Improvements and applications of distributed optical fibre sensing

在通信系统中使用的标准光纤也可以用于感测光纤的千米长度上的温度和应变。 通过将光纤连接到桥梁等结构上或将其沿沿着埋设，使用合适的仪器可以检测到桥梁上或在栅栏附近行走的人的应变变化。 因此，一种持续监测桥梁健康状况的方法是可行的，这可以防止灾难。 以类似的方式，在埋置的光纤上产生的应变可以被检测到并报告为安全区域中的入侵者。 这些都是这种新兴技术的传统应用，在这项拟议的研究中，我们将开发新的传感器和应用，提高仪器性能，并显着降低仪器成本，这将使更小的应用。 具体应用是开发长度可达数公里的形状传感器，适用于地面沉降检测、入侵者检测或定向钻孔或其他隧道的测绘。 我们将与工程和地质专家合作，对这些技术进行评估。 二次应用，如湿度和腐蚀的传感将被开发和测试，以解决数十亿美元的腐蚀损害问题。 适当涂覆的光纤可以检测石油泄漏，从而提供大规模环境监测的手段。 一个研究小组和装备精良的实验室在UNB的分布式光纤传感器领域已经活跃了十多年。 Colpitts博士领导的这个研究小组包括10名学生，一名前学生是2008年NSERC博士奖得主，我们在这个领域发表了许多出版物和专利。 我们的团队和设施已做好准备，在未来五年内应用和改进分布式光纤传感技术。

The standard optical fibre used in communications systems can also be used for sensing temperature and strain over kilometer lengths of the fibre. By attaching the fibre to structures such as bridges or burying it along fences, with suitable instruments the changing strain on the bridge or a person walking near the fence can be detected. Thus a means to continuously monitor the health of a bridge is available which can prevent disaster. In a similar fashion the strain created on a buried fibre can be detected and reported as an intruder in a secure area. These are traditional applications of this emerging technology and in this proposed research we will develop new sensors and applications, improve the instrument performance, and significantly reduce the instrument cost which will enable much smaller applications. Specific applications are the development of a shape sensor that can be many kilometers in length and suitable for the detection of ground subsidence, the detection of intruders, or the mapping of directionally drilled holes or other tunnels. In collaboration with engineering and geology experts we will evaluate these technologies. Secondary applications such as the sensing of moisture and corrosion will be developed and tested to address the multibillion dollar issue of corrosion damage. Suitably coated optical fibre can detect petroleum leaks thus offering a means of large scale environmental monitoring. A research group and well equipped laboratory have been active in this distributed fibre optic sensors field at UNB for more than a decade. Dr. Colpitts leads this research group including ten students, a former student the 2008 NSERC Doctoral Prize winner, and we have produced numerous publications and patents in this field. Our team and facilities are well positioned to apply and improve distributed fibre optic sensing technology over the next five years.