Simultaneous measurement of pressure and temperature using dual-path distributed Brillouin sensor

Area of Science:

• Fiber optic sensing
• Optical physics
• Materials science

Background:

• Distributed Brillouin sensors (DBS) offer valuable measurement capabilities.
• However, pressure and temperature cross-sensitivity in Brillouin frequency shift (BFS) complicates accurate readings.
• Existing methods struggle to independently resolve both parameters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a novel dual-path distributed Brillouin sensor (D-DBS).
• To achieve simultaneous and independent measurement of pressure and temperature.
• To address and resolve the cross-sensitivity issue in optical fiber sensing.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a pair of sensing fibers with distinct pressure and temperature coefficients of BFS.
• Leveraging different fiber coatings to differentiate responses to pressure and temperature.
• Implementing the dual-path configuration within the D-DBS architecture.

Main Results:

• The D-DBS successfully demonstrated simultaneous pressure and temperature sensing.
• Experimental validation yielded satisfactory results, confirming the technique's efficacy.
• Theoretical analysis predicts high precision: < 0.25 MPa for pressure and < 0.28°C for temperature.

Conclusions:

• The proposed D-DBS effectively overcomes the challenge of pressure-temperature cross-sensitivity.
• This technique offers a robust solution for accurate, simultaneous environmental monitoring.
• The D-DBS shows significant potential for various industrial and scientific applications.