https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-06209-z
Regular Article
Underwater-leakage signal detection from some low-to-high flow rates with the passive acoustics
1
Acoustics Research Lab., Mechanical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
2
New Technologies Research Center (NTRC), Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
3
Electrical Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran
Received:
18
September
2024
Accepted:
12
March
2025
Published online:
4
April
2025
The detection of the leakage signal poses numerous challenges due to its weak strength in comparison with the ambient noises. In this study, the North Sea, Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea environments have been simulated to determine the maximum distance a hydrophone can detect a leakage using passive acoustics. The underwater acoustic channel has been simulated via Bellhop. Two distinct methods are employed to identify leakage at different flow rates: CFAR method for low flow rate leakage signals, and change-point detection for high flow rates. The acquired results are compared to the detection threshold approach. The Mediterranean Sea experiences higher propagation loss compared to the North Sea and Persian Gulf, primarily due to environmental conditions and sound speed profile. In the North Sea case study, the high flow rate leakage signal can be detected with a minimum SNR of − 15 dB (at a maximum distance of 14–23 m and a maximum depth of 125–135 m). However, in the Persian Gulf, this detection is only possible with a minimum SNR of − 13 dB (at a maximum distance of 12–18 m and a maximum depth of 48–54 m). Also, in the Mediterranean Sea, leakage detection is possible with a minimum SNR of − 11 dB (at a maximum distance of 4–10 m and a maximum depth of 475–485 m). Additionally, at low flow rates, the leakage signal can be detected with an SNR of − 10 dB, − 7 dB and − 5 dB, respectively, in the North Sea, Persian Gulf and Mediterranean Sea.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
