STTR Phase I: Active Fiber Optic Sensor Array for Cryogenic Fuel Monitoring and Management

STTR 第一阶段：用于低温燃料监测和管理的有源光纤传感器阵列

• 批准号: 0810429
• 负责人: Philip Swinehart
• 金额: $ 14.99万
• 依托单位: Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-07-01 至 2009-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0810429&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Active; Fiber; Optic

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I proposal addresses key components for managing the liquid natural gas and hydrogen fuel supply economy. Transporting and storing cryogenic liquid fuels entails danger of fire and explosion. Since these fuel technologies are growing and acquiring increasing US strategic as well as worldwide importance, sensors and instrumentation to safely manage it are required. The outcome of this work will be a basic technology, first demonstrated at the University of Pittsburgh, consisting of active fiber optic sensors powered by in-fiber light, to measure cryogenic liquid level, temperature and hydrogen concentration in air. Such sensors can be multiplexed at multiple points on a single fiber. The sensors are fiber Bragg gratings (FBG), which produce a signal that is independent of optical intensity noise, electromagnetic interference, and are all-dielectric, avoiding the potential for electrical sparking. With the heating laser off, temperature can be accurately measured to detect liquid density stratification and other management problems. With the heating laser on, Bragg grating with functional coating can be used to measure the thermal conductance difference between cold liquids and gases for leveling sensing. Hydrogen is detected by the strain on the fiber induced by the absorption of hydrogen in a palladium film applied to the fiber at each Bragg grating. The palladium will be heated by the heating laser into a temperature range where it is most active even if it is near a cold pipe or vessel. If successful this technology will assist in providing security when transporting liquid natural gases. The safety of people and facilities are also great importance and impact. A bad accident could delay the wide adoption of hydrogen as a major fuel source. Having a flexible, multi-use system available that can be installed with absolute confidence to monitor and manage these fuels, as well as the health of installed systems, will have a major impact on the acceptance of hydrogen as a safe alternative fuel source. The ability to multiplex many sensors on a single fiber will enable safer and more economical penetrations in cryogenic walls and the low corrosion potential of the fibers will enable sensors to be placed along piping underground. The same basic active fiber sensor technology has the potential to be extended to fuel flow and other economically useful functions.

小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段提案涉及管理液化天然气和氢燃料供应经济性的关键组成部分。运输和储存低温液体燃料有着火和爆炸的危险。由于这些燃料技术正在发展，并获得越来越多的美国战略以及世界范围内的重要性，传感器和仪器，以安全地管理它是必要的。这项工作的成果将是一项基本技术，首先在匹兹堡大学展示，由光纤内光驱动的有源光纤传感器组成，用于测量低温液位，温度和空气中的氢气浓度。这样的传感器可以在单个光纤上的多个点处复用。传感器是光纤布拉格光栅（FBG），它产生的信号是独立的光强度噪声，电磁干扰，是全电介质，避免了潜在的电火花。在加热激光器关闭的情况下，可以精确测量温度，以检测液体密度分层和其他管理问题。在加热激光器开启的情况下，利用带有功能涂层的布喇格光栅测量冷液体和冷气体的热导率差，实现液位传感。氢通过在光纤上的应变来检测，该应变由在每个布拉格光栅处施加到光纤的钯膜中的氢的吸收引起。钯将被加热激光器加热到最活跃的温度范围，即使它靠近冷管道或容器。 如果成功，这项技术将有助于在运输液化天然气时提供安全保障。对人和设施的安全也有很大的重要性和影响。一次严重的事故可能会推迟氢作为主要燃料来源的广泛采用。拥有一个灵活的多用途系统，可以绝对放心地安装来监测和管理这些燃料，以及安装系统的健康状况，将对氢作为安全替代燃料来源的接受产生重大影响。在单根光纤上多路复用多个传感器的能力将使得能够更安全和更经济地穿透低温壁，并且光纤的低腐蚀电位将使得传感器能够沿着地下管道沿着放置。相同的基本有源光纤传感器技术具有扩展到燃料流量和其他经济实用功能的潜力。