Radiant energy – Photocells; circuits and apparatus – Optical or pre-photocell system
Patent
1981-08-27
1983-12-20
Nelms, David C.
Radiant energy
Photocells; circuits and apparatus
Optical or pre-photocell system
73800, 350 9615, G02B 514
Patent
active
044219792
ABSTRACT:
A system for remote measurement of structural forces includes a plurality of microbend transducers mounted along the length of the structure for microbending an optical fiber in response to structural forces, such as stress acting upon an oil or gas pipeline or the like. An optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) has a light source for launching a pulsed optical signal for passage through the fiber and a photodetector for sensing as a function of time the intensity of backscattered light reflected back through the fiber, wherein this sensed time function is correlated directly with discrete longitudinal positions along the length of the fiber and the structure. When one or more of the microbend transducers is activated to induce a microbend in the fiber in response to localized forces acting upon the structure, a portion of the backscattered light is lost at the microbend. This attenuation in backscattered light intensity is sensed quantitatively and positionally identified by the photodetector. Specific preferred constructions for microbend transducers and system arrangements particularly adapted for detecting structural strain in an oil or gas pipeline are disclosed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4253727 (1981-03-01), Jenhomme et al.
patent: 4270839 (1981-06-01), Cross
patent: 4289398 (1981-09-01), Robichaud
patent: 4294513 (1981-10-01), Nelson et al.
patent: 4342907 (1982-08-01), Macedo et al.
J. N. Fields et al.: Fiber Optic Pressure Sensor, J. Acoust. Soc. Am (Mar. 1980) pp. 816-818.
A. R. Nelson et al.: Multiplexing System for Fiber Optic Sensors Using Pulse Compression Techniques, Technical Digest, Third Int'nl. Conference on Integrated Optics and Optical Fiber Communication, Apr. 27-29, 1981, Abstract MK4.
M. D. Rourke: Measurement of the Insertion Loss of a Single Microbend, Technical Digest, Third Int'nl. Conference on Integrated Optics and Optical Fiber Communication, Apr. 27-29, 1981, Abstract MD3.
Asawa Charles K.
Yao Shi-Kay
Cohen Lawrence S.
Heal Noel F.
Nelms David C.
TRW Inc.
Westin Edward P.
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