Most fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are stable and robust in wet, corrosive and high EMI environments, and many work well over a broad range of temperature, e.g., -200 to +275 °C. But above 300 °C, the fiber coating materials, and the FBGs themselves, are subject to degradation and failure.

So what can be done at high temperature? I’ve written earlier about development of special gratings that can measure temperature to 1000 °C, but we’ve seen nothing for measuring strain at high temperature — until now.

Mercury Sensor Systems, LLC of Austin, Texas has recently developed just such a sensor called the Vulcan 1100. Using the Micron Optics’ standard os3120 strain gage as the base sensing element, Mercury’s patented special mounting system allows the FBG in the os3120 to operate below 200 °C while precisely transferring the strain to the FBG. A second FBG sensor (a Micron Optics os4210), integrated in the same package with the strain gage provides active temperature compensation. The Vulcan’s rugged package makes it ideal for its target applications in petroleum and chemical processing.

Find details at (http://www.mercurysensor.com/) or contact Pat Doggett at patrick.doggett@mercurysensor.com.

Last week, Micron Optics released the newest version of ENLIGHT, Micron Optics sensing analysis sofware. v1.0 is the first major ENLIGHT update since its initial beta release, and the Micron Optics team is very excited to see the new features deployed in your measurement systems. There are literally hundreds of enhancements, both minor and major, that have been made to extend the functionality and ease the use ENLIGHT.

Some of the highlights include:
-Micron Optics Sensor templates.
-Enhanced data logging capabilities.
-Wavelength tracking and distance compensation for x25 interrogator cores.
-Multi-element (control-click, shift-click) selections in tables. Cut and paste support for sensor expressions.
-FBG calculation shorthand expressions.
-Numerous sensor creation and management tools: constants, create from template, duplicate sensors.
-Sensor groups, averaging, independent zeroing, rate of change calculations, …
-Sensor sub expressions and operating temperature range controls.
-On board module diagnostics collection.
-New ENLIGHT Remote Command Interface.

To download the latest version, visit Micron Optics website and click on the ENLIGHT button