Oil & Gas Tanks Thermography Inspection

Thermography is an excellent technology to monitor active, large, cryogenic storage tanks. This approach proposes to use thermography to monitor new or refurbished tanks, prior to filling with cryogenic liquid, to look for insulation voids. Thermography may provide significant cost and schedule savings if voids can be detected early before a tank is returned to service.

Because of the large thermal mass of the inner and outer spheres, heat transfer between surfaces to equalize temperatures can be relatively slow, even when the temperature differences between the spheres themselves is small. Therefore, thermography has been suggested as an aid in acceptance testing of the tanks before cryogen is introduced to any tank, new or refurbished.

The ability to detect insulation voids prior to filling with cryogen will save money and time, eliminating the expense of losing cryogen and the months required for chilling down and warming up the tank if a void is discovered after the cryogen is introduced into the system. Potential savings could be in the millions if large voids are detected early.

Tanks play very important role in manufacturing and process industries. The level of water or other fluids in the tanks has to be monitored and maintained continuously. Thermography helps in detection of fluid level in the tank on basis of thermal inertia. Insulation losses and defective insulation in the walls of the storing tanks can be detected by using a thermal imaging camera with good sensitivity and can avoid cracks and failures in the tanks.