THE CHALLENGE: Monitor corrosion in pipes |
The sensors track the small deformations caused by the thinning of the pipe wall with up to 15 µm resolution. Data are analyzed using FOX-TEK's data management and analysis tool (DMAT), which automatically downloads data from the monitor. Custom models of the pipes and pressure vessels in the DMAT allow it to convert the raw sensor data to the desired parameters, e.g., wall loss, bending, temperature, and internal pressure.
Over the first 140 days of monitoring, the sensor system showed the actual corrosion rates to be much lower than expected. The sensor readings agreed with those made using ultrasonic testing.
The fiber-optic sensors allowed the plant to install sensors in difficult to access locations and in hazardous environments. The real-time monitoring increased safety and reliability and enabled the remote monitoring of wall loss.
Contact Essam Zaghloul, Fiber Optic Systems Technology (FOX-TEK) Inc., Toronto, ON, Canada; 416-665-2288, [email protected].