What are the advantages of fiber optic sensors compared to conventional sensors

Fiber optic sensors are no stranger to people’s lives nowadays, as they can be applied in many aspects of people’s lives, such as temperature and humidity measurement, pressure measurement, vibration measurement, etc. Traditional sensor technology may not be able to adapt to so many measurement needs.

(1) High sensitivity. The response speed of fiber optic sensors is very fast, and the various physical values that can be measured are also very small.

(2) Anti electromagnetic interference, electrical insulation, corrosion resistance, and intrinsic safety.

Due to the fact that fiber optic sensors use light waves to transmit information, and fiber optic is an electrically insulated, corrosion-resistant transmission medium that is safe and reliable, it can be conveniently and effectively used in various large electromechanical, petrochemical, mining and other harsh environments with strong electromagnetic interference and flammable and explosive properties.

(3) Fast measurement speed. Light has the fastest propagation speed and can transmit two-dimensional information, making it suitable for high-speed measurements. The analysis of radar and other signals requires a very high detection rate, which is difficult to achieve using electronic methods. High speed spectral analysis using the diffraction phenomenon of light can solve this problem.

(4) Large information capacity. The measured signal is carried by light waves, and the frequency of light is extremely high, which can accommodate a wide frequency band. The same optical fiber can transmit multiple signals.

(5) Suitable for harsh environments. Fiber optic is a dielectric material that is resistant to high voltage, corrosion, and electromagnetic interference. It can be used in harsh environments that other sensors are not suitable for.

In addition, fiber optic sensors also have the characteristics of light weight, small size, flexibility, wide range of measurement objects, good reusability, and low cost. The application of fiber optic sensors is precisely because fiber optic sensors have so many advantages, making their application fields very extensive, involving many fields such as petrochemicals, electricity, medicine, civil engineering, etc.

FJINNO’s fiber optic sensors are fully capable of meeting the higher demands of the high-end market for ultra long distance, ultra high precision, and ultra high sensitivity that cannot be achieved by electrical sensing and general fiber optic sensing.

Compared with traditional sensing technologies, fiber-optic sensors have the following major advantages:

1. Lightweight, compact structure, and easy to reuse multiple times;

2. Resistance to harsh environments, electromagnetic interference, and chemical corrosion;

3. At the sensing point, there is no need for electricity and long-distance distributed sensing is possible;

4. Can be mass-produced at low cost

After fiber optic communication, fiber optic sensing has also ushered in important development opportunities. It has broad and enormous application value in security, military, oil/gas, electricity, and scientific research, and its future is limitless.

The transmission fiber for fiber optic temperature measurement is generally quartz fiber, which has the characteristics of corrosion resistance and long service life, and can usually serve for 30 years. Taking into account the cost of the sensor itself and future maintenance costs, the use of fiber optic sensors can greatly reduce the final operating cost of the entire project.

Compared with electronic systems, the advantages of fiber optic systems are mainly reflected in the high safety, good stability, and long lifespan of sensors. The main application areas are power systems (underground, overhead lines), fire protection systems (traffic tunnels), bridges, petrochemicals (pipelines, stations/valve chambers), water conservancy, etc. At present, the most popular technology is distributed fiber optic vibration detection, which is applied in various security fields. In some niche markets, technologies such as active/passive infrared targeting, laser targeting, leaky cables, and vibrating cables have gradually been replaced. Fiber optic sensors have a simple structure, high accuracy, high sensitivity, and are easy to implement in many environments, making them currently very popular.

Disadvantages of non-contact temperature sensors: 1. They are easily affected by environmental factors, such as thermal radiation. 2. They are not easy to achieve long-term continuous measurement of targets.

Advantages of contact temperature sensors: stable measurement and high accuracy; The disadvantage of non-contact temperature sensors is, in turn, the disadvantage of contact sensors.

Thermal infrared sensor: The advantage is that it can be operated at room temperature, and wavelength dependence does not exist, making it inexpensive; The disadvantage is low sensitivity and slow response.

Quantum type infrared sensor: Its advantages are high sensitivity and fast response; The disadvantages are that it must be cooled (liquid nitrogen), wavelength dependent, and expensive.

Ultrasonic sensor: Its advantages include high frequency, short wavelength, small diffraction phenomenon, especially good directionality and the ability to become rays and propagate in a directional manner; The disadvantage is the presence of triangulation errors, which are easily affected by noise.