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Locating a leak in a stainless tank

"Leak Detection: Technology and Implementation"
by Stuart Hamilton

on Amazon or AbeBooks
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Q. Hello
My name is Khaled Saied, we have iron phosphate treatment line nowadays we are facing a leakage problem in a rinse tank made of stainless steel 304, and we cannot find the place of the leak. All we see is a path of water under the tank after we fill it to a quarter of its level. Is there an easy way to discover the place of the leak to treat it?

Eng. Khaled Saied
- Banha Egypt
December 28, 2021

A. Hi Khaled. I don't think it's difficult. You put dye in the water and it will reveal where the water is coming from. Sometimes the intensity of the dye stains can lead you to the exact point. Google "leak testing with dye".

Luck & Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
December 2021

"Standard Test Procedures for Evaluating Leak Detection Methods"
by EPA

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December 29, 2021

Q. Hi Ted
Thank you for your quick response and support but we already did this test and it did not help.
Let me clarify some other points:
- volume of tank 5 m3.
- leak appears under tank at place we cloud not reach to check from outside.
- from inside there is not any visual defect at stainless body sheet metal or welding corners.
- we can not raise the tank up because it is so difficult as tunnel exists on tank.
So, is there another way?
Thanks again
Kindest regards

Khaled Saied [returning]
- Banha Egypt

A. Khaled,
Couple of off-beat ideas:

If you let the tank leak until it STOPS, then you'll at least know what vertical level the leak is located at.

Once you have that, add a little bit of water so it will leak again, and then see if you can add in something that is small, visible, and won't sink. Some kind of glitter or confetti or something similar. If you can watch the glitter on the surface of the water, it should move in the direction of where the leak is.

Ray Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois

December 29, 2021

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