Vibration-Based Leak Detection Approach in a 90-Degree Pipe Elbow: A Computational Study

The present papernumerically exploresVibration-Based Leak Detection (VBLD) methodbased on Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI)to predictleakagesin pipelines.Earlier studies primarily investigated the VBLD approach ina straight small-diameterwater loop systempipes using laboratoryexperiments. The current work aims to extend theseinvestigationscombiningComputational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) withFinite Element Analysis (FEA)in ANSYS™. Thepaper lays out anumerical approach ofthe VBLD method to predictthe changesin vibration signalsbetween normal operating conditions versusleakages. This is carried out for a 90-degree pipe elbowwith applications in the oil and gas industry.Firstly, changesinforces experienced by pipe walls resulting from a leakage (modelled as an additional outlet) and consequently changesin fluid behaviour arepredicted using CFD. Secondly, the CFD results arecoupled to FEA to model structural responsesof the pipe walls to the different forcesand this inturn allows the changes invibration signals to be measured. Thisnumerical approachbased on FSIandincorporating the VBLD methodoffers a cost-effective and complementary early-detectiontoolto use out in the fieldtogether with vibration monitoring devices.