Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 2 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Introduction This presentation describes a sensor system for monitoring of floating roofs in ASTs for conditions leading to:  Roof capsizing as a result from liquid buildup on the roof.  Fire due to volatile hydrocarbon accumulation on the roof.  Roof failure due to misalignment.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 3 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### The problem

Illustration reprinted courtesy of Tank Industry Consultants TIC 

### Floating roof related AST accidents have significant consequences:  Loss of life.  Financial damages.  Expensive collateral damage.  Environmental damages and related fines.  Tightening of government regulations.  Negative publicity.

Orion Refinery June 7, 2001: Sunken roof & fire due to Tropical Storm Allison Source: SP Swedish National Testing and Research InstituteSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 4 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference

Source: Large Atmospheric Storage Tank Fires (LASTFIRE) study, 2006 

### Accident Causes Common causes of accidents include:  Fire or explosion due to hydrocarbon accumulation on the roof. [LASTFIRE, BP]  Roof sinking due to rain water accumulation. [TCI Tank industry Consultants]  Overfilling. [LASTFIRE, BP]  Leaky pontoon or punctured deck. [TCI Tank industry Consultants]  Roof misalignment due to various causes. [BP NineSigma]Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 5 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### What can be done? 

## Monitoring the status of floating roofs with permanent sensors is an effective approach... ...however, aside from overfill detection, currently there are no sensor systems dedicated to monitoring the floating roofs in ASTs.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 6 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### A wireless sensor system can alert the tank operators when one of the following conditions is detected on a petroleum storage tank’s floating roof:  Excessive water accumulation.  Liquid hydrocarbons.  Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC).  Roof misalignment. Note: Overfill warning techniques are already implemented reliably by the petroleum industry. 

### Proposed SystemSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 7 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### System Requirements Technical requirements for creating a practical floating roof sensor monitoring system:  Completely Wireless System.  Low Power Consumption.  Proven Sensor Technologies.  Immunity to False Alarms.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 8 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Completely Wireless System Wire Pros:  Provide power.  Bring communications.  Reliability. Wire Cons:  Practical issues; roof constantly moving.  Installation costs.  Electrical loops. Solution: Autonomous wireless devices that harvest

energy from the environment.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 9 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Low Power Consumption Battery powered device. Low power consumption equals:  Long maintenance free operation.  Small size solar panel.  Small footprint.  Low heat dissipation.  Lower cost. Solution: Integration of low-power microelectronics

& IEEE 802.15.4 radios.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 10 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Proven Sensor Technologies In this system the most critical components are the sensor transducers. Issues to consider:  Reliability.  Susceptibility to calibration drifts.  Self calibration.  Self diagnostics.  Track record. Solution: Combine proven technologies

with modern advancements.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 11 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Immunity to False Alarms False alarms:  Unnecessary deployment of resources.  Cannot sacrifice reliability.  Must be minimized. Solution: Distributed sensor network.

Multiple sensors reduce false alarms.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 12 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Sensor System Components The AST floating roof monitoring system consists of wireless sensor pods and a base station:

Wireless Sensor Pod Base StationSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 13 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Wireless Sensor Pod

2.4 GHz RF Module Communication to base station Solar Panel Energy autonomy Status LED Visual alarm and status GPS Antenna Location & quick deployment

Clear Potted Dome Explosion proof & durable
Gas/Liquid Sensor intakes Protection of the internal sensors Magnetic Base Rapid deployment on steel

structures Hard Plastic Body UV & chemical resistance, intrinsically safe, explosion

proofSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 14 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### NDIR Sensor NDIR Gas Sensor: 0 – 100% LFL (0 – 100% vol. conc.) for detecting hydrocarbon gasses on the floating roof. Nondispersive Infrared Sensors (NDIR) measure the wavelength absorption of gasses:
 Accurate.  Cannot be poisoned.  Self calibration.  Self diagnostics.  Repeatability.  Ruggedness.  Temperature compensation. Source: iBall Instruments LLC, 2007 IR600 Series NDIR by e2v UKSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 15 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Inclinometer Roof inclination measurement. Dual-axis Tilt/Accelerometer Sensor - 0.025° resolution. Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS):
 High Precision.  Unaffected by temperature.  Low power.  Repeatability.  Self testing.  Ruggedness.  Miniature.

MEMS micro motor, Source: SFU IMMR MEMS inclinometer relative sizeSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 16 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Acoustic Liquid Sensor Measuring water and liquid hydrocarbons levels on the roof using acoustic TDR (Time-Domain Reflectrometry):
 Commercial use for more than 60 years.  Competitively priced.  Inherently rugged.  Very sensitive.  Reliable . Fluid-tracTM: accurate at ±0.125”, resolution of 0.07” inches

Acoustic level sensor: Principle of operationSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 17 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Optional Sensors Other sensors that may be added:  Fire/flame detection.  GPS.  Temperature.  Pressure.  Snow/hail accumulation.  Overfill. Fire Sentry: Model FS24XTM QuadBandTM triple IR fire and flame detector

Locosys: Model AC-1513 GPS moduleSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 18 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### System Deployment

 Sensors are dropped on the floating roof.~ AC Power  Modbus RTU/Modbus TCP.  Firmware upgrades enable future protocol upgrades.  Relay outputs interlocks to DCS/Alarm system. Shown: Emerson DeltaV Control System

DCS

EIA-485/Ethernet/Relay InterconnectSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 19 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Distributed Sensor System Representation of the overall environment is achieved by simultaneously analyzing data from individual sensors monitoring adjacent areas:  Reliability.  Accuracy.  Less False Alarms.  Self testing. Distributed wireless sensors deployed on an AST floating roof Inclinometers 5 ° 5 ° 5 ° 0 ° 0 ° 5 ° Inclinometers

b: a single faulty sensor reading a: correct sensor readings across the roofSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 20 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Sensor Operation Example of sensor operation:

Detection of liquid on the floating roof of AST

Detection of hydrocarbon vapors at LFL on the roof Detection of roof inclination

Detection of snow cover on the roof (optional sensor)Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 21 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Alarm Annunciation Alarm conditions and system alerts will be annunciated to the tank farm’s DCS. The alarm types and system alerts are:
 Liquid flooding detected (hydrocarbon/water).  Hydrocarbon gas alarm (LFL).  Misalignment/tilt alarm.  Loss of communications.  Malfunctioning sensor.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 22 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Product Roadmap Product evolution into covered floating roof ASTs. Emissions measurement and seal gap inspection vehicle could become standard procedure. LEXID is a promising technology for seal inspection.

Remote-control seal inspection vehicle Wireless sensors deployed on a covered tank roofSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 23 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Seal Inspection with LEXID LEXID “Lobster-Eye X-ray Inspection Device. LEXID does not require a detector (film, sensor) behind the object. LEXID could be used in a remote controlled seal gap inspection system that would not require tank decommissioning.

Source POC: LEXID inspection through a car door Source POC: LEXID Operation ConceptSyscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 24 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Conclusion: System Benefits The tank monitoring sensor system will:  Reduce the risk of catastrophic floating roof failure.  Save operational costs by potentially reducing the need for manual tank monitoring.  Inexpensive - low upfront cost, low deployment cost, and minimal maintenance cost.Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. – Patent Pending Technology 25 October 2008 2008 API AST Conference 

### Q & A Session

Thank you! For questions and comments please contact: Nick Tzonev, CEO Syscor Controls & Automation Inc. Suite 201 – 60 Bastion Square Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1J2, Canada Telephone: +1.250.361.1681 ext 621 Email: ntzonev@syscor.com