ATMOS International - Airport Fuel Hydrant Tightness Monitoring

ATMOS International (ATMOSi) was founded in 1995 in Manchester, UK by the inventor of Shell's statistical pipeline leak detection (SPLD) system. ATMOSi installed SPLD systems initially for Shell pipelines and now ATMOSi is the leading supplier of pipeline leak detection systems for over 400 pipelines around the world.

Tightness monitoring systems for jet fuel pipelines and airport hydrant systems

Since 2000 ATMOSi has supplied tightness monitoring systems for jet fuel pipelines and airport hydrant systems based on statistical algorithms applied to pressure only or pressure / temperature measurements. More recently ATMOSi has also applied the statistical approach to the pressure step method improving its reliability.

In its recommendations for the testing of tightness integrity of aviation fuel hydrant systems, API 1540 recommends as best practice a minimum detectable leak threshold of 0.04l / hr / m² at a reference pressure of 7barg. For some airports the fuel hydrants section volumes are such that the 0.04l / hr / m³ represents an extremely small leak rate indeed, often associated with holes of 1mm diameter. Such sensitivity is achieved with a low false alarm rate by ATMOSi's statistical tightness monitoring system (STMS) to ensure confidence in the system.

Leak detection technology for liquid pipelines

ATMOS STMS leak detection technology is widely used in liquid pipelines, monitoring approximately 200 pipelines many of which transport jet fuel over distances from as small as 100m to a few kilometres. ATMOSi successfully adapted and tested the STMS for airport aviation fuel hydrant systems, initially for military airports and naval bases where it has been in use since 2004. Since 2006 ATMOS STMS has been in operation in the New Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport and in the Sydney International Airport since 2010. In both cases ATMOS SMTS was extensively tested during real leak trials.

ATMOS STMS was also independently tested at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) by Ken Wilcox Associated. ATMOS STMS was successful using a procedure that met the requirements of the US Environmental Protection Agency. In all cases the minimum detectable leak threshold of 0.04l / hr / m² threshold was achieved.

Global presence and multi-cultural team

ATMOSi has a truly global presence with four regional offices: UK head office, US, Costa Rica and China. A network of local agents is able to further support ATMOSi projects in 28 countries. Its multi-cultural team of engineers is fluent in eight languages and used to working in multi-cultural projects in over 40 countries.

Quality certification

ATMOSi was first certified to ISO9001 standard by Lloyds in 1998 and it currently holds ISO9001:2008 + TickIT 5 + ISO90003:2004 certificates.