Remote Detection of Decaying Wood electric Power Distribution Poles

小行星9523456 该提案描述了一种传感器系统的开发，该系统能够远程监测用于支持配电网络中的架空输电线路的木质电线杆的腐烂进展。 这应通过检测以下一个或多个化学/生物学衰变指标来完成：（1）引起腐烂的真菌的存在和/或浓度，（2）引起腐烂的真菌的代谢生长的终产物，（3）支持真菌代谢生长所需的关键营养物的减少，（4）酶的增加，（5）碳与氮的比率的降低，和/或（6）pH值降低。这些化学衰变指标的检测应通过开发多功能集成光学传感器系统来实现，该系统利用蚀刻到平面波导中的布拉格光栅。 波导的一部分将利用具有由化学物质制造的上包层的布拉格光栅。 随着结合的发生，波导的传播常数发生变化，从而导致布拉格波长的相应变化。 将开发高灵敏度的基于干涉的解调方案，以监测化学诱导的布拉格波长的变化。 位于同一波导上的高阶布拉格光栅将用于辅助光学探测细胞结构，以便监测指示衰变的目标代谢副产物的pH和/或荧光。 我们提出的传感器技术提供（1）电磁噪声的高抑制，（2）与光纤遥测的兼容性，使得传感器数据可以与通信信号同时传输，从而使得远程极点检查成为可能，（3）多功能性，使得许多传感器可以被制造到同一平面波导中，并且许多平面波导可以沿着相同的光纤引线定位;以及（4）与微电子工业中使用的那些制造工艺类似的制造工艺，从而使得传感器能够低成本地大规模生产。 ***

9523456 Sirkis This proposal describes the development of a sensor system capable of remotely monitoring the progression of decay in wood utility poles used to support overhead transmission lines in power distribution networks. This shall be done by detecting one or more of the following chemical/biological metrics of decay: (1) presence and/or concentration of decay causing fungi, (2) end-products of metabolic growth of the decay causing fungi, (3) decrease in critical nutrients required to support fungi metabolic growth, (4) increase in enzymes, (5) decrease in the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, and/or (6) decrease in pH. Detection of these chemical metrics of decay shall be accomplished by developing a multifunctional integrated optic-based sensor system that utilizes Bragg gratings etched into planar waveguides. Part of the waveguide will utilize Bragg grating with an upper cladding fabricated from chemical species. As binding occurs, the propagation constant of the waveguide changes, resulting in corresponding changes in the Bragg wavelength. Highly sensitive interferometric-based demodulation schemes will be developed to monitor the chemically-induced changes in the Bragg wavelength. A higher order Bragg grating located on the same waveguide will be used aid optically probe the cellular structure in order to monitor pH and/or florescence indicative of the targeted metabolic by-products of decay. The sensor technology we propose offers (1) high rejection of electromagnetic noise, (2) compatibility with optical fiber telemetry so that sensor data can be transmitted simultaneously with communications signals thereby making possible remote pole inspection, (3) multiplexibility so that many sensors can be fabricated into the same planar waveguide, and many planar waveguides can be located along the same optical fiber lead, and (4) manufacturing processes similar to those used in the microelectrics industry thereby making possible sensors amenable to l ow cost mass production. ***