Open AccessDistributed Optical Fiber Sensors with Ultrafast Laser Enhanced Rayleigh Backscattering Profiles for Real-Time Monitoring of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Operations
Author(s) -
Aidong Yan,
Sheng Huang,
Shuo Li,
Rongzhang Chen,
Paul R. Ohodnicki,
Michael Buric,
Shiwoo Lee,
Mingjun Li,
Kevin P. Chen
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-09934-3
Subject(s) - rayleigh scattering , materials science , optical fiber , laser , optics , distributed acoustic sensing , femtosecond , silica fiber , ultrashort pulse , fiber laser , scattering , solid oxide fuel cell , fiber , fiber optic sensor , optoelectronics , composite material , chemistry , physics , electrode , anode
This paper reports a technique to enhance the magnitude and high-temperature stability of Rayleigh back-scattering signals in silica fibers for distributed sensing applications. With femtosecond laser radiation, more than 40-dB enhancement of Rayleigh backscattering signal was generated in silica fibers using 300-nJ laser pulses at 250 kHz repetition rate. The laser-induced Rayleigh scattering defects were found to be stable from the room temperature to 800 °C in hydrogen gas. The Rayleigh scatter at high temperatures was correlated to the formation and modification of nanogratings in the fiber core. Using optical fibers with enhanced Rayleigh backscattering profiles as distributed temperature sensors, we demonstrated real-time monitoring of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) operations with 5-mm spatial resolution at 800 °C. Information gathered by these fiber sensor tools can be used to verify simulation results or operated in a process-control system to improve the operational efficiency and longevity of SOFC-based energy generation systems.