Improvement of the composite materials used for detecting liquid metal leaks

The main specification application concerns a composite material employed for detecting liquid metal leaks. This metal includes a fabric of refractory and electrically insulating mineral thread in to which conducting electric wires, electrically insulated in relation to the external surfaces of the fabric, are inserted at regular intervals. When this material is used for detecting liquid metal leaks, in particular along a pipe in which this metal is flowing, a strip of this material is placed under the pipe so as to form a trough, or else is wrapped right round it, particularly where the leaks are likely to be greater. The conducting electric wires inserted in the fabric are connected to an electric insulation fault detector enabling the changes in electric resistance between each continuous conducting wire component and its neighbour to be monitored and possibly between each component of the continuous conducting wire and the earth