Researchers from Skoltech and Harbin Institute of Technology have devised a system of optical sensors with an aluminum coating that could withstand the harsh conditions inside a distillation tower—an industrial facility for separating crude oil into gasoline, diesel fuel, etc.—and monitor its structural health, avoiding the need for ineffective sweeping repairs and enabling timely targeted interventions when and where problems arise. Published in Optics Letters, the study is an example of a successful collaboration between BRICS scientists.
Aluminized fiber-optic sensors to monitor condition of industrial facilities for efficient repairs
