Optical fiber and monitoring system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to optical fibers and monitoring systems. The optical fiber includes an optical fiber body adapted to receive and transmit light emitted by a flame to be monitored, and an interface assembly coupled to the optical fiber body and adapted to be coupled to electronic equipment for receiving and processing the light transmitted by the optical fiber body, the interface assembly including a collimating component and the collimating component is configured to collimate the light transmitted by the optical fiber body. Utilizing embodiments of the present disclosure can advantageously improve the maintainability and reliability of the optical fiber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to fiber optic technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a fiber optic cable and monitoring system for flame detection. Background Technology

[0002] Flame detectors are a key component of boiler furnace safety monitoring systems, monitoring combustion status in real time based on the combustion characteristics of the flame. When an abnormal flame or flame extinction is detected, the flame detector can send a signal according to preset logic to ensure timely cutoff of fuel supply when boiler combustion is interrupted. Since the flame inside the enclosed boiler furnace cannot be directly monitored, optical fibers are required to pass through ducts installed on the boiler to guide the light emitted by the flame inside the furnace to the outside of the boiler for monitoring.

[0003] Currently, the internal structure and arrangement of optical fibers have many shortcomings, resulting in low reliability. Furthermore, maintaining and installing optical fibers is cumbersome and carries the risk of damaging them. Utility Model Content

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an optical fiber and electronic device that at least partially solves the aforementioned problems existing in the prior art.

[0005] One aspect of this disclosure provides an optical fiber, comprising: an optical fiber body adapted to receive and transmit light emitted by a flame to be monitored; and an interface assembly coupled to the optical fiber body and adapted to be coupled to electronic equipment for receiving and processing the light transmitted by the optical fiber body, the interface assembly including a collimation component configured to collimate the light transmitted by the optical fiber body.

[0006] According to one or more embodiments, the interface component may further include: a first sleeve configured to couple the fiber body to the collimation component.

[0007] According to one or more embodiments, the optical fiber further includes a second sleeve housing the optical fiber body, and the first sleeve may further include a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the second sleeve and the second end being coupled to a collimation component. Furthermore, the first sleeve may also include a flange extending radially outward between the first end and the second end.

[0008] According to one or more embodiments, the first end of the first sleeve can be sleeved onto the second sleeve, and the optical fiber body can extend from the second sleeve into the first sleeve at the first end until the second end.

[0009] According to one or more embodiments, a first end of the first sleeve may have a first inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the second sleeve, and a second end of the first sleeve may have a second inner diameter adapted to the diameter of the optical fiber body, wherein the inner surface of the second end may include an adhesive layer.

[0010] According to one or more embodiments, the collimating component may have an opening for receiving a second end of the first sleeve.

[0011] According to one or more embodiments, the second end of the first sleeve may include a first thread, and the opening of the collimating component may include a second thread adapted to the first thread.

[0012] According to one or more embodiments, the collimating component may include one or more holes configured to extend from the bottom surface of the opening in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface and completely penetrate the collimating component. Furthermore, the one or more holes may be configured to receive light transmitted by the optical fiber body, and the length-to-diameter ratio of each hole is greater than 20.

[0013] According to one or more embodiments, the diameter of each of the one or more holes is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber body. In this way, light emitted from the optical fiber can be collimated at low cost, and a reduced light intensity is obtained at the end of the hole opposite to the optical fiber, thereby reducing the probability of false alarms.

[0014] According to one or more embodiments, the optical fiber may further include a guide block adapted to engage the second sleeve at the opposite end of the second sleeve where it is engaged by the interface assembly. The outer surface of the guide block may have a plurality of fins evenly distributed circumferentially along the second sleeve. In this way, the passage of the optical fiber through the conduit can be improved.

[0015] Another aspect of this disclosure provides a monitoring system that may include: an optical fiber according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments; and an electronic device that can be coupled to the optical fiber via an interface component of the optical fiber and can be configured to receive and process light transmitted by the optical fiber.

[0016] The utility model summary section is provided to present the chosen concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed embodiments below. The utility model summary section is not intended to identify key or essential features of this disclosure, nor is it intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Other advantages and designs of this disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0019] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a portion of the optical fiber;

[0020] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing a guide block for an optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0021] Figure 4 A block diagram of a monitoring system according to another aspect of this disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Unless otherwise specified, corresponding numbers and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding elements. The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate relevant aspects of the embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The edges of features shown in the figures do not necessarily indicate the termination of the feature range.

[0023] In the following description, various specific details are shown to provide a thorough understanding of various examples of embodiments according to the description. Embodiments may be obtained without one or more specific details, or by utilizing other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail so as not to obscure various aspects of the embodiments.

[0024] The reference to "an embodiment" in this specification is intended to indicate that a particular configuration, structure, or feature described with respect to that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as "in an embodiment," "in one embodiment," etc., that may appear in various aspects of this specification do not necessarily refer precisely to the same embodiment. Furthermore, specific configurations, structures, or features may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0025] The title / reference numerals used herein are for convenience of reading only and do not limit the scope of protection or the scope of embodiments. Identical or similar elements are identified using the same reference numerals.

[0026] In the following description and accompanying drawings, due to the symmetry that will be understood by those skilled in the art, repeated features / structures are not described in detail or identified with different reference numerals.

[0027] As mentioned earlier, in some cases, where combustion and flame conditions cannot be directly observed, such as combustion and flame within a closed boiler furnace, optical fibers are needed to guide the light emitted by the flame to the outside for monitoring. One end of the optical fiber and the conduit housing it can be installed close to the flame, for example, at the secondary air nozzle of a boiler's oscillating burner. The other end of the fiber and conduit can be coupled to electronic equipment for analyzing and processing the light guided by the fiber. In some traditional optical fibers, maintenance of the fiber and its accessories requires complete removal (e.g., pulling it out of the boiler furnace) to maintain the various components mounted on the fiber. Furthermore, the light processing element is typically located near the flame, and it may detach during the insertion or removal of the fiber from the conduit for maintenance, leading to unsatisfactory maintainability and reliability. In such cases, maintenance is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and carries the risk of damaging the flame detection fiber. Additionally, in cases where the intensity of the light emitted by the flame is too high, light transmitted via traditional optical fibers may trigger false alarms.

[0028] Embodiments of this disclosure provide an improved optical fiber solution. An interface assembly for coupling the optical fiber body to an electronic device is provided in the optical fiber according to this disclosure, and a collimation component is provided in the interface assembly. By providing a collimation component in the interface assembly, the light output from the optical fiber is allowed to be collimated before being transmitted to the electronic device, thereby improving the quality of the light received and processed by the electronic device. Furthermore, by including a collimation component in the interface assembly and using the interface assembly to couple the optical fiber body to the electronic device, the number of times the optical fiber is completely extracted from and inserted into the boiler furnace can be advantageously reduced, thereby simplifying the installation and maintenance of the optical fiber and reducing the risk of optical fiber damage. Therefore, the optical fiber according to this disclosure has at least the advantages of easy maintenance and high reliability.

[0029] The following will combine Figures 1 to 3 The exemplary embodiments of the optical fiber disclosed herein will be described in detail below.

[0030] Figure 1 An overall view of an optical fiber 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. According to one or more embodiments, the optical fiber 10 may include a second sleeve 2, an interface assembly 3, and a guide block 4. For example, the optical fiber body 21 may be accommodated in the second sleeve 2. Figure 2 (As shown in the image).

[0031] In a non-limiting embodiment, the second sleeve 2 may be a tube made of a flexible material. This allows the optical fiber 10 to be inserted into a curved conduit. For example, the optical fiber 10 according to this disclosure can be inserted into a curved conduit leading into a boiler furnace to detect the flame combustion status within such boiler furnaces. In this case, one end of the optical fiber 10 having a guide block 4 can be inserted into the curved conduit leading into the boiler furnace, and the other end of the optical fiber 10 having an interface assembly 3 can be coupled to an electronic device for analyzing the light transmitted by the optical fiber 10. It is understood that, in addition to detecting the flame combustion status within a boiler furnace, the optical fiber 10 can also be applied to other scenarios requiring flame monitoring, and this disclosure does not limit this application. Furthermore, in some cases, some components can be omitted or replaced in the optical fiber 10 as needed, or additional components not shown in the figures can be added. For example, if there are optical fiber protection and / or guiding means at the monitoring site, the second sleeve 2 and / or guide block 4 can be omitted.

[0032] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a portion of the optical fiber. Specifically, Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of the part marked "A" in the diagram. The following will be based on... Figure 2 The interface component 3 according to some embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the optical fiber 10 includes an optical fiber body 21, which can be coupled to an interface assembly 3 and is used to receive and transmit light emitted by a flame to be monitored, such as light from a flame in a boiler furnace. Through the interface assembly 3, the optical fiber body 21 is coupled to electronic equipment that receives and processes the light, thereby enabling the determination of the flame's state and the monitoring of the flame. The interface assembly 3 may include a collimation component 32 that collimates the light transmitted by the optical fiber body 21. (See reference below.) Figure 2 Specifically, the collimation component 32 is provided to reduce the divergence of the light output from the optical fiber 10, thereby improving the quality of the light output from the optical fiber 10.

[0033] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the interface assembly 3 may also include a first sleeve 31 for coupling the fiber body 21 to the collimating component 32. By providing the first sleeve 31, the fiber body 21 can be connected to the collimating component 31 more securely and precisely. In one example, the interface assembly 3 may be made of a metallic material; for example, at least one of the first sleeve 31 and the collimating component 32 may be made of copper, copper alloys, iron, iron alloys, or other metals and metal alloys. In some embodiments, the first sleeve 31 may include a first end 34 and a second end 35. The first end 34 of the first sleeve 31 may be fitted onto one end of the second sleeve 2. The first end 34 of the first sleeve 31 may have an inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the second sleeve 2, thereby securely fitting the second sleeve 2. In a non-limiting embodiment, the outer surface of the second sleeve 2 and the inner surface of the first end 34 of the first sleeve 31 may each have matching threads to make the fit between the first end 34 and the second sleeve 2 more secure.

[0034] In some embodiments, the optical fiber body 21 housed in the second sleeve 2 can extend from one end of the sleeved second sleeve 2 and enter the interior of the first sleeve 31. For example, the optical fiber body 21 can extend within the first sleeve 31 from the first end 34 toward the second end 35 until it reaches the second end 35. In a non-limiting embodiment, the optical fiber body 21 extends beyond the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31. For example, the optical fiber body 21 can extend within the first sleeve 31 from the first end 34 toward the second end 35 and be flush with the second end 35. In some embodiments, the diameter of the optical fiber body 21 is adapted to the inner diameter of the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31. In other words, the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 can be directly sleeved over the optical fiber body 21. In this way, the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 can provide reliable fixation for the optical fiber body 21. Figure 2 A non-limiting example also shows an adhesive layer 22 disposed on the inner surface of the second end 35. The adhesive layer 22 can securely couple the fiber body 21 to the inner surface of the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31, thereby preventing the fiber body 21 from slipping off.

[0035] In some embodiments, a flange 39 may be provided between the first end 34 and the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31. For example, the flange 39 may extend radially outward from the surface of the first sleeve 31 between the first end 34 and the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31. In non-limiting embodiments, the flange 39 may function as a limiter. For example, when the optical fiber 10 is coupled to the input port of an electronic device via the interface assembly 3, the flange 39 of the first sleeve 31 of the interface assembly 3 may abut against the wall of the input port of the electronic device. Furthermore, the presence of the flange 39 reduces the risk of direct impact to the second end 35, to which the optical fiber body 21 is sleeved, during the installation and maintenance of the optical fiber 10.

[0036] Continue to refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the collimating member 32 of the interface assembly 3 may have an opening 37. For example, the opening 37 may be provided at the end of the collimating member 32 facing the first sleeve 31. Figure 2 As shown, the diameter of the opening 37 can be adapted to the outer diameter of the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 so that the second end 35 can be accommodated within the opening 37. In other words, the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 can be at least partially inserted into the opening 37 of the collimating member 32. In some embodiments, a first thread 36 and a second thread 38 adapted to the first thread 36 can be respectively provided on the outer surface of the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 and the inner surface of the opening 37. Thus, when the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 is inserted into the opening 37 of the collimating member 32, the engagement between the second thread 38 and the first thread 36 provides a secure coupling between the first sleeve 31 and the collimating member 32. In this way, the coupling between the first sleeve 31 and the collimating member 32 is less likely to detach.

[0037] In some embodiments, the collimating member 32 may further include an aperture 33. The aperture 33 may be configured to extend from the bottom surface of the opening 37 in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface and completely penetrate the collimating member 32 until it reaches the other end of the collimating member 32 opposite to the opening 37. For example, the aperture 33 may extend in the same direction as the optical fiber body 21 extending within the interface assembly 3. When the second end 35 of the first sleeve 31 is inserted into the opening 37 of the collimating member 32, the optical fiber body 21 fitted by the second end 35 may abut against the end of the aperture 33 on the bottom surface of the opening 37. Thus, the aperture 33 can receive light from the optical fiber body 21 and output it at the end of the collimating member 32 opposite to the opening 37.

[0038] In some embodiments, the inner surface of the aperture 33 may include a light-absorbing material. Alternatively, the inner surface of the aperture 33 may have a low-reflectivity coating or be made of a low-reflectivity material. In some embodiments, the diameter of the aperture 33 is smaller than the diameter of the fiber body 21. For example, when the diameter of the fiber body is on the order of 10 mm, the diameter of the aperture may be at least one of the following: 1.5 mm, 2 mm, or 2.5 mm. More generally, the ratio of the aperture diameter to the fiber body diameter may be between 1.5:10 and 2.5:10. In this way, the intensity of the light output from the aperture 33 is less than the intensity of the light transmitted by the fiber body 21.

[0039] Alternatively or additionally, the ratio between the length and diameter of the aperture 33 is set to be sufficiently large such that only light from the fiber body 21 parallel to the extension direction of the aperture 33 is output at the other end of the aperture 33. According to a non-limiting embodiment, the ratio between the length and diameter of the aperture 33 is greater than 20, preferably greater than 50, and more preferably greater than 60. Thus, the aperture 33 can advantageously achieve both light collimation and light intensity adjustment functions, thereby effectively avoiding false alarms triggered by excessively high intensity light emitted by the flame and improving the quality of light transmitted through the optical fiber.

[0040] Although Figure 2 Only one hole 33 is shown, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the collimating member 32 may include multiple holes 33. Furthermore, each hole 33 among the multiple holes 33 may have the same diameter, or may have different diameters depending on design requirements.

[0041] According to embodiments, the collimating component 32 may have an additional optical collimator. For example, in some embodiments, the collimating component 32 may have one or more collimating lenses attached to or instead of one or more apertures 33 to collimate the light output from the fiber body 21.

[0042] Figure 3 A perspective view of the guide block 4 of the optical fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Reference is made below. Figure 3 and Figure 1 The guide block 4 of this disclosure is described below. According to some embodiments of this disclosure, the guide block 4 can be configured to sleeve the second sleeve 2 at the opposite end of the second sleeve 2 that is sleeved by the interface assembly 3. Thus, when inserting the optical fiber 10 into a duct, for example, for access to a boiler furnace, the guide block 4 can provide guidance for the forward direction of the optical fiber 10 and improve the bending ability of the optical fiber 10.

[0043] like Figure 3As shown, the guide block 4 may include a sleeve 41 and a plurality of fins 42. For example, the plurality of fins 42 may be circumferentially and uniformly distributed along the outer surface of the sleeve 41. In addition, in one example, the plurality of fins 42 may extend outward from the outer surface of the sleeve 41 in a divergent manner.

[0044] To further improve the performance of the guide block 4 in guiding the optical fiber 10, each of the plurality of fins 42 can extend from one end of the sleeve 41 to the opposite end along its axial length. Furthermore, as in Figure 3 As shown, the height of each fin 41 in the radial direction of the sleeve 41 gradually decreases from the middle position of the fin 41 to both sides.

[0045] Furthermore, to avoid the risk of parts falling off, the sleeve 41 of the guide block 4 and the multiple fins 42 can be integrally formed. Moreover, the sleeve 41 may include one or more fasteners 43 on the surface between the multiple fins. For example, the fasteners 43 can be fastened through the surface of the sleeve 41 to the second sleeve 2 to which the guide block 4 is fitted, thereby preventing the guide block 4 from falling off entirely from the second sleeve 2.

[0046] like Figure 4 As shown, according to another aspect of this disclosure, a monitoring system 200 including an optical fiber 10 and electronic equipment 20 is also provided. For example, the monitoring system 200 can be used to monitor the combustion conditions of a boiler. According to some embodiments, the electronic equipment 20 (e.g., a sensor) of the monitoring system 200 can be coupled to the optical fiber 10 via an interface assembly 3, and the electronic equipment 20 can be configured to receive and process light from a target flame within the boiler furnace transmitted through the optical fiber body 21. Furthermore, when the optical fiber body 21 is coupled to the electronic equipment 20, the flange 39 of the first sleeve 31 can act as a limiter to prevent mispositioning of the optical fiber 10. For example, to prevent over-insertion of the optical fiber 10 into the electronic equipment 20 or to prevent damage caused by incorrect insertion of the optical fiber 10. The various advantages described above with respect to the optical fiber 10 are advantageously applicable to the monitoring system according to this disclosure, and will not be repeated here.

[0047] In embodiments of this disclosure, the maintainability and reliability of the optical fiber 10 are advantageously improved by providing an interface component 3 at one end of the optical fiber 10 near the electronic device 20 for improving light collimation and intensity.

[0048] From the teachings given in the foregoing description and related drawings, many modifications and other embodiments of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is to be understood that embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, although the foregoing description and related drawings have described exemplary embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of components and / or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of components and / or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In this regard, for example, other combinations of components and / or functions that differ from those explicitly described above are also contemplated within the scope of this disclosure. Although specific terms are used herein, they are used in a general and descriptive sense only and are not intended to be limiting.

Claims

1. An optical fiber (10), characterized in that, include: The optical fiber body (21) is suitable for receiving and transmitting light emitted by the flame to be monitored; as well as An interface component (3) is coupled to the optical fiber body (21) and adapted to be coupled to an electronic device for receiving and processing the light transmitted by the optical fiber body (21). The interface component (3) includes a collimation component (32) and the collimation component (32) is configured to collimate the light transmitted by the optical fiber body (21).

2. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The interface component (3) also includes: The first sleeve (31) is configured to couple the optical fiber body (21) to the collimation component (32).

3. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that, Also includes: The second sleeve (2) accommodates the optical fiber body (21). as well as The first sleeve (31) includes: A first end (34) and a second end (35), the first end (34) being coupled to the second sleeve (2), and the second end (35) being coupled to the collimating component (32); and The flange (39) extends outward in the radial direction of the first sleeve (31) between the first end (34) and the second end (35).

4. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first end (34) of the first sleeve (31) is sleeved on the second sleeve (2), and the optical fiber body (21) extends from the second sleeve (2) into the first sleeve (31) at the first end (34) until the second end (35) of the first sleeve (31).

5. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first end (34) of the first sleeve (31) has a first inner diameter adapted to the outer diameter of the second sleeve (2), and the second end (35) of the first sleeve (31) has a second inner diameter adapted to the diameter of the optical fiber body (21); and The inner surface of the second end (35) includes an adhesive layer (22).

6. The optical fiber (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that, The collimating component (32) has an opening (37) for receiving the second end (35) of the first sleeve (31).

7. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second end (35) of the first sleeve (31) includes a first thread (36); and The opening (37) of the collimating component (32) includes a second thread (38) adapted to the first thread (36).

8. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The collimation component (32) includes: One or more holes (33) are configured to extend from the bottom surface of the opening (37) in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface and completely penetrate the collimating member (32). The one or more apertures (33) are configured to receive light transmitted by the optical fiber body (21), and the length-to-diameter ratio of each of the one or more apertures (33) is greater than 20.

9. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that, The diameter of each of the one or more holes (33) is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber body (21).

10. The optical fiber (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: Guide block (4) is adapted to fit the second sleeve (2) at the opposite end of the second sleeve (2) which is fitted by the interface assembly (3). The outer surface of the guide block (4) has a plurality of fins (42) evenly distributed circumferentially along the second sleeve (2).

11. A monitoring system (200), characterized in that, include: Optical fiber (10) according to any one of claims 1-10; as well as An electronic device (20) is coupled to the optical fiber (10) via an interface component (3) and is configured to receive and process light transmitted by the optical fiber (10).

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