Avon Rubber Company Limited

Richard J Murphy

To detect leaks from pipelines carrying fluids, especially oil, light is transmitted through a fibre-optic held in proximity with the pipeline. The fibre-optic is surrounded by a medium of which the refractive index is altered by the influence of the leaked fluid. In a preferred embodiment the medium is a silicone rubber (4) of which the refractive index is normally lower than that of a quartz fibre optic (3), but of which the index increases to that of the quartz or above when oil (7) soaks into it through a permeable cladding (1) and elastomeric protective layer (2), thus rendering the fibre optic non-internally--reflective so that light (6) is absorbed. Control means linked to a light receiver detect that change and the position of the leak is located to within the length of the optic. In another embodiment the medium is a liquid which is expelled from around the optic by the action of leaked fluid.

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Sandy Lane, United Kingdom

Richard J Murphy