How to detect an oil leak?

Quixote_1

Quixote_1

Active Member
Hi,
I've been given the task of setting something up to detect oil leaks. I know that water leak sensors are readily available in numerous models for different platforms, but there remains the serious problem of heating systems that begin to leak oil. I've heard a couple of horror stories about this potential disaster. In one case a guy's house was on a hill, his oil tank on the heater began to leak and heating oil seeped into the ground, then flowed down the hill and damaged two or three other houses. The cost of clean-up and repair was around two million dollars and the man was bankrupt.

How can we detect oil leaks? Seeing as oil is not conductive of electricity, I am 90% sure that it would not be detected by conventional leak sensors.

Thanks for any advice!
 
BrandonStapp said:
could you monitor the pressure of the line instead? the other option may be to use a drip pan with a float.
Click to expand...


Both seem like good ideas. I may implement both for redundancy, because this seems like a very serious problem to watch for.
Do you have and leads on where I could find something that could monitor the pressure of the line?
Thanks!
 
Quixote_1 said:
Hi,
I've been given the task of setting something up to detect oil leaks. I know that water leak sensors are readily available in numerous models for different platforms, but there remains the serious problem of heating systems that begin to leak oil. I've heard a couple of horror stories about this potential disaster. In one case a guy's house was on a hill, his oil tank on the heater began to leak and heating oil seeped into the ground, then flowed down the hill and damaged two or three other houses. The cost of clean-up and repair was around two million dollars and the man was bankrupt.

How can we detect oil leaks? Seeing as oil is not conductive of electricity, I am 90% sure that it would not be detected by conventional leak sensors.

Thanks for any advice!
Click to expand...


Check out
http://www.oil-alert.com/index.html
Model OA-5 has relay outputs.
 

Quixote_1 said:
........ I've heard a couple of horror stories about this potential disaster. ......... The cost of clean-up and repair was around two million dollars
Click to expand...
Don't believe everything you hear ether. It is true buried tanks can and do leak oil... undetected. And it isn't cheap to replace leaky tanks and clean up the mess. But someone is writing checks for the oil and if paying attention as well should be aware of the tanks and heating systems age. If your tank is old and needs replaced... monitoring for leaks instead... won't save any money in the long run.
 
The example given should have had been bunded for that very reason. If you want to detect a leak, put a sump in the bund and slope the floor of the bund to the sump.

Using a level sensor, you can determine if the bund sump is filling or not. It will collect water as well, so a pump will be needed to pump it out when it fills. But at least you can inspect it for oil before pumping and when it is dry if the level goes up its a leak.

Mick
 
Thanks to everyone for their input. Much appreciated.

Z, do you have any links/leads on a level sensor? TIA
 
I would use an ultrasonic level sensor - keeps the sensor away from the oil/water.

There have been a a couple of threads here on ultrasonics - have a look for them and see what people have used.

A cheaper option will be a float switch, or set of float switches (on and off limits for pump).

Mick
 
Thanks, Mick!
Great suggestions here. I searched for ultrasonic range finders and came up with the Matbotix devices. They look like exactly what I need. Now I just need to figure out how to use them with the Elk. I will probably order one next week and experiment with it. It has a Serial (0-Vcc) Out as well as an Analog Voltage Out.
(http://www.maxbotix.com/)

This bund that you are referring to is installed around and directly below the tank? Have you installed one of these? What are they fabricated from? Lastly, what kind of slope and depth would be considered sufficient? Thanks again for all of your help with this.


fabriziojoe -- the Model OA-5 looks perfect, except the price-tag. It may be a good replacement for the Matbotix and Elk since the Elk is also a bit of an expense that a client may not wish to take on if they are not interested in expanding on the system. Thanks.

On a side note, Dave -- I am not attempting to correct underground leaks, but thank you all the same.
 
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