Publication

An Inertial Uni-Axial Interferometer-Based Accelerometer for Harsh Environments

Abstract

For high-impact devices, subsequent vibrations have as much influence on the deterioration of the mechanical structure as the impact itself. To mitigate the consequences of both impacts and resulting vibrations, it is crucial to accurately understand the peak acceleration and vibration frequencies that originate in the structure. In this article, a radiation tolerant opto-mechanical sensor based on an absolute measurement inertial accelerometer is presented. This method of measurement is chosen due to the viability of placing the readout electronics far from the highly radioactive environment that the sensor may be installed in. The designed accelerometer consists of a fixed aluminum frame with a built-in membrane that acts as a leaf spring. In the same membrane, a retro-reflector is attached which acts as a seismic mass. The retro-reflector reflects the light beam coming from the collimator lens placed on the frame. To prove its viability, the device has been tested under different conditions. First, the device is calibrated and validated using a high-frequency exciter. Second, a high-acceleration testbench is used to compare its output signal with a commercial accelerometer and verify its proper operation as well as its expected lifetime. The experimental results showed an average sensitivity of 9 x 10(-4) g/pm with reading measurements of up to 5000 g and a working bandwidth located between 50 and 800 Hz.

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Related concepts (33)
Accelerometer
An accelerometer is a tool that measures proper acceleration. Proper acceleration is the acceleration (the rate of change of velocity) of a body in its own instantaneous rest frame; this is different from coordinate acceleration, which is acceleration in a fixed coordinate system. For example, an accelerometer at rest on the surface of the Earth will measure an acceleration due to Earth's gravity, straight upwards (by definition) of g ≈ 9.81 m/s2. By contrast, accelerometers in free fall (falling toward the center of the Earth at a rate of about 9.
Inertial navigation system
An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning the position, the orientation, and the velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object without the need for external references. Often the inertial sensors are supplemented by a barometric altimeter and sometimes by magnetic sensors (magnetometers) and/or speed measuring devices.
Gyroscope
A gyroscope (from Ancient Greek γῦρος gŷros, "round" and σκοπέω skopéō, "to look") is a device used for measuring or maintaining orientation and angular velocity. It is a spinning wheel or disc in which the axis of rotation (spin axis) is free to assume any orientation by itself. When rotating, the orientation of this axis is unaffected by tilting or rotation of the mounting, according to the conservation of angular momentum.
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