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U.S. Department of Energy
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Evaluation of volumetric leak-detection methods for underground fuel-storage tanks. Volume 1. Final report, September 1986-July 1987

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6541010

This report summarizes the results of a research program to evaluate the current performance of 25 commercially available volumetric test methods for the detection of small leaks in underground gasoline-storage tanks. The leak rate measurable by these systems ranged from 0.26 to 6.97 L/h (0.07 to 1.84 gal/h), with a probability of detection of 95% and probability of false alarm of 5%. Only one of the methods achieved a performance better than 0.56 L/h, but five methods achieved a performance between 0.56 L/h and 0.95 L/h. The measured performance was considerably poorer than the often-claimed 0.19 L/h (0.05 gal/h). The report can be of value in estimating the impact of system improvements, but any new claims of improved performance, to be completely credible must be supported, in most cases, by additional experimental and analytic evidence.

Research Organization:
Vista Research, Inc., Mountain View, CA (USA)
OSTI ID:
6541010
Report Number(s):
PB-89-124333/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English