RESEARCH ON GAS PIPELINE LEAK LOCATION METHOD BASED ON EMPIRICAL MODE DECOMPOSITION.

Leak location is one of the most important technologies for gas pipeline leak detection; the normal location method is to calculate the time difference with cross-correlation analysis method. However, the dispersive leak signals propagate with different sound speeds in different frequency ranges and a large positioning error results in the cross-correlation method for leak location. The gas pipeline leak location method based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is presented. The EMD method allows reconstruction of signals, which are then subjected to cross-correlation location method. Simulations and field tests indicate that this location method is effective, with significantly improved location accuracy of 1-2% over distances up to 27 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]