Siemens clamp-on leak detection solution for enhanced pipeline management

Pipeline leaks can have catastrophic consequences for human health, the environment and the global economy, which is why oil transportation companies face increasingly stringent governmental regulations. The ideal solution: investing in the accurate and reliable FUS-LDS Leak Detection System from Siemens. Based on clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement technology, the Siemens FUS-LDS is a complete software and hardware solution for detecting and localizing pipeline leaks – before they can cause harm to property or people.

While most suppliers offer only the software component of a leak detection system, Siemens provides a comprehensive package complete with software as well as all flow and temperature instrumentation. This ensures the best possible performance under any operating conditions and improves the customer service experience since Siemens serves as the single point of contact for all questions and service requests.

The Siemens FUS-LDS consists of two or more site stations, each of which typically contains a SITRANS FUH1010 clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter, a clamp-on RTD temperature sensor and a method of data communication. A computer terminal known as the master station runs the LDS software and polls each of the site stations once per minute for a wide range of data. As the system detects releases in real time at both dynamic and static flow conditions by means of pre-set alarm thresholds, it does not require continuous operator attention. An alarm is activated if an imbalance between the inlet and outlet data is detected during any of four integration periods (1, 5, 15 or 60 minutes).

The SITRANS FUH1010 clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters utilized by the Siemens FUS-LDS feature a measurement accuracy rate of ±0.5-1% of flow at velocities above 0.3 m/s or 1 ft/s (calibratable to 0.15-0.3% of flow). This is accomplished primarily through Siemens’ patented WideBeam transit time technology, which utilizes the resonance frequency of the pipe wall to produce a particularly strong, focused and coherent signal.

To ensure even greater ease of use for pipeline operators, Siemens recently enhanced its master station leak detection software with the powerful SIMATIC WinCC process visualization system. The Microsoft^® Windows^®-based SIMATIC WinCC now provides a dynamic graphic user interface for the Siemens FUS-LDS, allowing the user to visually identify pipeline locations on a map and highlight specific flowmeters or line segments. This improves process efficiency since the operator will better understand what is happening across the pipeline and be able to react instantly to any situation before it escalates, as well as determine exactly where any leak event occurred.

If you have any questions regarding the Siemens FUS-LDS Leak Detection System, please contact piabusales.industry@siemens.com.