Simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain using optical sensors
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland
InventorsJames S. Sirkis, Harmeet Singh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Cascaded waveguide sensors with different sensitivities to temperature and strain produce independent temperature and strain measurements. In one embodiment a first sensor is formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first sensible thermomechanical response and a second sensor is formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second sensible thermomechanical response. The first and second thermomechanical responses are sufficiently different so as to produce independent temperature and strain measurements. Particular embodiments employ intrinsic or extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometers (IFP, EFP),sensors, in-line fiber etalon (ILFE) sensor and a fiber-optic Bragg grating.
Claims24
A sensor for measuring temperature and strain comprising:
- first and second optical sensors, for receiving an input signal and producing a first and second respective output signal in response to temperature and strain, said first sensor being formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain, and said second sensor being formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain, said first and second thermomechanical responses being sufficiently different from each other for allowing independent and simultaneous temperature and strain measurements based upon said first and second output signals.
An optical sensor comprising:
- first and second single mode optical waveguide sensors, each for measuring temperature and strain for receiving an optical input signal and respectively producing a corresponding optical output signal, said first sensor being formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first sensible thermo-mechanical response to temperature and strain and said second sensor being formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second sensible thermo-mechanical response to temperature and strain, said first and second thermo-mechanical responses being sufficiently different so as to allow independent and simultaneous temperature and strain measurements based upon the output signals.
Apparatus for measuring temperature and strain in a material comprising:
- first and second single-mode optical waveguide sensors, said first sensor being formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first optically sensible response to thermo-mechanical stimuli, and said second sensor being formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second optically sensible response to thermo-mechanical stimuli different from the first response;
- means for launching an input light signal into the waveguide sensors, each said waveguide for producing a unique light signal output in accordance with the temperature and strain response of the corresponding waveguide to thermo-mechanical stimuli;
- means optically coupled to the waveguides responsive to each of said unique light signal outputs of the respective first and second waveguides for producing independent and simultaneous temperature and strain measurements based upon said outputs.
An optical fiber sensor comprising:
- first and second fiberoptic sensors, said first sensor being formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain and said second sensor being formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain, said first and second thermomechanical responses being sufficiently different so as to allow independent and simultaneous temperature and strain measurements based upon said different responses.
A sensor for independently measuring temperature and strain comprising:
- first and second proximately located optical sensors for measuring temperature and strain at a selected location, said first sensor being formed of a first optical material having a corresponding first sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain and said second sensor being formed of a second optical material having a corresponding second sensible thermomechanical response to temperature and strain, said first and second thermomechanical responses being sufficiently different for allowing independent and simultaneous temperature and strain measurements at the location based upon said different response.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.