Mechanical FBG-Based Sensor for Leak Detection in Pressurized Pipes: Design, Modal Tuning, and Validation.

Area of Science:

• Mechanical Engineering
• Sensor Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Pressurized pipelines are critical infrastructure.
• Detecting leaks early is essential for safety and efficiency.
• Conventional sensors struggle with subtle, high-frequency leak vibrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and validate a frequency-tuned mechanical sensor (MS) for enhanced leak detection in pipelines.
• To improve strain sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for high-frequency vibrations.
• To develop a mechanically optimized fiber Bragg grating (FBG) transducer.

Main Methods:

• Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for structural modeling.
• Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for pressure field analysis.
• Experimental validation using laboratory measurements and modal tuning.

Main Results:

• The MS acts as a selective mechanical amplifier, boosting sensitivity.
• Achieved up to 15 dB enhancement in strain sensitivity and SNR compared to directly bonded FBGs.
• Demonstrated effective discrimination of high-frequency leak signatures.

Conclusions:

• Geometric resonance coupling is an effective method for amplifying leak-induced strain.
• The developed MS offers a compact, scalable, and high-sensitivity solution for pipeline leak detection.
• The integrated FEA, CFD, and experimental workflow validates the sensor's performance.