Distributed temperature sensors are usually used in industrial applications, such as process control and infrastructure monitoring; however, in the past couple of years, fiber optic distributed sensors have been used in ecological monitoring. The ability to measure temperature in time and space simultaneously allows distributed temperature sensors to be used in groundwater detection, rainforest ambient temperature monitoring, stream temperature monitoring, and more.
Temperature sensing is one of the most significant methods of experimental hydrology as it provides valuable insight into the flow dynamics of different types of water bodies. The water temperature is determined by measuring the Stokes/anti-Stokes ratio of reflected light that was produced by sending a laser pulse through the cable. The cable is placed into the body of water to detect temperature fluctuations along the stream. The data density of distributed sensors allows to obtain high-resolution data and map temperature changes in the water with high accuracy, and the absence of electronic parts in monitoring zones makes distributed sensors safe to use underwater. High return speeds of such optic sensors are perfect for both fast-changing and subtle temperature changes that often occur in water. Moreover, distributed temperature sensors are extremely thin and are easy to use in shallow streams and wells, and resistance to corrosion determines their long life cycle even if used in harsh conditions.
The measurements obtained by utilizing distributed temperature sensors are then used to construct 3D temperature maps of water streams or to validate and refine existing models of water temperature fluctuations. This data assists in finding locations of groundwater sources and their contribution to the stream helps to better understand river ecosystems, determine the distribution of studied species and their migration paths.
Other fields that utilize distributed temperature sensors include healthcare and biomedicine fields, fire detection, oil and gas production, detection of leakages, pipelines integrity surveillance, and others.
Optromix company manufactures stainless-steel housed optic sensors that are tensile and impact resistant. If you would like to purchase Optromix FBG Temperature Sensors, please contact us: info@optromix.com or +1 617 558 98 58.