Armored Optical Cable Assembly to Prevent Fiber Axial Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical fibers in armored cables used for downhole oil and gas sensing are prone to axial shifting, leading to optical loss and potential fracture due to mechanical stress, and existing methods for preventing this are costly and complex.
Innovation Solution
An armored cable design where optical fibers are adhered to the inner wall of the armor tubing using an adhesive material, with guide tubes protecting the fibers during welding and support legs preventing contact with the adhesive, ensuring secure attachment and reduced mechanical stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If optical fibers are loosely placed in armored cable, then ease of manufacture is improved, but axial shifting occurs causing optical loss and potential fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The adhesive material is applied to the inner wall of the armor tubing before the optical fibers are inserted. This preliminary action ensures that when the fibers are later inserted and positioned, they are immediately secured to prevent axial shifting, eliminating the need for complex post-assembly securing mechanisms while maintaining fiber stability.
Solution Approach 2:
An adhesive material serves as an intermediary substance between the armor tubing inner wall and the optical fibers. This adhesive mediator creates a secure bond that prevents axial shifting of the fibers while maintaining their optical integrity, resolving the contradiction between simple placement and fiber stability.
2Reliability
If adhesive material is applied to secure optical fibers, then fiber stability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube, which temporarily protects the optical fibers during the adhesive application and curing process, is discarded after it has served its protective function. This eliminates the need for permanent complex fiber securing mechanisms, maintaining fiber stability while avoiding increased device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
A disposable guide tube is used during manufacturing to protect optical fibers from adhesive contamination. The guide tube is discarded after use, providing a simple, low-cost solution that ensures fiber stability during assembly without adding permanent complexity to the final cable structure.
3Reliability
If guide tube protects optical fibers during welding, then fiber integrity is improved, but guide tube must be removed adding manufacturing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The guide tube is designed to be discarded after serving its protective function during welding and adhesive application. This eliminates the need for complex removal or retention mechanisms, maintaining fiber integrity during critical operations while avoiding additional manufacturing steps for guide tube installation and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide tube is extracted from the system after it has fulfilled its protective purpose during welding. This temporary extraction allows the welding process to proceed without fiber damage while avoiding the need to permanently incorporate the guide tube into the final cable structure, maintaining manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents axial shifting of optical fibers, reducing optical loss and potential fractures, while simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing costs compared to conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
optical fibers are adhered to the inner wall of the armor tubing using an adhesive material
Implementation Method 2
the first guide tube protects the at least one of the first optical fiber or the first wire during the welding of the seam
Implementation Method 3
welding a seam of the armor tubing in a welding zone
Data Source
AI summary
Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for making armored cables. An example method for making an armored cable includes forming a strip stock into an armor tubing; welding a seam of the armor tubing in a welding zone; inserting at least one of a first optical fiber or a first wire into a first end of a first guide tube, wherein: the first guide tube extends through the welding zone; the first guide tube protects the at least one of the first optical fiber or the first wire during the welding of the seam; and the first guide tube is not part of the armored cable after the making of the armored cable; and supporting the first guide tube within the armor tubing by a plurality of support legs such that the first guide tube does not contact the armor tubing.