AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TESTING THE EFFICACY AND RELIABILITY OF DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE SENSING SYSTEMS

摘要

-45-The present invention relates to automated systems and methods for testing the efficacy and reliability of distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system. The DTS system has a fibre optic sensing cable laid out on a structure to be monitored, and a DTS unit for sensing temperature along a sensing line at locations thereof. The DTS unit is optically coupled to the sensing cable. The sensing cable is optically coupled to a test cable to form the sensing line. Also provided, is a cooling device for cooling the test cable. A controller periodically actuates the cooling device to thereby test the efficacy and reliability of the DTS system. A relay configured for communication with the DTS unit and the controller is operable to trigger an alarm condition in response to a signal received from the DTS unit indicative that a temperature drop in the sensing line at a location thereof has been detected. The controller is operable to monitor the response of the DTS unit to the temperature drop in the test cable based on input received from the relay or the lack thereof.