4Subsea’s New Autonomous SMS Strain™ Sensor
4Subsea has launched a new autonomous sensor which measures the dynamic strain of offshore wind turbines with high resolution and accuracy. The sensor will reduce cost of operations and maximise life of offshore wind turbines.
Retrofittable sensors installable by hand
Unlike regular strain gage installations, 4Subsea’s Smart Monitoring Sensor (SMS) Strain™ is an autonomous, retrofittable sensor that can be installed without special requirements such as the use of specialised technicians, equipment, or a clean environment. In addition, the technology can easily be installed by hand on the turbine tower or using divers or ROV for subsea installation, for instance, on the substructure.
Low power consumption
SMS Strain™, which the company is showcasing at this year’s WindEurope: Electric City 2021, has extremely low power consumption, enabling continuous logging and data storage at 10 Hz sampling frequency for a full 12 months.
Synchronised data sampling and logging
The SMS Strain™ sensors can be cabled to motion sensors like the SMS Gateway™ (topside) or SMS Motion™ (subsea) to provide fully synchronised strain and motion data. This gives a unique opportunity to assess structural loads in correlation with deflections and response frequencies which are critical parameters in wind turbine design. Furthermore, the sensors are made as true IoT sensors where that given access to power and the internet, they will automatically start sending data to the cloud where the data is processed, and insight from the data can be visualised to the customers.
“With the launch of SMS Strain™, we continue to simplify the complexity of the challenges faced by our clients by providing informed data to develop optimal, tailor-made solutions. The sooner you know the status of your asset, the larger the range of available options to either optimise or mitigate the findings. The key to unlocking this knowledge is increased understanding, which our sensors deliver,” Peter Jenkins, CEO of 4Subsea, said.
“SMS Strain™ is the latest of our autonomous sensors that help operators reduce the cost of operations and maximise life of assets when combined with our data analytics and engineering specialists within the company.”
Autonomous sensors for subsea and offshore wind operations
4Subsea provides sensor technology for subsea assets and offshore wind operations worldwide. They started developing bespoke tools and design methods before commercial equipment or design standards were available.
Lifetime extension of assets
Tackling industry challenges for operators, 4Subsea’s technology is developed to perform the most challenging of engineering tasks. Providing data to track integrity status, inform key decision making and reduce the need for regular ROV inspections to monitor the condition of equipment, the new technology can extend the lifetime of assets beyond design life.
4Subsea’s sensor portfolio
The SMS Strain™ is the sixth sensor in 4Subsea’s sensor product line, adding new capabilities to the company’s existing offering that includes SMS Motion™, SMS Magic Hand™, SMS Gateway™, SMS ComCentral™ and SMS Guard™.
4Subsea is exhibiting at WindEurope: Electric City 2021 on Stand C2-A14.
About 4Subsea
4Subsea is a leading provider of technology and services that help operators optimise energy production from subsea oil & gas fields and offshore wind farms. The company combines domain expertise with data analytics and digital services to maximise lifetime of assets, reduce operational cost and optimise future projects through data-driven design.
4Subsea delivers critical decision support to energy providers on 4insight®, enabling lifetime extension of assets and operational uptime. 4Subsea combines operational experience with digital capabilities to automate engineering processes and help operators reduce risk and cost.
The company was established in 2007, and its clients include the major energy operators as well as the large suppliers of subsea equipment.
4Subsea is a company in the Subsea 7 Group and is headquartered in Asker, Norway, with additional offices in Bergen, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Rio de Janeiro, and Aberdeen.
