Infrared and Laser Engineering, Volume. 54, Issue 2, 20240495(2025)
Real-time optical fiber monitoring system for wind-induced vibration of high-voltage transmission towers
Xiaoyu LUO1... Yinggang NAN2,3, Yongchun LIANG1, Wenping XIE1, Li MIN4, Tuan GUO3 and Ming NIE1
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Author Affiliations
1Electric Power Research Institute of Guangdong Power Grid Co., Ltd. Guangzhou 510080, China2School of Physics and Astronomy, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China3College of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China4Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250353, Chinashow less
ObjectiveChina's coastal regions frequently face threats from destructive hurricanes and strong seasonal winds, which pose risks to high-voltage transmission towers distributed across the area. These extreme weather conditions can cause significant damage to the towers, making real-time monitoring a crucial measure in mitigating potential harm. Implementing a real-time condition monitoring system enables early detection of critical damage from wind-induced vibrations, allowing for timely remedial actions, such as shutting down power lines to prevent further damage. This paper investigates the feasibility of using an all-fiber sensing system to monitor wind-induced vibrations in transmission towers in real time.
MethodsThe proposed system utilizes an optical sensing probe, which integrates a thin-core optical fiber with a tilted grating inscribed in its core, spliced coaxially to a single-mode optical fiber. During wind-induced vibrations, two photodetectors are employed to monitor the energy changes in the core and cladding modes of the fiber. The energy changes in the cladding mode are used to detect the frequency and intensity of the vibrations, while the energy variations in the core mode serve as a reference for ambient temperature and light source fluctuations.
Results and DiscussionsExperimental results show that the proposed system delivers a linear response exceeding 97% within a vibration range of 0.1-6.5 m/s
2, with a deviation of less than 1.5%. Under practical conditions, the system consistently achieves stable real-time measurements within a wind speed range of 2 to 4.5 m/s. The system was subsequently applied to transmission towers of the China Southern Power Grid Company, where field tests confirmed the feasibility of the proposed all-fiber sensing system in real-world applications.
ConclusionsWe successfully demonstrated the feasibility of an all-fiber vibration sensing system for real-time monitoring of wind-induced vibrations in high-voltage transmission towers. The sensor consists of a TCF-TFBG spliced with an SMF. The sensor offers several key advantages: 1) It is cost-effective, relying on power measurement instead of wavelength measurement; 2) The frequency detection range is adjustable by varying the fiber length; 3) It provides ambient temperature self-calibration through simultaneous monitoring of the core mode; 4) It features multiplexing capability, enabling simultaneous monitoring of multiple sensors at different locations on the tower using a single fiber. Moreover, the sensor's packaging design ensures safe, long-term, and reliable operation even under strong electromagnetic interference and harsh weather conditions.