Chelsea Technologies Develops Shallow-Water Hydrocarbon Sensor

Irelands, Marine and Environmental Sensing Technology Hub (MESTECH) use Chelsea UviLux to detect hydrocarbon levels in Lower Liffey Estuary.

Tim Sullivan and Dian Zhang of MESTECH recently deployed a Chelsea Technologies Group hydrocarbon sensor on a trial basis in the Lower Liffey Estuary. This sensor is designed for shallower depths (<600 metres), yields equivalent sensitivity performance and is smaller and lighter than previous sensors.

The UviLux can be configured for measurements of crude oil, refined oils or CDOM for other applications. MESTECH are using this sensor alongside a suite of other commercial sensors to examine the relationships between detected hydrocarbon levels, turbidity, total suspended solids among other parameters.

The project will expand with the deployment of a passive sampler at the mouth of the river to determine the composition of hydrocarbon compounds within the water column. At present the sensor is available on a trial basis from CTG, and data is logged locally using a Raspberry Pi and is not being made available in real-time during the current phase of the deployment.

Chelsea Technologies has a range of water quality monitoring sensors specifically designed for hydrocarbon monitoring.