Fused tension-based fiber grating pressure sensor

US6490931B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Weatherford/Lamb, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Mark R. Fernald · Enfield, US
• Timothy J. Bailey · Longmeadow, US
• Matthew B. Miller · Glastonbury, US
• James M. Sullivan · Manchester, US
• James Dunphy · South Glastonbury, US
• Christopher J. Wright · Bend, US
• Martin A. Putnam · Cheshire, US
• Robert J. Maron · Cromwell, US
• Richard T. Jones · Hamden, US
• Guy A. Daigle · Plainville, US
• John J. Grunbeck · Northford, US
• Alan D. Kersey · Burke, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 20, 1999
• Grant date: Dec 10, 2002
• Expiry date: Sep 20, 2019

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01L11/025
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A fused tension-based fiber grating pressure sensor includes an optical fiber having a Bragg grating impressed therein. The fiber is fused to tubes on opposite sides of the grating and an outer tube is fused to the tubes to form a chamber. The tubes and fiber may be made of glass. Light is incident on the grating and light is reflected from the grating at a reflection wavelength &lgr;1. The grating is initially placed in tension as the pressure P increases, the tension on the grating reduced and the reflection wavelength shifts accordingly. A temperature grating may be used to measure temperature and allow for a temperature-corrected pressure measurement.