Distributed Optical Fiber Sensor Using Stepwise Light Source
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing distributed optical fiber sensors face challenges in measuring strain and temperature with high spatial resolution and accuracy due to the need for manual adjustment of light intensity and difficulty in detecting minute strains below 200με, especially when strains are evenly distributed over a wide range.
Innovation Solution
A distributed optical fiber sensor utilizing a stepwise optical light source to generate an optical pulse with increasing intensity towards the center, combined with a continuous light source, and a Brillouin time domain detector to determine Brillouin loss or gain spectra, eliminating the need for manual light intensity adjustment and enabling detection of minute strains with high accuracy and spatial resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual adjustment of light intensity is performed to optimize measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically adjusts and optimizes the light intensity parameters without requiring manual intervention. The control unit autonomously manages the probe light source and pump light source to achieve optimal Brillouin scattering signal detection, thereby maintaining high measurement precision while eliminating manual adjustment operations.
2Manufacturing precision
If optical pulse width is reduced to improve spatial resolution, then spatial resolution is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to difficulty in detecting minute strains
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts multiple parameters including optical pulse width, light intensity, and frequency differences between probe and pump lights. By optimizing these parameters in combination rather than fixing them, the system achieves both high spatial resolution and the ability to detect minute strains effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic adjustment of optical parameters based on real-time measurement conditions. The optical pulse width and light intensities are adaptively modified to balance spatial resolution requirements with the sensitivity needed for detecting small strain values, allowing the system to respond to varying measurement demands.
3Measurement precision
If high light intensity is used to improve signal detection, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes the balance between light intensity and detection sensitivity by adjusting multiple parameters simultaneously. Rather than simply increasing light intensity, the system modifies pulse width, frequency differences, and detection timing to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio with reduced energy consumption.
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 allows for accurate and precise measurement of strain and temperature distributions with high spatial resolution without manual adjustment, effectively detecting minute strains and improving measurement accuracy and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
In the sensing optical fiber 503, the probe light and the pump light cause a Brillouin scattering phenomenon
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed optical fiber sensor uses a Brillouin scattering phenomenon to avoid manual adjustment and to measure strain and/or temperature with high accuracy and high spatial resolution. A stepwise optical light source generates an optical pulse having a stepwise distribution of intensity to increase toward the center, and a continuous light source generates continuous light on. The optical pulse is incident on a sensing optical fiber as probe light and the continuous light is incident as pump light to cause a Brillouin scattering phenomenon between the probe light and the pump light. A Brillouin time domain detector determines a Brillouin loss or gain spectrum from the light emerging from the sensing optical fiber and attributed to the Brillouin scattering phenomenon, and measures strain in and/or temperature of the sensing optical fiber in the longitudinal direction thereof based on the determined Brillouin loss or gain spectrum.