L51724 Fiber Optic Pressure Sensor Development

Fiber optic sensors have been under development in industrial and government laboratories around the world for over a decade The commercial market for fiber sensors for measuring parameters such as temperature, displacement, and liquid level is now estimated to exceed $50 M/year Aside from the commercial interest, the U S. Department of Defense has vigorously pursued the development of fiber gyroscopes and hydrophones In spite of the high level of research and devleopment activity, however, fiber sensors were not successfully applied in the relatively harsh environment of engine combustion chambers prior to 1991. The goal of this development is to demonstrate the utilization of a new fiber optic sensor technology in engines used for natural gas transmission. Presently, there is no way to continuously measure pressure in these engines over extended periods of operation. Reliable fiber optic sensor networks supplying data to computerized control systems for on-line engine balancing could lead to major reductions in the emission of NO, and other harmful combustion products. Fuel economies in the millions of dollars per year for companies in the natural gas transmission industry could also be realized.