Distributed fibre optic temperature monitoring systems use communication-type optical fibres to monitor temperature at large number of locations. However, these fibres are not optimised for sensing and hence their use degrades the performance of monitoring systems. Furthermore, the light losses in the graded index communication fibres are very sensitive to bending and this makes the manufacture and installation of the temperature sensing cables complex operations. It is proposed to develop :
(i) step index optical fibres optimised for temperature sensing;
(ii) cable structures with efficient heat transfer to the optical fibre.
Test lengths of the sensing fibres will be pulled from experimental performs and the sensing performance will be verified. The performance of the experimental cable structures containing step index fibres will also be evaluated. The project will lead to temperature monitoring systems with much improved sensing performance.