Check valve failure is one of the worst problems in nuclear power plants. Recently, many researches have been based on new technology using accelerometers and ultrasonic and magnetic flux detection have been carried out. Here, we have suggested a method that uses acoustic emission sensors for detecting the failures of check valves through measuring and analyzing backward leakage flow, a system that works without disassembling the check valve. For validating the suggested acoustic emission sensor methodology, we designed a hydraulic test loop with a check valve. We have assumed in this study that check valve failure is caused by disk wear or by the insertion of a foreign object. In addition, we have developed diagnostic algorithms by using a neural network model to identify the type and size of the failure in the check valve. Our results show that the proposed diagnostic algorithm with acoustic emission sensors is a good solution for identifying check valve failure without necessitating any disassembly work.