Abstract: In order to improve the performance of the correlation-analysis-based pipeline leak monitoring systems,a model for signal transmission channel is introduced and factors influencing leak location precision are divided into two parts, i.e.auto correlation function of source negative pressure wave(NPW) signal at the leak site and signal attenuation due to transmission along pipeline.On the basis of this analysis,the generalized correlation analysis method is adopted for leak location.With pre-filtering technology,the method suppresses the influences of NPW signal attenuation and noise on location result,and improves the leak detection accuracy.