the Industry 4.0 vision, damage caused by leaking process fluids is a thing of the past. However, when it comes to refurbishing production plants that have existed for years, or even decades, the approach must be different. That is why, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies has developed a solution for the reliable leak detection in capital equipment at minimum installation cost. The factories with intelligent management do more than just increase productivity: they also help to reduce potential environmental damage derived from its activity. In this sense, it is especially important to be able to detect as soon as possible and report any leak that may occur in the installation's equipment such as reducers, pumping groups, reactors, valves, etc... A leak may be due to, for example, a poorly installed gasket, a poor quality weld or a seal in poor condition, among other causes... Digitalization and the use of intelligent sensors allow us to detect malfunctioning conditions in real time and, therefore, reduce breakdowns in capital goods.

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Leakage Control System from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

LeaCo, The new «Leakage Control System» from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies combines the advantages of comparable leakage systems on the market and thus offers a unique solution. LeaCo detects leaks and communicates them to a display module and, if preferred, to a cell phone via SMS. Up to 40 wireless sensors can be connected to the display module. A repeater can even be used to improve signal reception if the signal is weak. In this way, real-time monitoring is possible of those equipments of greater responsibility or whose failure may cause an unscheduled plant shutdown.

Advantages of the Leakage Control System from Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

For its conception and design, LeaCo offers the following advantages:

- Quick and easy installation.
- Wireless system.
- Universal liquid detection.
- Continuous monitoring of critical equipment.
- Flexibility of assembly.
- Wide range of applications in all industrial sectors.

The sensor is fixed where the equipment of interest is likely to leak, without the need for any modification, either a valve or an accessory such as a flange. The sensor is made of non-woven fabric, replaceable, and an infrared laser is continuously incident on it. In the event of a leak, gravity will cause droplets to permeate the sensor, altering the refraction of the laser on the surface of the nonwoven. It takes less than two minutes for the sensor to alarm. The detection works with any process fluid such as water, any type of chemical, lubricants or other liquids in the plant. The data is transmitted to the display module developed by Freudenberg at a frequency of 868 MHz. A single display module can link and manage up to 40 sensors. In addition, the alarm can be automatically forwarded to smartphones or tablets as SMS messages. For large-scale installations, it is recommended to install a signal repeater developed for LeaCo.