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Laitehuolto Tiensuu Oy
FI – Suomeksi

Steam leak detection with an acoustic camera

A steam leak burns fuel or electricity for as long as steam is produced, and hot steam is dangerous even when you cannot see it. We locate steam system leaks with an acoustic camera from a safe distance during operation.

Request a cost estimate +358 43 211 0516

Measurement work 149 €/h excl. VAT (min. 2 h) · report included · Finland, abroad and ships by arrangement

What we survey

  • Steam lines and their joints
  • Valves, stem seals and flanges
  • Condensate lines and the area around steam traps
  • Connections to steam-using equipment
  • Seams and penetrations of insulated lines
  • High-level lines and pipe racks

Why locate steam leaks?

Every kilogram of leaking steam has been generated in a boiler, so leaks show directly in fuel or electricity consumption. A small leak may not be visible at all, especially in a warm space or under insulation, and a superheated steam leak can be invisible.

With an acoustic camera leaks are located from a distance, so the surveyor does not need to go close to a hot pipe or valve. The report helps schedule repairs for the next maintenance shutdown or dry-dock.

How does the acoustic camera find it?

When pressurised gas or air escapes through a small gap – or air is drawn into a vacuum system – the turbulent flow produces ultrasound: high-frequency sound that the human ear cannot hear and that is not masked by the noise of a factory or an engine room.

An acoustic camera (also called an acoustic imager or ultrasonic camera) has an array of microphones that measure the strength and direction of the sound. The camera overlays this on a normal image, so the source appears as a coloured sound map exactly where the sound comes from. Frequency filtering removes background noise from machinery and work.

We use an industrial-grade Fluke acoustic imager. Because the survey is done from a distance, leaks high up, on pipe racks or in awkward places are found without a lift, while the system is in normal operation.

How the survey works

  1. Preliminary information and estimate

    Tell us about the site, the system, its operating pressure or vacuum and the size of the area. We estimate the survey time and send a cost estimate.

  2. Survey during operation

    We walk the system's pipework, joints, hoses, valves and equipment with the acoustic camera. The system must be pressurised or running – there is no need to stop production.

  3. Findings tagged and photographed

    Each finding is marked on site with a numbered tag and photographed so that it is easy to find for repair.

  4. Report

    You receive a report with the findings on a floor-plan map, an image of each finding, severity 1–3 and a recommended action. The report is included in the price and can be delivered in English or Finnish.

  5. Repair

    Repairs can be offered case by case depending on the site – or your own maintenance team can carry them out based on the report. A follow-up survey verifies that the leaks have been fixed.

Who is it for?

  • Food industry

    Cooking, washing and sterilisation – steam is used continuously.

  • Ships

    Auxiliary boilers, steam heating lines, tank heating and steam tracing.

  • Dairies and breweries

    Steam lines, valves and condensate return.

  • Laundries

    Steam connections of ironers and washing machines.

  • Process industry

    Extensive steam networks and pipe racks.

  • Heating plants and buildings

    Steam and condensate lines in plant rooms.

Report

Every survey comes with a report, included in the price. The report follows the same structure as our compressed air leak survey reports and can be delivered in English or Finnish.

  • Floor-plan map with numbered markers. Each finding is marked on a plan of the site (or a general arrangement drawing of the vessel). The number matches the tag attached on site.
  • Image of each finding. The finding is circled in the acoustic camera image, so whoever does the repair finds it immediately.
  • Severity 1–3. 1 = minor, monitor; 2 = moderate, repair as planned; 3 = major or a safety risk, repair immediately.
  • Recommended action. What to do at each location and in which order – the most severe first.

The images are from an example compressed air leak survey report (company, images and figures are illustrative). The example PDF is in Finnish – your report can be delivered in English. Reports for other systems have the same structure; for compressed air leaks the estimated cost of the leaks per year is also calculated.

Front page of the example report (in Finnish): number of findings by severity, summary and a floor-plan map with numbered markers
Front page: summary and floor-plan map, with every finding numbered and coloured by severity.
Finding card page of the example report (in Finnish): acoustic camera image with the finding circled, severity and recommended action
Finding card: acoustic camera image, finding circled, severity 1–3 and recommended action.
Open the example report (PDF, in Finnish)

Price

Sites vary a lot, so pricing is based on time spent. Several systems can be surveyed on the same visit – for example the compressed air network, gas lines and a vacuum system.

Acoustic and thermal imaging prices (excl. VAT)
Measurement work (minimum 2 h)149 €/h
Report (English or Finnish)included
Travel in FinlandZone-based in Southwest Finland and Kanta-Häme, elsewhere in the estimate
Outside Finland and on shipsTravel, accommodation and travel time quoted per job

Prices exclude VAT. VAT is applied according to the applicable rules (for example, the reverse-charge mechanism may apply to VAT-registered business customers in other EU countries) and confirmed in the quote. You receive a cost estimate before ordering.

Leak repairs: in Finland, compressed air leak repairs 86 €/h excl. VAT plus parts; other repairs case by case.

Ask whether acoustic imaging suits your site

Tell us about the site and what you want to find out, and we will tell you honestly whether an acoustic camera will help – and if it will not, we will say so.

+358 43 211 0516

Cost estimate

Request a cost estimate – steam leaks

Tell us about the site or vessel, its size, the location (country, city or port) and what you want to find. We estimate the survey time and usually send a cost estimate on the same or the next working day.

+358 43 211 0516

Mon–Fri 8:00–16:00 (Finnish time)

What does your request concern?

We only use your details to respond to your enquiry. Privacy policy

Frequently asked questions

How is a steam leak found with an acoustic camera?

Steam escaping under pressure produces ultrasound, which the acoustic camera shows as a coloured sound map on the image. The leak is found from a distance even when the steam cannot be seen.

Do you test steam traps?

We do not give condition ratings for steam traps. If a trap clearly passes steam in the acoustic image, we record it in the report for further inspection. A reliable assessment also requires temperature measurement and a device-specific check.

Does the steam system need to be shut down?

No. The survey is carried out with the system in normal operation and under pressure – that is the only time leaks make a sound.

Do you repair the leaks you find?

Repairs can be offered case by case depending on the site, and the price is agreed separately. In Finland, compressed air leak repairs are charged at 86 €/h excl. VAT plus parts. Your own maintenance team or ship's crew can also carry out the repairs based on the report.

How much does an acoustic imaging survey cost?

Measurement work is 149 €/h excl. VAT, minimum 2 hours, and the report is included. In Finland, travel costs are zone-based in Southwest Finland and Kanta-Häme and quoted elsewhere. For assignments outside Finland and on ships, travel, accommodation and travel time are quoted per job before you order.

Acoustic imaging for other systems too

Several systems can be surveyed on the same visit. All acoustic imaging applications · ships and marine