Patent ID: 6966213
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: G01M

Abstract:
1. A method of detecting and compensating for leakage of hydraulic fluids in a production plant, comprising the steps of: 1) providing a production plant wherein at least one hydraulic fluid is in use to operate equipment, wherein the equipment operated shapes the product being produced into a desired form, wherein said product being produced is contacted, in at least one point in the production process, with water, wherein the water that contacts the product is then collected and circulated through the production plant cooling water system; 2) adding to said hydraulic fluid, two tracer materials, 3) providing one or more fluorometers capable of detecting the fluorescent signal of Tracer First and locating said one or more fluorometers in any location within the cooling water system of said production plant, where it is desired to detect and compensate for leakage of hydraulic fluid; 4) providing one or more fluorometers capable of detecting the fluorescent signal of Tracer Second and locating said one or more fluorometers in any location within the cooling water system of said production plant where it is desired to detect and compensate for leakage of hydraulic fluid; 5) using a fluorometer to detect and measure the fluorescent signal of said Tracer First in each location chosen; 6) using a fluorometer to detect and measure the fluorescent signal of said Tracer Second in each location chosen; 7) using the detected and measured fluorescent signals of Tracer First and of Tracer Second to determine how much of the hydraulic fluid is present in the cooling water system of said production plant; and optionally; 8) adjusting the operating parameters of said production plant, such that the amount of hydraulic fluid present in said cooling water system is minimized or compensated for such that operation of the production plant is maintained at the best possible level.