Device and method for monitoring fluid in subsea equipment
First Claim
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1. A monitoring device for monitoring a fluid in subsea equipment, comprising:
- a plurality of radiation sources;
a control unit configured to one of (i) shut down at least one radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources when no monitoring of fluid to detect evanescent field effects is desired and (ii) operate the at least one radiation source in a standby mode when monitoring of fluid to detect evanescent field effects is undesired, and configured to turn on each of the plurality of radiation sources one after another;
a sensing element in contact with the fluid and communicating with the radiation source via at least one first transmission line;
a plurality of detectors communicating with the sensing element via an optical splitter and a plurality of second transmission lines; and
a waveguide operatively coupled to the at least one first transmission line and the at least one second transmission line;
wherein the sensing element forms a region of the waveguide, which is at least partially free of a cladding;
wherein the plurality of detectors are configured to detect at least one attenuated optical signal fed into the waveguide by at least one radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources, the attenuation being caused by evanescent field absorption by the fluid.
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Abstract
Monitoring device and method for monitoring a fluid in subsea equipment, wherein the monitoring device includes a sensing element in contact with the fluid, at least one detector and a waveguide, where the sensing element is configured to implement an evanescent field absorption technique, the at least one detector is configured to detect an attenuated optical signal fed into the waveguide by at least one radiation source, and where the attenuation is caused by evanescent field absorption due to the fluid.
9 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A monitoring device for monitoring a fluid in subsea equipment, comprising:
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a plurality of radiation sources; a control unit configured to one of (i) shut down at least one radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources when no monitoring of fluid to detect evanescent field effects is desired and (ii) operate the at least one radiation source in a standby mode when monitoring of fluid to detect evanescent field effects is undesired, and configured to turn on each of the plurality of radiation sources one after another; a sensing element in contact with the fluid and communicating with the radiation source via at least one first transmission line; a plurality of detectors communicating with the sensing element via an optical splitter and a plurality of second transmission lines; and a waveguide operatively coupled to the at least one first transmission line and the at least one second transmission line; wherein the sensing element forms a region of the waveguide, which is at least partially free of a cladding; wherein the plurality of detectors are configured to detect at least one attenuated optical signal fed into the waveguide by at least one radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources, the attenuation being caused by evanescent field absorption by the fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for monitoring a fluid in subsea equipment, comprising:
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bringing a sensing element into contact with the fluid, the sensing element being configured to implement an evanescent field absorption technique; feeding an optical signal into a waveguide; and detecting, by at least one detector of a plurality of detectors, an attenuated optical signal fed into the waveguide, the attenuation being caused by evanescent field absorption by the fluid; wherein the sensing element communicates with a plurality of radiation sources via at least one first transmission line; wherein the plurality of detectors communicate with the sensing element via an optical element and a plurality of second transmission lines; and wherein the waveguide is operatively coupled to the at least one first transmission line and the plurality of second transmission lines; and wherein a control unit one of (i) shuts down at least one radiation source of the plurality of radiation sources when no monitoring of fluid is desired to detect evanescent field effects and (ii) operates the at least one radiation source in a standby mode when monitoring of fluid to detect evanescent field effects is undesired, and turns on each of the plurality of radiation sources one after another.
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Specification