Distributed Brillouin fiber sensor for detecting pipeline buckling in an energy pipe under internal pressure

Abstract

A distributed Brillouin fiber sensor has been employed to detect localized pipe-wall buckling in an energy pipe by measuring the longitudinal and hoop strain distributions along the outer surface of the pipe for the first time. The locations of the localized pipe-wall buckling are found and distinguished using their corresponding strain-load data. The formation of the buckling process for the compression and tension characters is studied in the longitudinal and hoop directions. For the pipe with internal pressure, concentric load, and bending load, a localized pipe-wall buckling takes place away from the middle of the pipe on the compressive side and a strain peak with an overall buckling occurs on the tensile side according to the longitudinal strain distributions along the pipe. Different strains on two neutral lines are also observed in the hoop strain distribution, which should be caused by the pipe weld joint.

Review on Developments in Fiber Optical Sensors and Applications

“…The primary advantage of BOTDR technology is that only one end of the fiber needs to be accessible. Both these types of Brillouin fiber sensors were employed successfully due to their accuracy in measurement of various measurands like strain and temperature [118], for monitoring of various structures, components and parameters like pipeline buckling [119], pipeline corrosion [120], power transmission lines [121], crack detection by separate measurement of strain and temperature [122] and their simultaneous measurements [123]. In general the classifications and types of fiber optic sensors are purely authors and manufacturer specific but for end users they are sensors which probably act as control system i.e FOS system should sense and activate/trigger warning.…”

Advances in Health Monitoring and Management

“…The distributed class of sensors includes Michelson and Mach-Zhender interferometer as well as sensors based on Brillouin scattering. These are generally seen in infrastructure applications where spatial resolution, system's weight and size are not as critical and long range sensing is desired [54]. The discrete class of sensors include cavity-based and grating-based designs.…”

Optical fibre sensing networks

“…Optical Fibre sensors based on stimulated Brillouin scattering have now clearly demonstrated their excellent capability for long-range distributed strain and temperature measurements [19]. The Brillouin interaction causes the coupling between optical and acoustic waves when a resonance condition is fulfilled.…”