TRI Environmental has published an updated Electrical Leak Location Survey General Guide. This publication (August 2014) closely follows the release of ASTM International Committee D35’s new standard, D7953 – Standard Practice for Electrical Leak Location on Exposed Geomembranes Using the Arc Testing Method.
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE ELL GUIDE (PDF)
The most substantive change in the guide is its inclusion of an official section on arc testing technology.
In a 28 July 2014 press release regarding the new standard, TRI Liner Integrity Service’s Abigail Beck, who served on the D35 sub-committee, noted, “The arc testing method evolved from the spark testing method, but is quite a different technology. Spark testing is specifically used for coextruded conductive-backed geomembrane, while the arc tester was specially designed to use natural materials (soil, clay, rock) as the conductive medium for the electrical path. While the spark tester uses a build-up of electrical potential to discharge discrete sparks, the arc tester maintains a continuous electrical arc.”
Beck has also published a longer piece on the arc testing advances here.
The August 2014 edition of the ELL guide addresses:
- Exposed Geomembrane Surveys
- Water Puddle Method (ASTM D7002)
- Water Lance Method (ASTM D7703)
- Conductive-Backed Geomembrane Spark Testing Method (ASTM D7240)
- Arc Testing Method (ASTM D7953)
- Covered Geomembrane Surveys
- Dipole Method – Soil Covered Geomembrane (ASTM D7007)
- Dipole Method – Water Covered Geomembrane (ASTM D7007)
A secondary section in the guide is dedicated to designing for electrical leak location surveys. That is, how to ensure that a site is surveyable, considering both current state-of-practice for lined facilities and evolving leak location equipment for all methods of survey.
