Underground Leak with Dye Tracer

[EOIT]

I work at a power plant and we have had a steady leak underground for quite sometime and since I am the new engineer they want me to take a crack at it.

The area with the leak has 8 pipes running through it and we would like to try to narrow down the ones we should look at. We can isolate the pipes and run water through the ones we want so that isn't a problem.

The idea has been made to use a tracer dye in the water supply and let it 'surface' and allow for the leak to be detected.

Does anyone have information/experience with using tracer dyes in this manner. I am mainly wondering what sort of concentration the dye should be at and how long it would take to surface through the soil. I have found a recommendation of 10ppm to allow for soil absorption but nothing substantial.

Thanks.

 

[GeoPaveTraffic]

There are dyes made for this type of test. They have very low detection limits and are usually phosphorescent. You place charcoal packs in the area where the seepage is appearing to locate the specific seep. I have used them in dams where you dye the whole lake and place the charcoal packs at different locations in the creek to determine where the leak is coming out.

I don't have any more data on the dye, but maybe someone else will have a specific source.

 

[nackra]

You might consider GPR or Infrared

http://www.entech-ndt.com/people.html

Might be a feasible alternative

 

[EOIT]

Thanks for the info so far ya'll. We have settled in on the phosphorescent in the system since that will be unobtrusive and fairly inexpensive.

Still looking to see if anyone knows about how long it would take for the chemical to 'seep' to the surface. I have spoken with the company and they said it would 'seep' but won't really guess at a time line.

Thanks.