Theoretical and Experimental Study on Wide Range Optical Fiber Turbine Flow Sensor

Area of Science:

• Optoelectronics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Traditional turbine flowmeters face limitations in range and electromagnetic interference.
• Optical fiber sensing offers potential for enhanced flow measurement.
• Accurate liquid flow rate measurement is critical in various industrial applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and demonstrate a novel fiber turbine flow sensor for liquid measurement.
• To introduce a double-circle-coaxial (DCC) fiber probe for improved frequency measurement.
• To expand the flow measurement range and enhance anti-electromagnetic interference (anti-EMI) capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Utilized light intensity modulation to measure turbine rotational speed for flow rate conversion.
• Introduced the DCC fiber probe to eliminate interference in light signal acquisition through divided light intensity ratios.
• Developed a turbine flow sensor model to predict output frequency and flow characteristics in the nonlinear range.
• Applied piecewise linear equations to expand the flow measurement range.

Main Results:

• The DCC fiber probe effectively eliminated interference in light signal acquisition.
• Piecewise linear equations expanded the flow measurement range in the nonlinear region.
• Experimental verification showed a 2.9 times improvement in the flow range ratio for a DN20 turbine flow sensor.
• The developed sensor demonstrated strong anti-EMI properties.

Conclusions:

• The combination of the DCC fiber sensor and piecewise linear method creates a robust, wide-range fiber turbine flowmeter.
• This novel approach significantly improves upon the limitations of conventional turbine flow sensors.
• The developed flowmeter is suitable for applications requiring high accuracy and resistance to electromagnetic interference.