Novel target type flowmeter based on a differential fiber Bragg grating sensor

A novel target type flow sensor has been proposed for liquid flow measurement in pipeline. The force created by the fluid on the target results in the distortion of a cantilever structure. A couple of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) are mounted at either side of the cantilever. By monitoring the wavelength shift difference of the two FBGs, the fluid flow-rate can be obtained and the cross-sensitive problem of the FBG sensor can be solved by compensating the temperature effect. Measurement theory has been described. Simulation and preliminary experiments have been carried out, and the results verify the feasibility of the proposed sensor with a measurement range from 0 to 1000 cm(3) /s. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.