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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA2_NGET0015
Title	Fibre Health Monitoring
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Power and Storage Technologies(Electricity transmission and distribution) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given National Grid Electricity Transmission
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 August 2022
End Date	31 January 2024
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£712,000
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid Electricity Transmission (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , National Grid Electricity Transmission (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA2_NGET0015
Objectives	To address the above problem this project will carry out research into optical sensing technologies that can be deployed at key nodes on the fibre optic network in order to monitor the optical characteristics of the fibre network and derive asset health information. The measured data will be recorded over time and analysed together with other data sources such as environmental data to create an asset health model that allows predictive asset health monitoring and management. Two slightly different technologies will be evaluated in this project. Both will be installed on the NGET network for several months to monitor fibre optic cables of known asset condition and their suitability, performance, costs and benefits will be compared.Data Quality Statement (DQS):The project will be delivered under the NIA framework in line with OFGEM, ENA and NGET internal policy. Data produced as part of this project will be subject to quality assurance to ensure that the information produced with each deliverable is accurate to the best of our knowledge and sources of information are appropriately documented. All deliverables and project outputs will be stored on our internal Sharepoint platform ensuring access control, backup and version management. Relevant project documentation and reports will also be made available on the ENA Smarter Networks Portal and dissemination material will be shared with the relevant stakeholders.Measurement Quality Statement (MQS):The methodology used in this project will be subject to our suppliers own quality assurance regime which is ISO 9001 certified. Quality assurance processes and the source of data, measurement processes and equipment as well as data processing will be clearly documented and verifiable. The measurements, designs and economic assessments will also be clearly documented in the relevant deliverables and final project report and will be made available for review. In line with the ENAs ENIP document, the risk rating is scored 5 = low.TRL Steps = 1 (2 TRL steps)Cost = 2 (£500k - £1M)Suppliers = 1 (2 suppliers)Data Assumption = 1 (defined assumptions and principles) The scope of the project covers 2 phases. The first phase consists of research and development activities as well as design and engineering carried out in the suppliers laboratory. During this phase the sensor and analysis software will be configured and pre-validated as part of laboratory tests. The second phase includes the site installation, data collection, data analysis and performance optimisation.Phase 1: DevelopmentBoth suppliers will set up a laboratory-based test platform and develop the optical sensing solution. Algorithms for data analysis and correlation between optical signals and fibre health will be established. At the end of this phase the optical sensing application including hardware and software will be ready for site installation at one of NGETs substations. The system design and preliminary test results for both solutions will be documented in the phase 1 summary report.Phase 2: Site testingThe fibre health assessment solutions developed in phase 1 will be installed at one of NGETs substations and will be connected to fibre wrap routes with known asset heath conditions. Monitoring data will be processed by the software and remotely reviewed. Some level of refinement of the test methodology and data analysis algorithms is expected at this stage. The site installation, monitoring and testing process as well as the tuningof the algorithms will be documented in the phase 2 report. The overall conclusions and the learning from the project will be summarised in the final report at the end of the project. The objective of this project is to investigate the capability of two methods of optical sensing technologies together with their associated data processing algorithms in order to assess the effectiveness and performance of each method with regards to asset health monitoring and modelling of optical fibres. The asset health models are aimed at facilitating predictive maintenance and replacement of fibre optic cable by predicting future failures and thus avoiding in service failure of assets. Moving to a predictive asset management regime will also enable the optimisation and extension of the average asset life.
Abstract	The energy network transition will require more agile, flexible and interconnected networks underpinned by reliable communications networks in particular where services for protection and control are concerned. Operational fibre optic networks are reaching an age where some of the equipment is starting to fail whilst other parts of the network are intact and may be able to provide significant further service life. This project will examine enhanced optical sensing methods to detect and track the ageing process of fibre optic cables and associated fittings with the aim of providing accurate health information and the capability to forecast failures. The research will include new optical sensing methods as well as new algorithms to interpret the data and correlate to other data sources.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/10/22