SEPTEMBER
2014
LNGINDUSTRY
27
D
istributed Temperature Sensing (DTS)
systems have been used on LNG import
and export terminals for decades.
Apart from the obvious technological
advancements in the products themselves, this
article describes new ideas for the uses of the
products, which ultimately help reduce plant
operating costs as well as increase plant safety.
An introduction to DTS
DTS is the distribution of temperature sensing,
typically along a fibre optic sensor cable that can
be several kilometres in length. There are other,
very simple electrical cable systems that sense
temperature based on resistance between two
wires. This article, however, will discuss the highly
advanced fibre optic systems.
Fibre optic DTS systems have been employed
for over 30 years and have been used on LNG
terminals since the 1980s. The systems use a
principal known as Raman spectroscopy, whereby
incident light is absorbed by a molecule and then
re-emitted in different colours. One of these
not want not
Dan Danskin,
AP Sensing, UK,
looks at applying DTS
technology to reduce
storage costs.
Waste
