Monitoring of large structures using brillouin spectrum analysis
First Claim
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1. A method for measuring strain or displacement on a structure, the method comprising:
- (a) applying an optical fiber to the structure, the optical fiber experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to the strain or displacement;
(b) introducing a first light into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light;
(c) receiving the second light;
(d) measuring the Brillouin effect from the second light; and
(e) measuring the strain or displacement from the Brillouin effect.
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Abstract
Brillouin scattering spectrum analysis is used to measure strain, displacement, temperature or other physical quantities at any location along an optical fiber attached to a structure. The fiber can be interrogated with different pulse widths for coarse and fine scans. The fiber can also have multiple sensors, either formed in a single fiber or branching off from a backbone fiber, in which case other segments of the fiber can be used for temperature compensation.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method for measuring strain or displacement on a structure, the method comprising:
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(a) applying an optical fiber to the structure, the optical fiber experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to the strain or displacement;
(b) introducing a first light into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light;
(c) receiving the second light;
(d) measuring the Brillouin effect from the second light; and
(e) measuring the strain or displacement from the Brillouin effect. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for measuring a physical condition in a region, the method comprising:
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(a) providing an optical fiber in the region, the optical fiber experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to the physical condition;
(b) introducing a first light having a first pulse width into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light;
(c) introducing a third light having a second pulse width into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the third light to produce a fourth light;
(d) receiving the second light and the fourth light;
(e) measuring the Brillouin effect from the second light and the fourth light; and
(f) measuring the physical condition from the Brillouin effect. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method for measuring a temperature and a strain or displacement in a region, the method comprising:
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(a) providing an optical fiber in the region, a first portion of the optical fiber experiencing a first Brillouin effect in response to the temperature and a second portion of the optical fiber experiencing a second Brillouin effect in response to the strain or displacement;
(b) introducing a first light into the optical fiber such that the first Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light and such that the second Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a third light;
(c) receiving the second light and the third light;
(d) measuring the first and second Brillouin effects from the second light and the third light; and
(e) measuring the temperature and the strain or displacement from the first and second Brillouin effects. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. An optical fiber Brillouin sensor arrangement for sensing a physical condition, the sensor arrangement comprising:
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a backbone optical fiber; and
a plurality of optical fiber sensors, in optical communication with the backbone optical fiber, each of the plurality of optical fiber sensors experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to a physical condition. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An optical fiber Brillouin sensor for sensing a strain or displacement of an object, the sensor comprising:
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a plurality of first sections which are fixed to the object; and
at least one second section which is between two of the plurality of first sections, the at least one second section experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to the strain or displacement. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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35. A sensor system for measuring strain or displacement on a structure, the sensor system comprising:
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an optical fiber applied to the structure, the optical fiber experiencing a Brillouin effect in response to the strain or displacement; and
a Brillouin sensor instrument, in optical communication with the optical fiber, for introducing a first light into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light, receiving the second light, measuring the Brillouin effect from the second light and measuring the strain or displacement from the Brillouin effect.
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36. A sensor system for measuring a physical condition in a region, the sensor system comprising:
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an optical fiber which experiences a Brillouin effect in response to the physical condition; and
a Brillouin sensor instrument, in optical communication with the optical fiber, for introducing a first light having a first pulse width into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the first light to produce a second light, introducing a third light having a second pulse width into the optical fiber such that the Brillouin effect in the optical fiber affects the third light to produce a fourth light, receiving the second light and the fourth light, measuring the Brillouin effect from the second light and the fourth light and measuring the physical condition from the Brillouin effect.
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Specification