LECTURE 16
FIBER OPTIC SENSOR
1
FIBER OPTIC SENSORS
LECTURE 16
Myoungsu Shin
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
2
CONTENTS
Definition of Fiber Optic Sensors
Appearance of Fiber Optic Sensors
Application (Usage) areas
Advantages over Electrical Sensors
Supporting Technology
Types of Fiber Optic Sensors
Introducing Several Products
3
FIBER OPTIC SENSORS?
Dictionary: any device in which variations in the transmitted
power or the rate of transmission of light in optical fiber are
the means of measurement or control
To measure physical parameters such as strain, temperature,
pressure, velocity, and acceleration
Optical fibers: strands of glass that transmit light over long
distances (wire in electrical systems)
Light: transmitted by continuous internal reflections in
optical fibers (electron in electrical systems)
4
What Does F.O.S. Look Like?
Strain Gage Displacement Transducer
Embeddable Strain Gage
Temperature Transducer
Pressure Transducer
5
What Does F.O.S. Look Like? (Cont’d)
Fiber Optic Sensor vs. Electrical Sensor
Various Fiber Optic Censors
Fiber Optic Shape Tape
6
ADVANTAGES
Immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio
frequency interference (RFI)
All-passive dielectric characteristic: elimination of
conductive paths in high-voltage environments
Inherent safety and suitability for extreme vibration and
explosive environments
Tolerant of high temperatures (>1450 C) and corrosive
environments
Light weight, and small size
High sensitivity
7
SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY
Kapron (1970) demonstrated that the attenuation of light in fused
silica fiber was low enough that long transmission links were
possible
Procedure in Fiber optic sensor systems:
Transmit light from a light source along an optical fiber to a sensor,
which sense only the change of a desired environmental parameter.
The sensor modulates the characteristics (intensity, wave length,
amplitude, phase) of the light.
The modulated light is transmitted from the sensor to the signal
processor and converted into a signal that is processed in the control
system.
The properties of light involved in fiber optic censors: reflection,
refraction, interference and grating 8
Displacement Transducer
Involved technology: Thin Film Fizeau Interferometer (TFFI)
Linear Stroke: 25 mm
Resolution: 0.002 mm (no averaging)
0.0002 mm (averaging with signal condition)
Operating temperature: -150 C to 350 C (cable dependent)
Transducer dimensions: Length 103 mm, O.D. 13 mm
Fiber optic cable: Length 1.5 m, Custom length up to 5 km
9
Pressure Transducer
Involved technology: Fabry-Perot interferometer
Pressure range: From 0-0.3 bar (5 psi) up to 0-700 bar (1000 psi)
Resolution: 0.01% of FS
Precision: 0.1% of FS
Operating temperature: -20 to 350 C (650 F)
Thermal sensitivity: 0.01% of reading/ 1 C
Gauge dimensions: O.D. 19 mm, length 51 to 102 mm
depending on pressure range
Fiber optic cable: Length 10 m, Custom length up to 5 km
10
Temperature Transducer
Involved technology: Fabry-Perot interferometer
Temperature Range: FOT-L: -40 to +250 C, FOT-H: -40 to +350 C
Resolution: 0.1 C
Accuracy: 1 C or 1% of FS (whichever is greater)
Response time: Less than 1.5 second
Gauge dimensions: Sensitive zone length 10 mm, Probe O.D. 1.45 mm
Fiber optic cable: Length 1.5 m, Custom up to 5 km
11
End of slide……