Leak Prevention, Detection and Location in Storage Tank/Pipeline Facilities

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9420695 Watts Underground pipelines and storage tank systems can develop leaks over time and cause significant environmental damage. A number of Government Agencies have jointly recognized this concern and are joining together to facilitate a research and development program to be undertaken jointly by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Emission Reduction and Iowa State University's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Nondestructive Evaluation. This proposal address the initiation phase of an envisaged broad scope, multi-year project. The Emission Reduction Research Center (ERRC) will be responsible for the interface with he sponsoring Agencies, EPA, DOE, DOD, and NSF. ERRC is conducting a needs assessment, with particular emphasis on environmental and regulatory compliance issues. These initial activities are to identify existing leak detection/leak location equipment; assess modifications to regulatory and operating needs; develop experimental plan leading to modifications; and develop bench scale studies leading to new technologies and protocols. All field testing will utilize the pipeline systems at the EPA UST/Pipeline Test Apparatus in Edison, New Jersey. The Center for Nondestructive Evaluation is responsible for assessment of technology, based initially on the existing EPA technology and literature information. This Center will survey industry consensus on the effectiveness of available technologies and conduct experimental studies of current acoustic emission techniques. The researchers are fully qualified to perform these studies. Funding for this project is being provided by EPA, DOE, DOD and NSF. Dr. Ken P. Chong, Program Director of the Structural Systems and Construction Processes Program, provided the NSF funds. The Program Manager recommends New Jersey Institute of Technology be awarded $348,440 for one year for its portion of this project with funds pr ovided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation.