OPTICAL FIBER SENSING TECHNOLOGY:

VISUALIZING THE REAL WORLD

ABHISHEK RAJ, DEEPAK KUMAR

Mechanical Engineering Department, NIT Silchar, Silchar, India, Email:

abhishekraj20_ug@mech.nits.ac.in , Contact No: 9334306301
Mechanical Engineering Department, NIT Silchar, Silchar, India, Email:
deepak20_ug@mech.nits.ac.in, Contact No. - 8210353239

ABSTRACT
Fiber optic sensing Technologies displays and uses the physical properties of light. It
travels along a fiber to detect changes in temperature, strain, and other specifications.
To a large extent this technology also utilizes the fiber as the sensor to create
thousands of continuous sensor points along the fiber. This article briefly describes and
suggests different Fiber optic sensing Technologies, components, Techniques,
Applications, and cost-cutting methods and solutions.
cutting methods and solutions.

1. INTRODUCTION

In this Modern Era, Innovation and

techniques rely on large amounts of
data and high-sensitivity sensors to
2. FIBER OPTIC SENSING
identify the measurand. Some TECHNOLOGIES
conventional methods can be difficult
and expensive to conduct. For
gathering data more efficiently and This technology is based on the variations of
gaining a competitive advantage, fiber physical characteristics of light waves
optic cables and sensors are a really propagating into the optical fibers from
very important promising, and external signals. These variations can be
ambitious possibility. Fiber optic light intensity, polarization, phase,
cables, composed of glass or plastic frequency, and wavelength. Most of Fiber
and used for data transmission and Opting Sensing techniques are classified into
parameter sensing, are flexible and three categories-
can be single.
Grating-based sensors, reflectometry-based
Optical fibers are used in
sensors, and interferometry-based sensors.
communication due to the rapid data
transmission enabled by optical
signals over long distances when 2.1 Grating-Based Sensors
compared to electrical signals
transmitted through conventional
wirelines with specific limitations.
On-ground experiments using FOS
technology for geophysical
applications are increasing day by
day, and their outcomes have been
presented at several conferences. The
technology has been applied as
distributed single-framework
detectors and multi-framework hybrid Figure 1: Schematic and principle of a
sensors for near-surfaces. fiber
This article briefly describes and Bragg grating sensor
suggests different Fiber optic sensing
Technologies, components,
Techniques, Applications, and cost- 2.2 Interferometry Based
 Sensors: 4. APPLICATIONS
The Mach–Zehnder-based sensors use
the 4.1 FOS In Rails
principle of Mach–Zehnder
interferometry Two FBGs can be utilized as bi-
as shown in Figure 2a. Figure 2b directional
shows the basic principles of Fabry–Perot sensors attached to the rail track in
(FP) interferometry- vertical
and longitudinal directions to accurately
determine longitudinal force
measurement in
continuous welded rail as shown in Fig.4
which represents the layout of FBG
sensors
and their installation for rail track
monitoring.

Figure 2a & Figure 2b

2.3. Scattering-Based Fig4: represents the layout of FBG

Distributed sensors and their installation for rail track
monitoring.
Optical Fiber Sensors

4.2 FOS In Rail components

FBG strain sensors can be applied to
monitor the condition of critical rail
safety
components such as fishplates, stretcher
bars, and switchblades continuously in
real-
Figure 3 : The fundamental principles time. Seven FBG sensors can be
of attached to
OTDR and DAS. rail components to measure dynamic
strain
induced due to the passage of a train
3 . FIBER OPTIC SENSING over
TECHNIQUES sensor locations.

A Fiber optic sensing system contains a

light
source, sensing elements, optical fiber,
detectors, and signal processing
algorithm.
Sensing elements can be embedded or
directly attached to the test substrate
without
damaging its structural integrity. This Fig.5 : shows the Schematic
system of FBG strain and temperature
can detect various parameters such as sensors
displacement, stress, strain, vibration, on the fishplate respectively
acceleration, angular velocity,
temperature,
current concentration, voltage, etc.
5. LIMITATIONS, COST
depending on the technique used. CUTTING METHODS &
SOLUTIONS :

1. The new techniques based on fiber
optic sensors are under development
in cables, sensors, field measurements,
and data processing techniques. The
development of specific methods, such
as DTS and DAS, primarily occurs at
technical universities, telecom
industrial entities, oil and gas
industrial entities, and research
institutes.
2. In the fiber draw process, the main
cost
saving parameter is cycle time,
including
both setup time and line speed. There
are
many design considerations for the
finished
gyroscope, however, that depends on
the
fiber draw process, in particular, the
physical properties and dimensions of
the
coating.
3. Optical attenuation, which occurs due
to various causes, affects the quality of
data gathered using fiber optic sensors.
It is difficult to extend the sensing
range via fiber optic cables due to
inherent attenuation along the fiber
length, which is primarily dependent on
the core diameter and the traveling light
wavelength.
6. CONCLUSION
We presented a comprehensive review of
fiber optics sensors and research works
based on Raman, Brillouin, and
Rayleigh.
light back-scattering and FBG-based
sensors
for different applications. Lastly, we
want to
emphasize that fiber optical prospecting
can
provide comprehensive and modern
research.
REFERENCES
Journal articles

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Edge- fi lter technique and dominant frequency analysis for high-speed railway
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