Title: Optical fibre long period grating based chemical sensor for the analysis of silica in boiler water

Authors: Aji Balan Pillai; Benjamin Varghese Pandikudy; Kottarathil Naduvil Madhusoodanan

Addresses: Department of Instrumentation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682022, India ' Department of Instrumentation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682022, India ' Department of Instrumentation, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin 682022, India

Abstract: Silica deposits in turbine blades, boiler tubes and cooling water circuits lead to serious loss in efficiency of power plants. Hence silica deposition is one parameter that is seriously monitored in power stations. Fibre optic sensors, especially long period grating sensors have been found to offer a convenient method for the accurate determination of silica in boiler water. We are hereby reporting the design, development and characterisation of a novel long period grating-based fibre optic sensor for the accurate analysis of silica. A highly sensitive LPG is fabricated. Suitable set up consisting of a Teflon cell, a broad band source and an optical spectrum analyser is developed. The reactive silica measurement is carried out using the heteropoly blue colorimetric method. Detailed analysis of silica is done using the developed sensor, a spectrophotometer and an evanescent wave fibre optic sensor and the results are provided.

Keywords: long period grating; silica analysis; heteropoly blue method.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCAET.2021.117143

International Journal of Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, 2021 Vol.15 No.2/3, pp.418 - 425

Received: 25 Mar 2018
Accepted: 18 Jan 2019

Published online: 19 Aug 2021 *

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