LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 29d

Description

Around the world there are more than 30,000 particle accelerators. These particle accelerators are utilized in numerous ways, from exploring the origins of the universe, to exploring the structure of materials, to curing cancer. Monitoring the state of operations in accelerator facilities’ superconducting magnets and RF cryomodules is of great importance. It is thus that Luna is proposing to develop serial fiber optic sensors for measuring temperature and pressure in high-radiation cryogenic environments. Luna will leverage its expertise in Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors, multiplexed fiber-coupled Extrinsic Fabry-Perot Interferometer (EFPI) point sensors (interrogation method Patent Pending US20170356767A1), and its commercial optical sensing instrument, the si155, to support the advancement of highspeed serial cryogenic pressure and temperature sensors. Specifically, Luna will utilize its multiplexed fiber-coupled EFPI technology to produce cryogenic radiation resilient serial pressure sensors with inline multipoint FBG temperature sensors. During the Phase I effort, Luna will investigate the feasibility of the approach through fabrication design and modeling of the developed Serial Cryogenic Pressure and Temperature Sensors, experimental validation to demonstrate the sensor’s ability to measure cross compensated temperature from 77K-373K and pressure from vacuum to 300psi and finally plan for deployment in operational accelerators during Phase II.Within the particle physics and nuclear research market, Luna identifies research facilities such as Fermilab, the LHC, SLAC, MIT’s Plasma Science and Fusion Center, the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, and General Atomic’s facility in San Diego, as potential early adopters of the technology. As new accelerators and tokamaks are built at these locations and other research facilities around the globe, the multiplexed serial pressure and temperature measurement system can be built into the magnets and RF-cavities.