Sensing solutions
Among the five senses we use every day, we mostly rely on our sense of sight.
Measuring, sizing and counting are among the fundamental actions driving our decision-making processes.
OPTICAL METROLOGY, the science and technology of measuring with light, is applied in countless fields. Particularly FIBER OPTIC SENSING provides access to the most detailed information about different physical parameters and events over great distances, in real-time and cost-effectively.
IRIDIS SOLUTIONS is a technology provider of fiber optic sensing and photonics solutions: instrumentation, sensors, consulting, and implementation.
Fiber optics
The optical fiber is the sensor itself.
Specialty fiber and cabling designs provide for specific monitoring performances and functionalization, as well as for protection in harsh environment conditions.
Specialty fiber and cabling designs provide for specific monitoring performances and functionalization, as well as for protection in harsh environment conditions.
Distributed sensing
Measurement systems based on:
DSTS: Distributed Strain and Temperature Sensing (Brillouin)
DTS: Distributed Temperature Sensing (Raman)
DAS: Distributed Acoustic Sensing (Rayleigh)
OTDR: Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (Rayleigh)
DSTS: Distributed Strain and Temperature Sensing (Brillouin)
DTS: Distributed Temperature Sensing (Raman)
DAS: Distributed Acoustic Sensing (Rayleigh)
OTDR: Optical Time Domain Reflectometry (Rayleigh)
Point sensors
Point sensors for strain, vibration, temperature, pressure, intrusion, position
Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG)
Interferometric sensors
Variable optical loss sensors
Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG)
Interferometric sensors
Variable optical loss sensors
Implementation
Access to a broad network of product manufacturers, service providers and integrators
Project management
Turnkey solutions
Project management
Turnkey solutions
Consulting
Nothing is impossible! Not everything is reasonable.
Technical studies, market survey
Application-specific solutions
Technical studies, market survey
Application-specific solutions
Industrial solutions
Sensing technologies offering high reliability, ease of implementation, compliant with industrial standard specifications and with effective production and operation processes.
Products
- Fiber optic measurement systems
- Specialty fiber optic sensing cables
- Data transmission cables
- Point sensors
- Specialty solutions (high temperature, high pressure, harsh environment resistant, radiation-hard)
- Photonic systems
- IoT solutions
Services
- Solution definition and implementation
- Measurement services
- Technical studies, market analysis
- Software solutions for data management, analysis and visualisation (e.g. GIS)
- Definition and participation to public (national and international) funding programs and private tenders
- Training
- Quality assurance
- Licensing and technology transfer opportunities
- Preparation and prosecution of intellectual property and industrial standards
Application fields
The success of any project is achieved through the selection of the most appropriate and standard-proven sensing technologies and a close collaboration with carefully selected partners:
▸ Instrumentation, cable and sensor manufacturers
▸ System integrators, installation and service companies
▸ Asset owners and operators
Geotechnics and construction
- Structural health monitoring (SHM): strain monitoring during construction and life cycle of the civil structures, pile monitoring
- Geotechnical monitoring: soil stability, landslides, etc.
- Structural ropes: mechanical monitoring
- Mining: structural monitoring of tunnels, mining ropes, conveyor belts, seepage detection, walls monitoring
Energy production and distribution
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Energy distribution: leak detection, geotechnical and structural monitoring of oil and gas pipelines and distribution infrastructures
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Geothermal, O&G downhole: temperature logging, case compaction monitoring, extraction process control
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Control of power lines and heat ducts for remote heating
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Nuclear facilities: SHM, temperature, humidity, and radiation monitoring
Transportation
- Smart roads, railway structural monitoring, traffic control
- Ropeways monitoring: mechanical, lightning and ice detection
- Tunnels and bridges structural monitoring
Water management and environment
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Water management: leak detection, process monitoring
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Dams and dykes: structural monitoring, seepage detection, water level control
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Environment watch: hydrological monitoring (rivers, lakes, see, snow)
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Perimeter control of natural parks
Industry and telecom
- Industrial process monitoring: temperature, pressure, flow, leakage, strain
- Telecom fiber optic infrastructure monitoring (during installation and service): intrusion recognition, tapping detection, failure prediction and monitoring
- Functionalization of telecommunication infrastructures for the surveillance of adjacent parastructures: intrusion, fire detection, operation control, leak detection (along gas and water management premises), seismology
Security
- Perimeter monitoring, intrusion detection: airports, industrial, tactical and civil premises, working lots, transport infrastructures
- Perimeter control of natural parks, border control
- Fire detection
Advantages
Operational and economical benefits
- Higher efficiency: less human intervention, more precise failure location
- Faster (real time monitoring, location, automated event identification) allows for more effective analysis, decision making, and implementation of corrective actions
- Reduced operation costs and downtime
Spatially distributed sensing
- Events are spatially localized
- Per sensing point, there is no more economical way to monitor lengthy, critical structures
Reliability
- Solutions available for harsh environment (high temperature, high hydrostatic pressure, corrosive environment, high electrical fields, ionizing radiation…)
- Passive sensors: no electrical power needed along asset, immune to EMI
Functionality
- Compatibility with ongoing operation procedures (during construction and service)
- Fast deployability and installation
- User friendly maintenance (remote access, IoT)
Integrated solutions
- Monitoring solutions can be integrated in available surveillance and control systems: SCADA, modbus, communication cables, wireless, Industry 4.0
- Remote access, IoT
Scalability, versatility
- Due to FO low optical attenuation, instrumentation can monitor large and complex infrastructures and can be installed and operated remotely, diminishing vandalism risk or environmental influences
- Simultaneous access to a multitude of physical parameters to control asset condition and production processes
- 4D / 5D (time / spectral domain) monitoring
Massimo Facchini
CEO at Iridis Solutions
Zurich – Switzerland