Smart Line Sensor for Mooring Tension Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for inspecting and maintaining mooring lines are time-consuming and prone to human error, leading to unnecessary inspections and replacements, and fail to detect line overload before it's too late, posing safety risks and increased operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A sensor device designed to be inserted within the line, measuring tension by detecting compression from radial movements of strands, with a durable design suitable for heavy-duty lines, capable of self-adjustment and real-time data transmission to minimize inspections and prevent line failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual inspection methods are used to check line conditions, then inspection thoroughness may be maintained, but time consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device enables the line to monitor its own condition automatically. The sensor continuously measures tension, temperature, and other parameters, eliminating the need for manual inspections while providing reliable real-time data about line health and safety conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical inspection methods are replaced with electronic sensing technology. The sensor device uses electronic components to detect and measure line parameters, substituting human labor with automated electronic measurement systems that provide continuous monitoring without time loss.
2Reliability
If frequent manual inspections are performed to ensure line safety, then line failures may be detected earlier, but operational efficiency decreases due to excessive inspection time
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device provides continuous monitoring of line conditions without interruption to operations. Unlike periodic manual inspections that stop work, the sensor continuously measures tension, temperature, and other parameters, enabling early failure detection while maintaining uninterrupted productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device provides real-time feedback about line condition to the control system. This continuous feedback loop allows operators to monitor line health status and take preventive action before failures occur, maintaining both safety and productivity simultaneously.
3Reliability
If lines are replaced preemptively to ensure safety, then failure risk is reduced, but material waste and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device enables preliminary detection of line degradation through continuous monitoring of tension, temperature, and other parameters. By detecting early signs of wear or damage, the system allows for planned replacement only when necessary, preventing both premature replacement and catastrophic failure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor device monitors changes in physical parameters such as tension, temperature, and strain to assess line condition. By tracking parameter changes over time, the system determines the actual remaining life of the line, enabling replacement decisions based on measured degradation rather than fixed schedules, thus reducing material waste.
4Ease of manufacture
If detachable sensor units are placed outside the line to measure loads, then installation may be simpler, but the sensor becomes vulnerable to damage from rough handling equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor device is inserted inside the line structure, with the sensor housing positioned within the line's core. This nested arrangement protects the sensor from external damage by rough handling equipment while maintaining the ability to measure line loads accurately from the interior position.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of placing the sensor outside the line as in conventional designs, the sensor is positioned inside the line structure. This inverted arrangement reverses the vulnerability issue, placing the sensor in a protected interior position while it continues to measure the same mechanical loads through the line's structure.
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
The sensor device reduces the frequency of unnecessary inspections and replacements, enhances safety by detecting potential line failures in real-time, and optimizes line maintenance by providing accurate tension data for self-adjustment, thereby reducing operational costs and ensuring line integrity.
Implementation Method 1
at least one pressure sensor arranged inside the elongated sensor housing, the at least one pressure sensor being configured to measure, at least indirectly, a pressure exerted on the outer housing surface
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sensor device for insertion and for measuring tension within a braided, plaited and/or laid line. The sensor device comprises an elongated sensor housing having an outer housing surface and an inner housing surface and at least one pressure sensor arranged inside the elongated sensor housing. The outer housing surface having a substantially elliptic or circular cross sectional area around the longitudinal axis of the sensor housing. Further, the at least one pressure sensor is configured to allow measurement, at least indirectly, of a pressure exerted on the outer housing surface. The invention also relates to a line sensor assembly for mooring of one or more structures, and a method of adjusting the tension in a line sensor assembly and the use of a line sensor assembly.