Abstract

We report the development of a new fiber optic technique for the measurement of distributed hydrostatic pressure based on a specialty optical fiber provided with a pressure-enhancing coating, combined with an optical interrogation system based on the measurement of Brillouin backscattered light. Several, commercially-available coated fibers were tested for their pressure sensitivity. Using an especially up-buffered coating combination of Nylon and silicone layers and an outside diameter of 1.2mm resulted in a fiber increased Brillouin shift pressure sensitivity coefficient of 0.023MHz/psi. Using this fiber design in conjunction with an AQ8602 BOTDR unit, resulted in minimum pressure resolution of 15psi.

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