The pipeline transportation system in thermal power plants is a critical infrastructure for the conveyance of liquids or gases

and the safety of the system's pipelines is of paramount importance.This paper

in conjunction with the current state of research both domestically and internationally

provides a comprehensive review of the hardware and software methods for detecting leaks in energy supply pipelines.Hardware methods for pipeline leak detection rely on sensor measurements

which are suitable for detecting small flow leaks but are costly and cannot provide continuous monitoring.Software methods for pipeline leak detection utilize computer analysis

which are more cost-effective

capable of rapid leak detection

but require a substantial amount of historical data and real-time sensor data.This paper also summarizes and analyzes the technical limitations of various pipeline leak detection methods and provides an outlook on future research directions.To enhance the efficiency and accuracy of leak detection

it is necessary to integrate multiple technical methods.Furthermore

the development of leak detection technology should be directed towards integration

intelligence

and automation

improving the stability of real-time data transmission and the precision of computational accuracy.