Leak detection and position method for pressure piping using Acoustic Emission

Detection and position of defects in pipeline based on acoustic emission was investigated. The theory of AE pipeline detection and position method was analyzed and a serial of experiments were carried out. Parameters, such as pressure in the pipe, diameter of the leaking hole (leaking hole), and distance from transducers to the leaking hole, were adjusted to show its effects on AE signals caused by the leak. It shows that AE technique could be applied in detecting and positioning of defects in pressure pipe during normal operation of the pipeline, and it is insensitive to the geometry structure of inspected component. In the end, the leak was positioned through continuous AE signals using cross-correlation analysis, and the relative error of the test was 2.63%.