Ships Benefit from Intelligent Sensors

Tank gauging systems specialist PSM says that their new iCT level, pressure and temperature sensors represent a quantum leap in shipboard technology. The requirement for increasing amounts of reliable data on board has driven up demand for sensors. One consequence of larger manufacturing volumes has been that sensors have become relatively inexpensive. However, installation costs are another matter, and continue to rise.

Today, the cost of installing a level gauging system either as a new build or a retrofit can often exceed the cost of the equipment itself. This is particularly apparent in respect of cable costs and system commissioning. Stepping up to address this problem, PSM has launched a new high stability digital level, pressure and temperature sensor with advanced integrated intelligent signal processing and diagnostics. The company claims that, even on smaller ships, 80% of the cable and cabling costs related to vessel’s instrumentation systems can be saved. This can easily equate to 15,000 metres for a typical container ship. Savings soon stack up, once the time saved on installation and being able to configure and set up the sensors entirely remotely are added together.

Where conventional systems require a safety barrier for every single level transmitter, the low power digital system enables up to 128 sensors to be used in hazardous locations and supplied from a single safety barrier, with full ATEX certification. This provides a further large cost saving for large ships and tanker cargo systems. Other devices, such as radar gauges can be integrated directly onto the iCT ATEX loops by virtue of its robust network bus running standard MODBUS RTU. Therefore, PSM can provide a cargo gauging system with far fewer deck components and a much simplified installation. This is particularly beneficial to owners needing to replace or refit existing tankers and products carriers.