Design of a compliant-cylinder-type fiber-optic accelerometer: theory and experiment

Experimental and theoretical research was carried out in order to establish the dependence of the performance of a compliant-cylinder-based fiber-optic accelerometer on the geometry and elastic properties of the transducer cylinders. The sensitivity and the natural frequency of the sensor were measured as a function of the ratio ε = (inner cylinder diameter)/(outer cylinder diameter). Two transducer materials with different elastic properties, a silicone rubber (Ecosil) and a polyetheretherketone polymer (PEEK 450G), were examined. It was found that with decreasing ε the sensitivity increases in the case of Ecosil and decreases in the case of PEEK. In both cases the natural frequency increases with decreasing ε. A simple analytical model was developed in order to explain this behavior qualitatively. The model takes into account the contributions to the effective stiffness from both the cylinder material and the fiber wrapped around the cylinder. The model is useful for the design of such types of accelerometer.