Quantification of Valve Leakage Rates

This article gives an overview of methods concerning the detection and quantification of internal leaks through valves. It also presents comparisons of the methods using new experimental data with emphasis on the spectral information in the signals. The first method utilizes known analytical relationships between acoustic emissions and fluid flow. The second method is a data-driven comparative approach where an online signal from a leaking valve is compared with a set of saved reference signals from leaking valves. The work presents a new and improved way of leak estimation compared to what is practiced in the industry today, which will ultimately result in safer operations and reduced maintenance related costs. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2012