Learn more about fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, the ultimate sensing technology for continuous monitoring of critical infrastructure in harsh environments.
Reliable sensors for every application
Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors use telecommunications fibers as sensing elements. With Bragg gratings placed at specific points, the fiber becomes highly sensitive to strain and temperature changes. This results in an exceptionally accurate, thin, and lightweight sensor capable of gathering extensive data from various points in your critical infrastructure. FBG sensing fibers can be embedded in or attached to materials like steel, concrete, or composites. Alternatively, they can be applied as standard pre-packaged, easy-to-install sensors, readily available from multiple vendors. Contact us to learn more about attaching sensing fibers or using pre-packaged sensors
Embedded sensing fibers
Use them to measure load, torque, temperature, shape or pressure. These fibers come pre-installed on steel or composite subsystems such as bearings, blades, storage vessels and tanks.
Fiber sensors
These sensors measure strain, temperature, acceleration as well as tilt and displacement. They can be welded, glued or secured with screws and magnets, ensuring easy installation.
Sensing patches
Suitable for measuring strain or temperature. They are easy to install and can be glued to flat or curved surfaces.
Continuous sensing along large structures with a single fiber
FBG sensors measure with the precision of light, detecting strain as small as 1µƐ up to more than 5000µƐ, temperatures up to 1000°C, near DC and high-frequency vibrations, as well as current, tilt, and displacement. These fiber optic sensors can cover several kilometers, enabling reliable remote monitoring of the structural health and condition of large assets.
A fiber can contain multiple sensing points called Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG). Packaged FBG sensors can be daisy chained to simplify cabling.
An FBG fiber can directly measure temperature. 1°C will change the light reflected by the FBG by 10pm.
A packaged FBG fiber can translate strain into vibration and acceleration.
A packaged FBG fiber can very accurately measure tilt and displacement.
A packaged FBG fiber can measure current.
An FBG fiber can directly measure strain. 1 microstrain will change the light reflected by the FBG with 1pm.
Applying a special coating on the FBG fiber, it can measure H2 and humidity.
An FBG fiber attached to the circumference of a bearing or gearbox can measure load distribution and torque.
A packaged FBG fiber can measure pressure.
An interrogator sends light into the FBG fiber and correlates the light reflected by each of the FBG’s with temperature, strain or other properties at the respective locations.
FBG sensors outperform in harsh environments
Fiber optic FBG sensors are ideally suited for demanding industries. After all, they outperform all other sensors in environments with extreme temperatures, corrosion, electromagnetic interference, lighting strikes or risk for explosion, or a combination thereof.
Extreme temperatures
do not damage or affect these sensors, making them ideal for applications in furnaces, chemical processes and cryogenic applications.
Electromagnetic interference
has no effect on the light signal in the sensor so they can be used to monitor motors, generators, transformers and high-voltage switch gear.
Corrosive environments
will not damage a sensing fiber as it is made of glass, making them ideal for use in off-shore applications and civil engineering.
Lightning strikes
do not damage the sensor and the optical fiber cable will isolate your electronics from the sensor so your electronics are protected.
Explosive environments
can be monitored safely with fiber sensors as they use light rather than electric signals, making them ideal for oil & gas applications.
Data Acquisition
Interrogators
FBG fiber sensors excel in harsh environments, outperforming all other sensors. They are passive and require no electrical power but need light to be sent into the fiber. Strain and temperature at the FBG sensing point cause light to be reflected at a specific wavelength. This reflected light needs to be captured, interpreted, and translated into actionable data, and to be sent to a monitoring or control system as electronic data. This is precisely what an interrogator does.
Silicon photonics makes FBG sensing ubiquitous
With its proprietary silicon photonics chip Sentea offers a suite of compact and cost-effective data acquisition systems or interrogators, making FBG sensing viable for any application. Silicon photonics has been used in telecom and datacom applications for more than a decade and is gradually replacing older bulk optics in all photonics applications thanks to its scalability and low cost, using the same fabrication processes as electronic chips.
Open model for FBG sensing
Sentea champions an open model for FBG fiber sensing. We ensure our interrogators are compatible with a wide range of FBG sensing fibers and pre-packaged sensors on the market. On the output side, we’ve integrated multiple data interfaces and a user-friendly API, allowing seamless communication between our system and your application software or control system.
Book a demo
What can you expect?
During this 30-minute demo, we will
- introduce you to our fiber optic sensing technology
- discuss your specific monitoring needs
Fill in the form, suggest three time slots for a discussion, and we will get back to you shortly with a Teams invite.
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