Final Report Summary - TARE-IT (A Novel Tare Identification and Corrosion Detection System to Improve Filling Accuracy, Productivity and Safety for SME LPG, Butane & Propane Gas Vendors) A consortium of European small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has completed a cooperative SME project to investigate and design / invent a high performance ultrasonic scanning prototypical rig for liquefied natural gas refilling centres and industries. The project has investigated and designed the problems associated with using ultrasonic sensors to detect residual weight automatically in a re-filling process plant by successfully designing and building some algorithms and mechanical inventories.The proposed CRAFT research project, TARE-IT, aimed to develop a novel, proactive and cost effective ultrasonic based, simultaneous tare identification and corrosion leak detection system for pressure cylinders during filling. This can provide the more than 7 500 SME filling and test stations with an alternative technology to cost effectively and safely perform accurate tare identification while simultaneously performing corrosion leak detection in pressure cylinders during refilling. Accurate tare identification will help reduce the EUR 1.2 billion waste problem among the SMEs, while simultaneously increasing productivity and the frequency of corrosion leak detection, thereby significantly increasing the safety of pressure cylinders.The overall objective of the project was to develop a novel tare identification and corrosion detection system to improve filling accuracy, productivity and safety for SME liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), butane and propane gas vendors.The principle objective was to develop a novel proactive and cost effective, simultaneous, tare identification and corrosion leak detection system for pressure cylinders during filling by developing a novel non-contact non-destructive testing (NDT) hybrid laser EMAT / air coupled ultrasonic testing system.The scientific objectives of the project were:- generation of scientific knowledge that provides an enhanced understanding of defects found in steel and composite pressure cylinders and the properties of materials and defects on ultrasonic waves characteristics with change in frequency, signal amplitude, propagation time delay and phase change in relation to corrosion and cracks.- generation of scientific knowledge that enables the development wave characteristics and the requirement from sensors to generate defect and tare related ultrasonic sensor mathematical model.The technological objectives of the project were to produce a prototype system able to:- provide hybrid laser EMAT / air coupled ultrasonic testing system capable of performing simultaneous tare identification and corrosion leak detection in steel and composite pressure cylinders; - provide tare determination in steel and composite materials with and accuracy of 5 % of total tare weight; - provide sufficiently accurate data analysis to enable tare determination and corrosion leak detection of pressure cylinders in less than 30 seconds; - provide a continuous testing ability, which meets safety requirements for pressure cylinder safety standards; - provide continuous testing ability, which can be, electronically and mechanically interfaced with existing industry standard filling systems and handling equipment; - has a total cost of less than EUR 80 000 per unit to the SME filling and test station. Related documents Final Report - TARE-IT (A Novel Tare Identification and Corrosion Detection System to Improve Filling Accuracy, Productivity and Safety for SME LPG, Butane & Propane Gas Vendors)
