Optical Fiber: When the Heat 和 Pressure Are On

许多陆地和海洋石油作业都使用温度传感器来帮助提高恶劣环境下的安全性和功能. Optical fibers 在这些条件下使用,通常暴露在高温和高压下, along with ionizing radiation 和 aggressive chemicals in the surroundings.

Given these extremes, companies are increasingly using silica-based optical fibers 对于这两个 distributed temperature sensing. 这些纤维提供先进的性能,包括优越的热稳定性和机械坚固性. 它们还能够以最小的附加衰减或信号损失传输光功率.

而研究人员对环境条件下光纤的机械强度进行了深入的研究, 他们很少检查暴露于高温和/或液体后的纤维. 事实上, to the best of our knowledge, 没有系统的数据记录光纤在高温和高压下的机械强度,例如在温度传感中经历的那些.

That’s why when Andrei Stolov of OFS decided to perform an experimental study, he was operating in somewhat “unknown territory.” Before beginning the experiment, 斯托洛夫意识到,有许多因素会影响光纤能否在石油作业的恶劣条件下存活下来. 这些方面包括纤维涂层的类型、环境、温度、压力和使用时间.

当光纤在高温或恶劣环境中使用时, 最常见的失效迹象是机械强度的衰减或损失. In Stolov’s study, he used strength degradation as his criteria for failure.

In his experiment, Stolov submerged a range of optical fibers with various coatings into four high-temperature/high-pressure fluids, namely (1) distilled water; (2) sea water; (3) isopropyl alcohol (IPA); 和 (4) paraffin oil. Undersea 和 downhole applications primarily drove his choice of fluids. In these situations, fibers can be exposed to these or similar environments.

To learn more about the study 和 the results, please go 在这里.

Could Fiber Optic Sensors Help Prevent Power Theft?

Fiber optic sensors 有一天能抓到从架空电线上偷电和材料的小偷吗. The UK firm B和weaver recently demonstrated a distributed 声 sensing (DAS) system that detects invasion 和 interruption on power lines. The system does this by using back-scattering effects along an optical fiber.

The Cost of Tampering
A major global problem is tampering 和 theft from power lines. 事实上,这项活动每年给电力行业造成的损失估计为960亿美元. 篡改还会中断电力供应,导致电力公司和国家电网的运营损失.

解决这一问题的关键是在盗窃发生时及时发现和识别. 电力行业普遍认为目前的解决方案耗时、低效且昂贵.

The Demonstration

与多米尼加共和国电力公司ELESUR和一家基础设施公司合作, B和weaver installed its system at an ELESUR sub-station in Santo Domingo. The team hoped to show how the photonics technology 能否找到并识别任何对架空照明和配电线杆的破坏 fiber optic cable. They believed that by continually watching just one optical fiber, 该系统可以使用现有的24/7全天候监控整个路线的实时威胁 fiber optic cables.

The team installed the system 和 waited. 当电力公司员工在随机的电力线位置制造不同类型的干扰时, the DAS system detected 和 located each problem.

结论
B和weaver认为,演示的成功证明了其系统的能力. DAS系统确定了每次事故的确切位置,然后向安全系统发送具体信息,并向公司员工发出警报.

该系统最大的价值可能是它在威胁开始时提醒了电力公司. 这种“提醒”通知可以帮助公司在重大损失发生之前采取行动. And this capability could help to reduce costs 和 improve system operations.

Tales From the Front Line

Interested in fiber optic sensing? 如果是这样的话, 你会想看看“光纤传感前沿的故事”网络研讨会由OptaSense公司主办,由光纤传感协会(FOSA)赞助。.

无论是检测管道泄漏、铁路损坏还是对关键设施的入侵, fiber optic sensing 在保护和保持全球关键基础设施资产的运行方面发挥着越来越重要的作用.

网络研讨会的特点是光纤传感装置在广泛的行业垂直, applications 和 locations, 包括系统操作视频与挑战和成功的实际部署.

To download 和 view this webinar, 去这里.
To subscribe to the FOSA e-newsletter, 去这里.

Premier Industry Symposium to Feature OFS Technical Pros

来自OFS的领先专家将在首届UL和IWCS中国电缆大会上发表六篇技术论文 & Connectivity Symposium in Shanghai, China, from April 25 through April 27, 2017.

These presentations will cover a wide range of subjects from acrylate-based, harsh environmental coatings for specialty optical fiber to high-speed, SWDM transmission over Wideb和 Multimode Fiber.

To learn more about these technical papers 和 the Symposium, 去这里.

A Halloween Blackout in New Engl和

In the United States, Halloween is a time when young children dressed as tiny ghosts, goblins 和 even superheroes knock on neighborhood doors, repeatedly yelling the benign threat of “trick or treat.”

With Halloween retail spending  projected to reach $8.4 billion in 2016, 这个夜晚也成为成年人一年中最大的非官方节日之一, with parties 和 celebration galore.

然而, on another Halloween night not so long ago, 数百万毫无戒心的新英格兰人没有任何预兆,一场真正的公用事业噩梦即将展开.

We invite you to read on as guest blogger Natasha Juhasz (OFS Social Media, PR 和 Project Manager), weaves her tale of “A Halloween Blackout in New Engl和.”

The Heat Is On

光纤在恶劣环境中的商业应用不断增长.  这些应用包括在高温下进行灭菌的医疗探头,以及暴露在极端高温和低温下的石油和天然气管道和井中的分布式传感器.  For these fibers to be used successfully, 研究人员和制造商必须解决光纤在最恶劣条件下的性能和可靠性问题.

然而, 目前beat365登录硅基光纤强度和可靠性的理论和知识几乎完全基于在光通信环境中进行的实验.  Moreover, these tests only used a relatively narrow range of temperatures.  为了在极端环境中使用,光纤开发人员和用户需要新的数据和信息.

In a recent white paper from OFS Specialty Photonics, 研究人员描述了一种测试高温下光纤拉伸强度的装置.  本文还报道了在不同时间间隔的高温下对聚酰亚胺涂层光纤进行动态拉伸强度测试的初步结果.

To learn more 和 access this white paper, 点击这里.