Fiber optic sensing system

• Subject Area: Process Engineering, Technical Chemistry
• Term: Funded in 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 549580941

Fiber optic sensors use the specific optical properties of materials, usually glass fibers, to measure physical variables such as temperature, strain or vibration in a spatially distributed and highly dynamic manner along the fiber. Extremely flexible solutions are possible: they range from single-point measuring systems via individual, a priori defined measuring points along the fiber (so-called fiber Bragg gratings - FBG) to continuously measuring systems with measuring resolutions of less than one millimeter on kilometer-long glass fibers (so-called optical time domain reflectometers - OTDR). A single fiber weighing just a few grams can contain thousands of sensors without affecting the measurement task itself too much (minimally invasive). Since (laser) light is used to transmit information in the optical fiber, applications are possible that remain closed to classic electrical sensor technology, such as in chemically aggressive environments, explosion-protected areas, confined measurement setups, microwave fields, high-voltage environments and much more. This application focuses on OTDR technology, which is expensive but offers a much broader and more flexible range of applications due to its virtually unlimited spatial resolution. The system is mobile and can be used anywhere. At Clausthal University of Technology, this measuring system can be used in numerous applications, as spatially resolved temperature and strain measurements in real-time offer significant added value for research and teaching across all fields of research. This application is an example of the benefits of this measurement technology for six different working groups from three research fields at Clausthal University of Technology: "Sustainable Energy Systems", "Securing Raw Materials and Resource Efficiency" and "Sustainable Materials and Processes".

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Faseroptisches Auslesesystem
• Instrumentation Group: 8710 Optische Längenmeßgeräte (außer 062-067 und Meßmikroskope 503)
• Applicant Institution: Technische Universität Clausthal
• Leader: Professor Dr.-Ing. Jens Bremer