FIBER OPTIC PHOTOELASTIC PRESSURE SENSOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GASES

STRAINOPTIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC., PROPOSES TO ANALYSE, DESIGN,FABRICATE, AND TEST A FIBER OPTIC PHOTOELASTIC PRESSURE SENSOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE GASES. THIS WORK WILL ADDRESS THE SO-FAR VIRTUALLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEM OF OBTAINING GAS PRESSURE DATA AT TEMPERATURES UP TO 1650 DEGREES CELSIUS. THIS STUDY WILL BE BASED UPON EXISTING WORK IN THE AREA OF PHOTOELASTIC SENSORS FOR USE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. OPTICAL METHODS OFFER AN ATTRACTIVE SENSING MEANS BOTH BECAUSE THE DATA CAN BE TRANSMITTED VIA OPTICAL FIBERS (SAPPHIRE) AND BECAUSE USEFUL OPTICAL SENSOR MATERIALS ARE WELL ADAPTED TO HIGH TEMPERATURE USE. PRINCIPAL QUESTIONS FOR THEORETICAL ANALYSIS INCLUDE MATERIALS PROPERTIES, HIGH-TEMPERATURE POLARIZERS, AND BACKGROUND THERMAL RADIATION. A FEASIBILITYMODEL SENSOR WILL BE DESIGNED BASED ON THE THEORETICAL RESULTS AND ON THE CONSIDERATIONS OF SAPPHIRE FIBER MOUNTING, CAPSULE FABRICATION AND STABILITY, DIAPHRAGM THICKNESS APPROPRIATE TO THE INTENDED PRESSURE RANGE, AND ACCESS OF A PRESSURE SOURCE FOR TESTING. FOLLOWING FABRICATION, HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURE TESTING, AND DATA ANALYSIS, FINAL CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE FORMULATED AND SUBMITTED.