Application of
Fiber-optic sensor systems in industry and aerospace
All applications with the requirement to measure strain and or temperature that will form monitoring task like:
- Structural Health Monitoring
- Reliability
- Services & Maintenance
- Active Control
- Composite Structures, inside monitoring
Application i.e. in:
Oil & Gas Industry
Monitoring temperature and strain of tanks & pipelines. Temperature monitoring inside flammable gases or liquids are commercially possible by the use of the fiber optical technology.
Aerospace
Structural tests using several thousand sensors. Monitoring of structural behavior during test flights. The multiplexing capabilities of fiber-optic measurement technology enable a significant reduction in cabling.
In addition, qualification of optical components in accordance with ESA and NASA standards (ECSS/MIL)
Cryogenics & Thermal Technology
Fiber-optic sensors can be easily used in cryogenic and thermal technology and enable reliable temperature monitoring across extreme ranges. Standard models measure temperatures up to +300 °C, while special versions are suitable for high-temperature applications up to +700 °C.
Similarly, low-temperature processes –such as those involving liquid nitrogen (LN₂) at −196 °C or helium (He) at −269 °C—can be precisely monitored. As a result, fiber-optic systems offer a robust and reliable solution for demanding thermal applications, including freeze-drying in the pharmaceutical and food industries.
Composite Industry
Fiber optic sensors are able to go directly into the composite materials without influencing the physical properties. Monitoring structural properties during production, test and final use become true.
Fiber optic sensor systems are used in aviation.
Fiber optical sensors offer several significant ad-vantages over conventional electrical sensors. The most important ones are:
- They’re robust passive components
- The sensor is an intrinsic part of the fiber optic cable. The measurement signal is transmitted over several kilometres in the same fiber.
- Not affected by electromagnetic radiation.
- Explosion-proof as there are no electrical signals applied to the sensor
- Multiple sensors (>50 sensors) in a single fiber, reduced cabling