FBG Accelerometer

The accelerometer is a device that is used to measure structural vibrations. It has application in different areas going from aerospace and aeronautical engineering to mechanical and civil engineering. The importance of measuring structural vibration is to avoid negative dynamic effects such as resonance, fatigue and instability that can endanger structural integrity and human health.

The FBG accelerometer FBGA-01 is a fiber optic version of the conventional accelerometer but completely passive, offering inherent insensitivity to environmental-induced noise. It is suitable for a large range of applications where low frequency and small amplitude accelerations are present. The FBGA-01 is a single axis FBG acceleration sensor, suitable for low frequency measurement of small vibrations. The sensor is ideal for the measurement of structural responses to dynamic stimuli, for instance buildings during earthquakes, wind turbines under gust loading, ship hulls under wave loading.

The high sensitivity and linearity, as well as the flat frequency response and low transverse sensitivity of the accelerometer make it especially suited for civil engineering applications. Its robust design meets the IP68 protection standards and includes aluminum case and input/output fiber optic armor cables meaning that it can be installed outdoors under severe conditions and without extra protection. It provides high accuracy and resolution measurements, and total fiber optic design ensuring intrinsic immunity to electric sparks and EMI/RFI and no ignition risk.

The accelerometer combines compact size and high resistance to corrosion and harsh environments with long-term reliability. It is also appropriate for remote sensing being possible to locate it several kilometers away from the measurement unit. It offers intrinsic multiplexing capability that allows the concatenation of a large number of sensors in a single optical fiber. This sensor is, therefore, particularly suitable for difficult-to-reach locations and large scale sensing networks.