Pipeline intrusion monitoring based on a microfiber loop structure

• Main Authors: Yu, Sun, Wei, Liu, Cong, Zhicheng
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: SPIE 18.12.2023
• ISBN: 1510672427; 9781510672420
• ISSN: 0277-786X
• DOI: 10.1117/12.3005173

Pipelines play an indispensable and vital role in modern society, facilitating the transportation of gas, liquids and other energy sources. Therefore the safety of pipelines has become a growing concern in recent years. In response to this challenge, we have developed a vibration device based on the microfiber loop resonator (MLR) structure, designed for monitoring pipeline intrusion. The MLR coupling area is securely fixed on an aluminum substrate using PDMS, which is then installed onto the pipeline. When external intrusion occurs and causes pipeline vibration, the suspended microfiber loop rapidly responds to the oscillation, causing its effective refractive index to change. Through detailed analysis of the generated signals, we can accurately identify intrusion situations and categories, providing valuable insights into potential threats to pipeline integrity. Our experimental approach involves subjecting the pipeline to a fixed-frequency vibration using a standard vibration source. Subsequently, we concentrate on studying the signals generated by different types of pipeline intrusions, such as climbing, knocking and shaking. These comprehensive investigations allow us to establish a robust model, facilitating reliable and real-time monitoring of the pipeline's vibration state. The experimental results have been in agreement with the theory, underscoring the method's high reliability and sensitivity in detecting pipeline vibrations accurately.