Fiber Optic Temperature Sensor for Thermal Profile Monitoring of Track Components

IFOS proposes a low-power fiber Bragg grating (FBG) integrated temperature monitoring system for monitoring the thermal behavior of track components such as bushings and pads. The proposed sensor concept includes wireless data transmission capability and optical interrogation unit that can be mounted remotely on the vehicle. The state-of-art FBG sensors will be capable of measuring temperature in real-time with high degree of accuracy, without compromising the durability of the elastomer components subject to the measurement. The proposed design will enable real time thermal mapping of components subjected to high temperatures, thus providing the operational data needed to establish and test requirements for newly developed improved track components. In other key advances we will investigate the possibility of miniaturizing the optical interrogator, and explore implementation of wireless networkable sensor system as well as advanced energy harvesting. In Phase I, IFOS will perform a feasibility test of embedding fibers both within bushing rubbers and along interfaces with metallic components, and several alternative fiber mounting and layout approaches will be considered to identify the most optimal implementations. In Phases II the IFOS research team will install the complete sensing suite in a 158 LL track platform and demonstrate it during operation.