The Sahara® Leak Location System is able to detect and pinpoint the location of very small leaks in mains of all materials. The leaks that cause pipelines to fail initial pressure tests are often extremely small and hence difficult to locate using conventional techniques. The Sahara® system detects leaks as small as 1 ltr an hour and is used by all the leading contractors, wheremore traditional methods have failed.
Key advantages:
- High sensitivity will detect even the smallest leak
- Instant results - excavate and repair immediately
- Precise location of any leaks identified
- Suitable for all pipe materials
- Survey at the pipeline test pressure
- Sections up to 2km long be tested from a single point
- Full sensitivity over entire survey length – whatever the length
The Sahara® system can be used to locate leaks already detected by a pressure test or alternatively, in the case of plastic pipes and MDPE in particular, it can be used to check the integrity of the pipeline before embarking on a lengthy pressure test.
In live water mains the sensor and cable are pulled through the main by the flow of water. In new mains where there is no flow, several techniques can be used to transport the sensor.
The easiest method is to pull the system through using a draw line installed during construction of the pipeline. Alternatively a line can be pulled through after construction by attaching it to a swab and flushing it through when filling the line for test. A third option is to use a swab or over-sized drogue to pull the sensor through while filling the line. Once transported to the far end of the pipeline, the pressure can be raised and the survey carried out as the sensor is drawn back along the pipeline.
Sahara® Pipeline Inspection has experience of testing many different pipes and can suggest the most appropriate solution for each case. The Sahara® Leak Location System is able to detect and pinpoint the location of very small leaks in mains of all materials. The leaks that cause pipelines to fail an initial pressure test are often extremely small and hence difficult to locate using conventional techniques. The Sahara® system allows leaks to be found without the need to split the pipeline into short sections and pressure test each one.