DURABLE, FAST-RESPONSE, OPTICAL-FIBER TEMPERATURE SENSOR USABLE FROM 200 TO 1700 CELSIUS

CONAX BUFFALO CORPORATION WILL USE AN INDUSTRIAL PROCESS CONTROL APPROACH, RATHER THAN A RESEARCH LAB APPROACH, TO DEVELOP A DURABLE, FAST-RESPONSE, OPTICAL-FIBER TEMPERATURE SENSOR. SAPPHIRE LIGHT GUIDE SENSORS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED PREVIOUSLY BUT CANNOT PROVIDE EROSION RESISTANCE AND RAPID RESPONSE SIMULTANEOUSLY. CONAX HAS DEVELOPED A PROBE GEOMETRY WHICH WILL PROVIDE BOTH RAPID RESPONSE AND A HARD SHELL FOR DURABILITY. FEATURES OF THE PROBE INCLUDE: RUGGEDIZED FOR GAS TURBINE USE 10-100 MILLISECOND RESPONSE TIME SUSTAINED OPERATION UP TO 1700 CELSIUS INHERENT IMMUNITY TO LIGHTING AND OTHER EMI. EXPERIENCE GAINED OVER 25 YEARS WITH HIGH-RELIABILITY TEMPERATURE SENSORS WILL BE USED BY CONAX TO DEVELOP THE PROBE ELEMENT IN PHASE I. THE PHASE II EFFORT WILL DEVELOP A PROTOTYPE OF THE COMPLETE TEMPERATURE SENSOR SYSTEM INCLUDING MICROPROCESSOR CONTROL UNIT AND CONNECTOR, SEAL AND CABLE SUITABLE FOR -55 TO 260 CELSIUS.