Long-range distributed optical fiber hot-wire anemometer based on chirped-pulse ΦTDR

Abstract

We demonstrate a technique allowing to develop a fully distributed optical fiber hot-wire anemometer capable of reaching a wind speed uncertainty of ~ ± 0.15 m/s (± 0.54 km/h) at only 60 mW/m of dissipated power in the sensing fiber, and within only four minutes of measurement time. This corresponds to similar uncertainty values than previous papers on distributed optical fiber anemometry but requires two orders of magnitude smaller dissipated power and covers at least one order of magnitude longer distance. This breakthrough is possible thanks to the extreme temperature sensitivity and single-shot performance of chirped-pulse phase-sensitive optical time domain reflectometry (PhiOTDR), together with the availability of metal-coated fibers. To achieve these results, a modulated current is fed through the metal coating of the fiber, causing a modulated temperature variation of the fiber core due to Joule effect. The amplitude of this temperature modulation is strongly dependent on the wind speed at which the fiber is subject. Continuous monitoring of the temperature modulation along the fiber allows to determine the wind speed with unprecedented low power injection requirements. Moreover, this procedure makes the system immune to temperature drifts of the fiber, potentially allowing for a simple field deployment. Being a much less power-hungry scheme, this method also comfortably allows for monitoring over much longer distances, in the orders of 10s of km. We expect that this system can have application in dynamic line rating and lateral wind monitoring in railway catenary wires.