A valve that does not fully close quietly sends product to flare, or worse, to atmosphere. Ultrasonic valve leak detection with the ClampOn DSP Leak Monitor hears that leak from outside the pipe and shows you how big it is.
A leak in a flow line, valve or flange can compromise safety and may even force a shutdown, whether at production or downstream at a refinery or terminal. PT Saka Nusa Persada supplies the ClampOn DSP Leak Monitor across Indonesia as a ClampOn distributor. You can also find the full product family at ClampOn.
Why Valve Leak Detection Matters
A product leak normally has a very low flow rate. That rate depends on the size of the defect, the properties of the fluid and the pressure differential. Consequently, many internal leaks go unnoticed until they cost money or cause an incident. ClampOn developed the DSP Leak Monitor specifically to quantify a leak through a closed valve, and the reasons to install one are clear:
- Reduced loss to flare, because you find passing valves before they waste product.
- Monitoring of internal valve leak rate, so you see a trend rather than a surprise.
- Improved maintenance planning, since you repair the valves that actually leak.
- Prevention of leaks to atmosphere, especially where safety and emissions matter most.
How Ultrasonic Valve Leak Detection Works
A leak creates very high-frequency noise. In a no-leak situation, the ultrasonic pattern stays stable; however, when a leak starts, the signature changes drastically. The sensor monitors the signal at multiple frequencies with extreme sensitivity. Therefore, it separates the “hiss” of a leak from background noise and warns the operator when a leak is present.
As a result, the monitor detects small and medium leaks or flow-throughs, even with a low differential pressure across the measuring point on pipes and valves. For gas, it detects leak rates down to 0.1 l/min at a differential pressure above 1 bar.
Key Advantages for Valve Leak Detection
- Non-intrusive: the sensor clamps onto the valve, flange or pipe, so nothing touches the process.
- Retrofit without shutdown: so you can install it on a running plant, at the yard or in the field.
- Real-time measurement: in addition, repeatability is better than 1%.
- Scalable: in fact, you can connect an unlimited number of sensors to a single computer for live monitoring.
- Easy integration: RS-485 and 4–20 mA, and it can even act as a Modbus slave to any Modbus master.
- Self-checking: an intelligent “health check”, as well as two-way communication and software upgrades.
Topside and Subsea Versions
Topside units use a Stainless Steel 316L body and carry Ex ia IIB or Ex d IIC certification. Meanwhile, subsea units use a titanium body for installation on the seabed. Both versions handle oil, gas, water and multiphase flow.
Leak Monitor Technical Specifications
| Method of operation | Passive acoustics (ultrasonic) |
| Processing | Intelligent DSP electronics inside the sensor unit |
| Installation | Non-intrusive, so it simply clamps to the pipe, valve or flange |
| Minimum detectable leak | Gas: dP > 1 bar, 0.1 l/min; liquid: dP > 3 bar, 0.1 l/min |
| Repeatability | Better than 1% |
| Interfaces | RS-485 (ASCII, binary, Modbus RTU) and 4–20 mA |
| Ambient temperature | Ex d: −50 °C to +85 °C; Ex i: −40 °C to +60 °C |
| Pipe wall temperature | −40 °C to +125 °C (topside) |
| Flow regimes | Oil, gas, water and multiphase |
| Ingress protection | IP66/IP68 (1 m for 24 hours) per IEC 60529 |
| Housing | Stainless Steel 316L (topside), titanium (subsea) |
| Dimensions (Ex d) | 112 × 132 mm |
| Power consumption | Max 2.2 W |
Specifications follow the ClampOn brochure (February 2021) and may change without notice.
From Detection to Repair
Finding a leak is the first step; fixing it safely is the next. Our team also delivers emergency leak solutions and composite pipeline repair without shutdown. In addition, the ClampOn DSP PIG Detector uses the same clamp-on sensor platform to track your pigs.
Need monitoring at valves without cabling? Then consider the ClampOn BIRD wireless Leak Monitor. The download below includes the brochure as well as the Ex i and Ex d datasheets.
Explore the full ClampOn sensor range available in Indonesia through PT Saka Nusa Persada.
Suspect a passing valve or want continuous leak monitoring? Request a technical assessment We will propose the right sensor locations and integration for your plant.
