Condition monitoring for ship fuel (bunkering) applications

The ability to identify non-ideal operating conditions for an instrument is particularly important when metering a high value product such as fuel. In-built intelligence and the monitoring of additional data channels can not only detect non-ideal conditions but potentially provide corrected measurements and on-line uncertainty assessments where models can be developed. The $150 billion ship fuel (bunkering) industry still uses largely manual methods for determining the transfer of fuel from the bunkering barge to the receiving ship. These techniques are prone to error and potential fraud, with Maersk, the world's largest ship operating company, estimating it is defrauded of 1.5% of its $7 billion annual spend of fuel. Conventional flow metering does not work because of entrapped air in the viscous fuel. Coriolis mass flow meters have been particularly susceptible to two-phase flow. However, a new generation of meter is able to detect and correct for this condition. The detection of air can in turn improve the operation of the barge leading to better asset utilisation. Detailed trials and studies have been carried out demonstrating the benefits of the new approach. Maersk are now introducing Coriolis meters into over 50 ships, and a new standard for air-tolerant Coriolis metering for the bunkering industry is being introduced in 2010.