Fiber Optic Sensor Housing With Viscous Damping for Subsea Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing monitoring systems for operating conditions of elongated tubular members in subsea environments, such as tension legs and pipelines, are unreliable due to exposure to harsh conditions and require invasive installation, leading to early failure and costly shutdowns.
Innovation Solution
The use of fiber optic sensors integrated into sensor housings with a viscous material composition to mitigate signal attenuation, allowing for non-invasive monitoring of strain, temperature, and pressure within tubular members, with optical fibers bonded to the tubular member interface bodies using a resilient polymeric material and viscous material to protect against environmental pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fiber optic sensors are installed in subsea environments without protective material, then the monitoring system can detect operating conditions, but the optical fibers suffer from signal attenuation due to environmental pressures and harsh conditions
Solution Approach 1:
A viscous material composition is introduced as an intermediary substance between the optical fiber and the subsea environment. This material fills the space around the optical fiber within the sensor housing, providing mechanical protection and signal stabilization while allowing the fiber to detect operating conditions without direct exposure to harmful environmental pressures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the surrounding medium by using a viscous material composition with specific rheological properties. This material maintains stable optical properties under subsea pressure conditions, preventing signal attenuation while allowing the fiber to function as a sensor for strain, temperature, and pressure monitoring
2Reliability
If conventional sensors are used in subsea environments, then monitoring can be implemented, but the sensors require invasive installation and fail early due to harsh conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional electrical sensors with fiber optic sensors that use optical signals instead of electrical signals. This substitution eliminates the need for invasive electrical connections and power supply systems, allowing for non-invasive installation while improving reliability in harsh subsea environments where electrical components would fail
Solution Approach 2:
The fiber optic sensor assembly provides multiple sensing functions simultaneously - strain monitoring, temperature monitoring, and pressure monitoring - all through a single non-invasive installation. The optical fiber serves both as the sensing element and the signal transmission medium, eliminating the need for separate electrical connections and power systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides reliable, real-time monitoring of operating conditions with minimal attenuation, enabling safe and efficient operation of subsea drilling and production systems by reducing the risk of system failure and downtime.
Implementation Method 1
At least a portion of the length of the optical fiber spanning between the tubular member interface body and the outer jacket of the fiberoptic cable is disposed within a layer of a viscous material composition
Implementation Method 2
A length of an optical fiber extends from within an outer jacket of the fiberoptic cable. An operating condition signal generating portion of the optical fiber extending from within the outer jacket of the fiberoptic cable is attached along a length of the optical fiber engagement portion of the tubular member interface body
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a unique new approach to generating operating condition information used for assessing flow assurance and structural integrity. More specifically, apparatuses, systems and sensor housing assemblies configured in accordance with embodiments of the present invention utilize fiber optic sensors for enabling monitoring of operating condition information within one or more elongated tubular members within a subsea environment. To this end, such fiber optic sensors connected by lengths of optical fiber are strategically placed at a plurality of locations along a length of each elongated tubular member thereby allowing critical operating conditions such as strain, temperature and pressure of the elongated tubular member and/or a fluid therein to be monitored. A viscous media is used for mitigating attenuation associated with exposure of optical fiber exposed to forces generated by pressure within the subsea environment.