Technology helps to avoid environmental disasters due to leakage of fuel
24th July 2019
The goal was to develop an underwater wireless communication solution that would allow to monitor the submerged hoses that are used in fluid transportation, including crude oil and salt water, between ships and oil refineries on the ground and in the oil platforms in high seas.
This wireless communication solution, based on magnetic induction and multi-hop communications, is a pioneer on a global scale and was developed by a group of researchers from the Centre for Telecommunications and Multimedia of the Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC).
This way, the technology allows to remotely monitor submerged hoses up to 150 metres of length, over several years, without having to replace the batteries of the communication nodes.
In the future, the idea is that the developed technology can be integrated in hoses that are used by companies for fluid transportation, for example, in crude oil transfer between ships and oil refineries on the ground.
“Currently, the monitoring of these hoses is made by divers, which implies costs associated with the hiring of specialised human resources. In addition to this, this monitoring is limited to shallow waters and it’s made on a monthly basis. The developed technology allows the ongoing remote monitoring with significant lower costs, and it’s applicable both in shallow waters and deepwater”, explains Rui Campos, Coordinator of INESC TEC’s wireless network area.
For more information:
Joana Coelho
Communication Service
INESC TEC
FEUP’s Campus
Rua Dr Roberto Frias
4200-465 Porto
Portugal
Tel.: +351 22 209 4297
Mob.: +351 924 444 321