Optical Fiber Constraint Measurement / Control
The use of the fiber optic sensor technology for measuring constraints is particularly well suited. Compared to conventional strain gauge technology (resistant wire gauges, electrical deformation gauges, etc) that requires mostly a “Wheatstone bridge” type construction, fiber optic sensors such as ” Bragg Gratings ” can be implemented directly and easily on the elements under constraint. The Fiber Bragg Gratings coresponding to a very small part (1 to a few millimeters) of an extra sensitive optical fiber, it is possible to install a multitude of sensors or “strain gauges” on one single optical fiber. In addition, an interrogator unit is capable to monitor more than 120 points of measures (or many more through the use of an optical multiplexing system) spread over one or more optical fibers.
This technology stress measurement by Fiber Bragg Gratings has many advantages:
- High Performance Measurements
- Total immunity to electromagnetic interferences
- Great robustness and reliability in environments subject to high vibration and shock
- Very low losses and transport of measurements on very large distances (hundreds of meters to several kilometers)
- Compliance with explosions proof standards and ATEX directives
- Compact and very low intrusiveness
- Distributed measurements and network set up of a large number of individually addressable sensors
Perfectly optimized and fully adaptive, the wide range of Fiber Bragg Gratings measuring units (Interrogators) developed by LIGHT GUIDE SOLUTIONS enables a set up adapted to different uses to ensure the optimization of cost and performance.
