scope:

Abstract:

Due to the high-volume storage of gases at KSC, gas leaks have often gone undetected for long periods. This resulted in significant costs, especially when there have been leaks in the gaseous helium (GHe) system. To detect a leak suspected in a large interconnected system such as the GHe system, subsystems must be incrementally isolated to narrow the leak down to a particular area for more focused, detailed inspections. This entails significant time and effort and, because outages in real time are required, also adds to the processing time. New designs or upgrades to the KSC pneumatic systems should incorporate a strategy for detection and quick isolation of gas leakages.