Sensor pictured in Photonics trade magazine.
April issue Photonics Spectra page 116.
Article title: "Pollutants can't hide from fiber optic sensors".
Excerpt: "The sensing element of FCI's PetroSense family of probes
is a small piece of optical fiber with a portion of its cladding
replaced by a proprietary polymer coating, which selectively adsorbs
hydrocarbon molecules to its surface, changing its refractive index.
This change alters the light propagation of the fiber and, therefore,
the amount of light transmitted."
Also noted a competitor? "A fiber optic sensor from California
Lightwave of Alameda, Calif., works on a similar principle. The
patented technology coats the fiber strands with a polymer that
swells when exposed to hydrocarbons. The resulting misalignment
of the fibers produces a signal loss..."
Cost: "End users can monitor hydrocarbons at multiple sites on a
natural gas line to the tune of $50 to $100 per sensor, said
California Lightwave President Donald A. Kirby."
Devinder P. Saini, an FCI program manager was quoted, "So if you want
to build 100,000 units, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg."
Nice to see some visibility in the media. Article did not contain any
speculation about schedule, size of market, profitability, etc. Just
a nice piece on the technology and applications. |
