Subsea Fiber Optic Sensor Assembly for Passive Voltage and Current Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea sensor systems require additional electrical infrastructure for power, increasing complexity and potential failure points, and fiber optic sensors are sensitive to environmental forces like pressure, strain, and temperature, affecting measurement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A subsea fiber optic sensor assembly using Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) that measure operating parameters passively via light signals, with piezoelectric devices inducing strain on FBGs to detect voltage and current, and a canister maintaining a controlled pressure to mitigate environmental effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional electrical sensors are used in subsea environments, then measurement capability is achieved, but system complexity and potential failure points increase due to additional electrical infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional electrical sensing systems with a fiber optic sensing system that uses light instead of electricity. Fiber optic sensors transmit measurement data through optical fibers, eliminating the need for complex electrical power distribution, signal conditioning electronics, and associated infrastructure in the subsea environment. This substitution reduces system complexity while maintaining measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fiber optic cables as an intermediary medium to transmit both power and measurement data. The fiber optic cable serves as a mediator that carries light signals for sensing measurements and can also deliver power to subsea devices through integrated power-over-fiber technology, thereby reducing the need for separate electrical infrastructure.
2Device complexity
If fiber optic sensors are deployed in subsea environments, then electrical power requirements are eliminated, but measurement accuracy is affected by environmental forces such as pressure, strain, and temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs feedback mechanisms where the fiber optic sensor system continuously monitors environmental parameters (temperature, pressure, strain) that affect measurement accuracy. By measuring these environmental forces and feeding this information back into the system, compensation algorithms can be applied to correct for their impact on the primary measurements, thereby maintaining accuracy despite subsea environmental conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the fiber optic sensor system to compensate for environmental effects. By monitoring changes in optical parameters (wavelength, intensity, phase) of the fiber optic cable itself, the system can detect and quantify environmental influences and adjust measurements accordingly. This includes using the fiber optic cable as both the transmission medium and the sensing element, where environmental effects on the cable are measured and used to correct other measurements.
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
Accurately measures subsea device parameters without additional electrical power, reducing complexity and ensuring precise measurements by compensating for environmental forces.
Implementation Method 1
A subsea fiber optic sensor assembly using Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) that measure operating parameters passively via light signals
Implementation Method 2
piezoelectric devices inducing strain on FBGs to detect voltage and current
Implementation Method 3
a canister maintaining a controlled pressure to mitigate environmental effects
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of a system includes a canister that defines a chamber and that is configured to maintain the chamber at a controlled pressure in a subsea environment. In addition, the system includes an electrical connector defined on the canister that is configured to be electrically coupled to a subsea device. Further, the system includes a fiber optic sensing element positioned in the chamber and coupled to the electrical connector such that the fiber optic sensing element is configured to detect a voltage or a current of the subsea device via the electrical connector.