Method for detecting a leak in a fluid line, and water meter with a controller for carrying out the method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018328811-A1
Application number	US-201815976150-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 10, 2018
Priority date	May 10, 2017
Publication date	Nov 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for detecting a leak in a fluid line, having at least the following steps: closing the fluid line with a valve to create a pressure chamber in the fluid line; determining a first pressure drop in the pressure chamber; opening the valve after completing the determination of the first pressure drop; closing the fluid line with the valve to create the pressure chamber in the fluid line again; determining a second pressure drop in the pressure chamber; and comparing the first pressure drop with the second pressure drop. Also, a water meter is provided with a valve, a flow sensor, and a pressure sensor, which are connected in a data-carrying manner to a controller, wherein the controller is set up to carry out the method according to the invention.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for detecting a leak in a fluid line, the method comprising:
closing the fluid line with a valve to create a pressure chamber in the fluid line; determining a first pressure drop in the pressure chamber; opening the valve after completing the determination of the first pressure drop; closing the fluid line with the valve to create the pressure chamber in the fluid line again; determining a second pressure drop in the pressure chamber; and comparing the first pressure drop with the second pressure drop.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid line is closed with the valve when no liquid draw from the fluid line by at least one consumer is taking place.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid line is closed for three seconds.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method is terminated if no first pressure drop is ascertained.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the valve is opened for at least one minute.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steps for determining at least one additional pressure drop in the pressure chamber are repeated at least once, and wherein the first pressure drop, the second pressure drop, and the at least one additional pressure drop are compared with one another.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the determination of the first pressure drop, of the second pressure drop, and of the at least one additional pressure drop take place with different time intervals.

8 . A water meter comprising:
a valve; a flow sensor; and a pressure sensor, the valve, flow sensor, and pressure sensor being connected in a data-carrying manner to a controller, wherein the controller performs the method according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Grohe Ag

Inventors

• Mielke Achim
• Thesseling Matthias
• Schoenbeck Heiko

Classifications

• F17D5/02

  Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss · CPC title

• G01M3/2807 Primary

  for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01M3/2815 Primary

  using pressure measurements · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title