A technique to package Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for Strain and Temperature Measurements

Uilian Dreyer,Ivo De Lourenço Junior,Kleiton De Morais Sousa,Jonas Somenzi,Valmir De Oliveira,Jean Carlos Cardozo Da Silva,Hypolito José Kalinowski

doi:10.1590/s2179-10742013000200031

Abstract

This paper reports an effective method of packaging a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) for the simultaneous measurement of temperature and strain. The technique consists of embedding two fiber Bragg grating sensors inside a polymeric material with different geometrical characteristics. The mechanical and thermal characterizations of the optical transducer were performed. Then a matrix equation used measurements of the wavelength shifts from the two sensors and yielded information about the temperature and strain coefficients. The preliminary results demonstrate the feasibility of the encapsulation technique allowing measurements of temperature and strain in smart structures and harsh environments. The experimental procedure provides robustness to the sensor and the matrix equation approach has the potential to determine simultaneously the strain and temperature coefficients.

Highlights

The advancement of all the areas in science and technology depends on performance of the measuring processes that are necessary while investigating the corresponding natural phenomena
The experimental results present a linear response for the temperature and strain range, the linear characteristic for the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) are maintained and is not altered by the packaging
The main contribution of this work resides in the development of a fabrication process of a packaging to embed the FBG sensors without the use of any type of adhesives

Summary

Introduction

The advancement of all the areas in science and technology depends on performance of the measuring processes that are necessary while investigating the corresponding natural phenomena. It is difficult to find a device like those, but the optical fiber sensors have a large set of such characteristics, making them appropriate for a series of applications. The use of such sensors in the industrial, military, chemical, petrochemical, telecom, medical and aerospace sectors illustrates the diversity of measurands that can be detected with them, while their flexibility and adaptability to several fields of technology can be considered as additional characteristics [1]-[4].

Methods

Results

Conclusion