Leak detector and detection method using radiation transmitted through a fluid line
View Patent ↗A leak detector for detecting a leak in a line includes a transmitting device for generating radiation to be coupled into the line. By a receiving device, radiation that has emerged from the line through a leak is received, as a result of which the leak becomes detectable.
1. A leak detector for detecting a leak in a line, wherein the line is routed through structural components of a cell structure of an aircraft, the leak detector comprising:
a transmitting device for generating radiation to be coupled into the line;
a receiving device for receiving radiation that has emerged from the line through a leak so that the leak becomes detectable; and
a jacket element for encasing the line;
wherein the receiving device for receiving the radiation is arranged on a structural part of the cell structure;
wherein the receiving device is arranged in the jacket element.
2. The leak detector of claim 1 , wherein the receiving device is arranged outside the line.
3. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the radiation is selected from the group consisting of electromagnetic radiation, acoustic radiation and radioactive radiation.
4. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the transmitting device is arranged to excite a radiation mode in the line.
5. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the transmitting device is arranged for generating the radiation as a signal modulated onto a carrier wave, which signal is extractable by the receiving device from the received radiation.
6. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the radiation is electromagnetic HF radiation.
7. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the radiation comprises a coded signal modulated onto electromagnetic HF radiation.
8. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the radiation is pulsed.
9. The leak detector of claim 1 , further comprising an evaluation device;
wherein the transmitting device and the receiving device are coupled to the evaluation device;
wherein the evaluation device is arranged for evaluating the radiation received in the receiving device.
10. The leak detector of claim 9 ,
wherein the evaluation device is connected to the at least one receiving device, by a bus.
11. The leak detector of claim 9 ,
wherein the evaluation device is connected to the receiving device by an individual connection.
12. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the radiation is electromagnetic HF radiation with an LF signal modulated onto it.
13. The leak detector of claim 12 ,
wherein the LF signal is selected from the group consisting of a sawtooth signal and a triangular signal.
14. The leak detector of claim 1 ,
wherein the receiving device is an HF sensor.
15. The leak detector of claim 14 ,
wherein the receiving device is an antenna.
16. A method for detecting a leak in a line, wherein the method comprises:
generating radiation;
coupling the radiation into the line;
receiving the radiation that has emerged through the leak; and
detecting the leak on the basis of radiation that has emerged through the leak with a receiving device that is arranged in a jacket element encasing the line.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
receiving the radiation that has emerged through the leak, outside the line.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
evaluating the received radiation in an evaluation device.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
exciting a radiation mode in the line.
20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
generating the radiation by means of modulating a signal onto a carrier wave.
21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
generating the radiation as pulsed radiation.