Leak Detection

Distribution System Simulators Use
Experimental Pipe Loops

Experimental pipe loops can tell us a lot about in-use water distribution systems. In Edison, New Jersey, EPA's Urban Watershed Research Facility uses 2,500 feet of buried experimental pipe loops (collectively called the Edison Pipeline Test Apparatus) to conduct experiments, such as leak detection analysis, on water infrastructure conveyance systems. The loops enable valuable data to be collected under controlled, repeatable conditions. The data tell us how well we're able to characterize a water system's performance and condition.

The experimental pipe loops include:

• A 500-foot-long double-walled stainless steel pipeline (2-inch inner diameter, 4-inch outer diameter) connected to a 100-foot-long, 2‑inch diameter steel pipeline
• A 500-foot-long pre-insulated pipeline consisting of a 12-inch-diameter coated conduit, an insulated annulus space, and a 4-inch-diameter steel carrier pipe connected to a 4‑inch-diameter steel pipeline to form a 1,000-foot-long loop
• A 12-inch-diameter pipe loop that's 1,000 feet long, is schedule-40 coated steel, and is composed of two 500-foot-long legs, one of which passes through a “test pit” area

The test pit area enables the removal and addition of 20-foot-long spool sections. This capability allows researchers to study different types of pipe materials, rehabilitation techniques, corrosion, and failure modes. The test pit also provides flexibility for changing backfill materials and their moisture content. Access tubes are installed at various locations along the pipelines to provide an easy means of mounting sensors onto the wall of the buried pipe without excavation.

Technical Contact:

Michael D. Royer (732) 321-6633

See Also:

Distribution Systems Research

Corrosion, Scaling, and Metal Mobility Research

Test and Evaluation Facility

Cross-Connection and Backflow Vulnerability: Monitoring and Detection