Sensor Cables
The fibre is the sensor
With Sensornet’s Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) system, the fibre optic itself is the sensor and therefore great care must be taken to ensure the integrity of the fibre optic and the optical path. The quality of the fibre is essential and typically requires testing to specifications higher than the telecommunications standards. Sensornet have developed rigorous quality assurance systems to monitor and test the fibres used in sensing cables.
Versatile range of sensor cables
Sensornet offers a wide range of cables for a diverse range of applications:
- SureSight™ cable range - permanent downhole cable range
- FibreDip™ cable range - temporary / semi-permanent downhole cable range
- Cryogenic applications
- Pipeline leak detection
- High voltage power cable monitoring
- Dam seepage and environmental monitoring
The cable must be designed and manufactured with adequate protection of the distributed sensing fibre in the specific environment. Additionally, the cable must be designed to ensure that the Distributed Temperature Sensing cable has the optimum thermal conductivity. Sensornet has vast experience in designing and manufacturing cables that achieve the balance between sensitivity and protection for a range of different industrial sensing applications. This varies from the extremely rugged components used in oil wells to lightweight flexible cables designed for the dam industry that are easy to handle but can survive large compaction forces. Depending on the specific installation and environment these cables can have lifetimes of 30 years plus.
Sensor cable installation components
In order to maintain the integrity of the optical path of the Distributed Temperature Sensor along the entire length of the installation, it is necessary to engineer and manufacture components at critical points along the sensing cable path. This can vary from simple junction boxes used in controlled environments, to specialised splice joints used in downhole environments through to high pressure chambers’ that are certified for use in zone 0 hazardous areas (eg wellhead outlet). Sensornet has a wide range of components for use in industrial applications. This can either be standard items or will be designed by the Sensornet design engineers according to the customer’s specific requirements.
Sensors designed for extreme environments
Sensornet has qualified a range of specialised distributed temperature sensing cables. These can withstand temperatures across a wide varieties of temperature that vary from cryogenic applications (eg LNG leak detection) up to high temperature process applications of 700 °C. In addition Sensornet has developed sensing cables that can survive in hostile, high pressure, hydrogen rich atmospheres.
More information...
For more information regarding commonly asked questions regarding Distributed Temperature Sensing cables, or for more details on the specific cable type for your installation, please click on one of the links below or contact our local Sensornet representative.
- What is a loop measurement?
- Multimode vs singlemode fibre for distributed sensing
- Laser & fibre safety
- Installing fibre optic cables
- SureSight™ cable range
- FibreDip™ cable range
