TECHNICAL
MEMORANDUMS
Vista’s Technical Notes and Memoranda supplement its marketing literature by providing background information and technical details about concepts germane to the company’s product line. Click on any of the following to download a detailed PDF about these topics:
Vista Research Technical Note No. TN97-06
HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TESTING OF BULK FUEL PIPING SYSTEMS
An analysis was made of the performance of a hydrostatic pressure test (also called a liquid pressure test) when used for detection of petroleum fuel leaks in underground bulk transfer piping at terminals and fuel farms. The most commonly used standards, codes, and practices covering the conduct and interpretation of a test were reviewed, and the relevant procedures and criteria were incorporated into the analysis. Also presented and discussed are the results of a pressure test conducted under benign conditions on an operational 1,700-gal line at a bulk fuel farm.
"DETECTING LEAKS FROM TANKS AND PIPELINES: THE STATISTICAL NATURE OF THE TESTING PROCESS"
Testing a pipeline or storage tank for leaks is an example of the classical statistical problem of finding a signal in a background of noise. A signal is a discrete and measurable event produced by a leak, whereas noise is any process or phenomenon unrelated to a leak that can mask or be mistaken for a leak. TM-51 presents a quantitative description of the concepts of signal and noise.
"IMPROVED PERFORMANCE FOR LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS THROUGH STATISTICAL DATA AVERAGING"
TM-52 addresses noise reduction through statistical data averaging. If the noise component of a measurement meets a specific set of criteria, one can expect to achieve increased accuracy through the averaging of multiple measurements. TM-52 describes these criteria: the noise must be normally distributed (Gaussian), with a mean of zero; the measurements must be independent; and the signal and noise must be independent.
"PIPELINE ADVANCED LEAK-LOCATION SYSTEM (PALS)"
The PALS is a portable system that locates leaks in underground pipelines. It is used only after a leak has been detected. TM-53 describes the results of four field tests on operational lines in which the PALS consistently and reliably identified the location of the leak within 1.5% of the sensor separation distance—that is, within a few feet of the actual leak—without the need for excavation.
The "due diligence" activities that typically precede the sale or transfer of industrial property begin with an analysis of existing records and then proceed to an investigation that can include soil borings, installation of monitoring wells, and other invasive procedures. TM-54 compares the conventional due diligence model to a new model that can minimize the need for invasive procedures.
"INTEGRITY TESTING OF SYSTEMS CONTAINING DE-ICING FLUIDS"
Aircraft de-icing fluids that are subject to government regulation can require extensive record keeping as well as integrity testing of storage and dispensing systems. Vista's unique, non-invasive technology—the same that has received accolades in the leak detection market for airport hydrant fuel systems—can assure a complete profile of containment systems for de-icing fluids and thus facilitate the management process. TM-55 describes the advantages of Vista's comprehensive approach to leak detection and location as applied to de-icing systems.
The purpose of double-wall piping is to ensure containment of the contents in case of a breach in the inner wall. Sensors that monitor the interstitial space between the inner and outer pipes have been known to produce false alarms, however, and an independent means of verifying the integrity of the inner pipe is thus useful. Technical Memo No. 57 describes how the Vista technologies can detect a leak quickly and accurately and, if one is found, can locate the area of the leak without expensive borings and typically without laboratory work. The Vista technologies assure accuracy, a shortened timeline, and no waste of extant product or other resources.
"INTEGRITY TESTING OF STORAGE AND CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS AT ON-SHORE BARGE FACILITIES"
Vast amounts of fuel supporting the global economy pass through truck- and barge-loading terminals on the way to the end user. The management of such products is increasingly regulated, especially in developed countries. Facilities looking for a cost-effective way to implement these regulations can benefit from Vista’s unique, non-invasive technology. A suite of four products ensures a comprehensive approach to leak detection for tanks and pipelines, and, in the case of pipelines, leak location as well.
"PERFORMANCE OF THE VISTA LRDP FOR DETECTION OF LEAKS IN ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANKS"
Third-party evaluations of the performance of Vista technologies assure customers that there is a legitimate basis for the claims Vista makes for its products. Performance evaluations are an important aspect of all Vista systems. Vista Research Technical Memo No. 59, issued in October 2002 (and revised in January 2003 to reflect deadline changes in the Code of Federal Regulations), condenses the results of an evaluation conducted by Ken Wilcox Associates, Inc., on Vista's LRDP, a leak detection and monitoring system for large-volume aboveground storage tanks.
"USING VISTA LEAK DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES TO MEET REGULATORY TESTING REQUIREMENTS"
Vista Technical Memo No. 60, issued in November 2002 and updated in May 2003, explains how Vista technology can be used to meet testing requirements for tanks and pipelines. Addressed in this memo are four regulatory definitions issued or enforced by such diverse bodies as the EPA, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the Department of Transportation. The memo explains how these regulations affect many different types of facilities, including refineries, terminals, airports and shipping ports. A matrix shows the applicability of Vista technology to twelve different types of facilities subject to one or more of the four regulations discussed. Except in the three cases when a specific regulation is not applicable to the type of facility listed (for example, a facility that has no storage tanks is not subject to storage tank regulations), Vista technology is an appropriate match in every case.