Abstract
Instrumentation for locating sludge level in crude oil storage tanks was developed based on surface temperature distribution on the side wall of the tank. Temperature difference was observed between crude oil portion and sludge portion due to their different thermal properties. Data fusion technique was employed for processing temperature data measured by infrared thermography and visible photograph data measured by a digital camera, which enables us to locate the sludge level and to measure its height quantitatively. Experimental studies were made on the applicability of the proposed technique through field tests of crude oil tanks for petroleum stockpiling in Japan. Influences of weather, tank orientation, crude oil type on the measurement were investigated.
