SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING LEVELS OR INTERFACES OF MEDIA IN A VESSEL

摘要

Systems and methods for identifying the level of media in a vessel with a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element disposed in the vessel. An excitation source is configured to propagate at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable. An optical signal interrogator is adapted to receive a signal from each of a plurality of sensor locations and measure a temperature profile corresponding to the heat pulse at the sensor locations. A control unit is configured to identify a level of each of media by determining properties of the media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.

主权项

1. A method for identifying the level of one or more media in a vessel, comprising:
providing within a vessel a sensing cable including an optical fiber sensor array aligned with a heating element, propagating at least one heat pulse through the heating element along at least a portion of the sensing cable to affect an exchange of thermal energy between the heating element and the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable; measuring, over time, a temperature profile of the sensing cable corresponding to the heat pulse at each of a plurality of sensor locations on the optical fiber sensor array; and identifying a level of each of the one or more media by determining one or more properties of the one or more media exposed to the sensing cable at each of the plurality of sensor locations based on the temperature profile corresponding thereto.