Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) services
We at Marlinks strongly believe in the untapped potential of Distributed Acoustic Sensing seen the variety of subsea cable services it can offer. Using a DAS, acoustic vibrations are recorded along the fiber optic strain embedded in the cable. Based on the configuration of the cable and its surroundings, information can be gathered on strain, CPS abrasion, environmental monitoring, …
Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) services
We at Marlinks strongly believe in the untapped potential of Distributed Acoustic Sensing seen the variety of subsea cable services it can offer. Using a DAS, acoustic vibrations are recorded along the fiber optic strain embedded in the cable. Based on the configuration of the cable and its surroundings, information can be gathered on strain, CPS abrasion, environmental monitoring, …
Case study: Spotting a whale using DAS monitoring
The construction and operation of a wind farm can cause negative impact on surrounding marine life due to the noise impact a wind farm can have. To protect the surrounding marine life, it is foremost necessary to be able to know what and if sea mammals are present.
Marlinks took up the challenge to detect whales surrounding submerged subsea fiber cable using nothing but a DAS device. Advanced algorithms could classify the recorded sound into porpoise echolocation clicks, whale song and other marine noises, and compute the location of the mammal. It is exciting to know that once operational, the system would allow to alert the crew when the mammal is getting too close to the construction site, so that necessary actions can be taken.
“The technology is relatively new,” says Roel Vanthillo, CEO of Marlinks, “But we have already used this very technology to detect water leaks in pipes with significant success.”
Benefits of DAS monitoring
Cable strain during installation
Monitor cable strain and therefore construction faults at an early stage as to limit maintenance costs in a later phase.
CPS abrasion
DAS monitoring allows to detect the scraping sound from a destabilised Cable Protection System (CPS), flagging to the end user of our software when CPS abrasion is happening.
Dynamic cable movements
Picking up exposed cables using DAS monitoring
Environmental monitoring
Getting alerted of whale songs, vessel movements, earthquakes and soil lidification
Scour pit forming
Detect subsea cables which get partly unburied because of scour pit forming.
Partial discharge
When the insulation of subsea cables starts degrading, or when at risk zones such as connection points, partial discharge is a known issue. DAS monitoring allows to pick up the voids and cracks sounds which happen during partial discharge issues.
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