Open AccessHighly sensitive miniature fluidic flowmeter based on an FBG heated by Co^2+-doped fiber
Author(s) -
Zhengyong Liu,
Lin Htein,
L.K. Cheng,
Quincy Martina,
R. Jansen,
Hwa Yaw Tam
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.25.004393
Subject(s) - materials science , fiber bragg grating , optics , fiber laser , fiber optic sensor , optical fiber , multi mode optical fiber , volumetric flow rate , fiber , fluidics , flow measurement , sensitivity (control systems) , laser , electronic engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , composite material , thermodynamics , aerospace engineering
In this paper, we present a miniature fluidic flow sensor based on a short fiber Bragg grating inscribed in a single mode fiber and heated by Co 2+ -doped multimode fibers. The proposed flow sensor was employed to measure the flow rates of oil and water, showing good sensitivity of 0.339 nm/(m/s) and 0.578 nm/(m/s) for water and oil, flowing at v = 0.2 m/s. The sensitivity can be increased with higher laser power launched to the Co 2+ -doped multimode fibers. A small flow rate of 0.005 m/s and 0.002 m/s can be distinguished for a particular phase of water or oil, respectively, at a certain laser power (i.e. ~1.43W). The flow sensor can measure volume speed up to 30 L/min, which is limited by the test rig. The experimental results show that the sensor can discriminate slight variation of flow rates as small as 0.002m/s.