Evaluation of the performance of distributed temperature measurements with single-mode fiber using rayleigh backscatter up to 1000°C

In this paper, inexpensive single-mode silica optical fibers were interrogated with Luna Innovations' optical backscatter reflectometer to perform distributed temperature measurements at temperatures up to 1000$^{\circ} {\rm C}$. Measurements of the Rayleigh backscattered signal were taken continuously to determine the amount of light that is backscattered as a function of temperature and position along the length of the fiber. These data were post-processed to determine the spectral shift in the Rayleigh backscatter signature. The spectral shift data were then calibrated to a change in temperature. This paper determines an upper operational temperature limit of 650$^{\circ}{\rm C}$ for the distributed measurement technique based on Rayleigh backscatter using Corning's ${\rm SMF\hbox{-}28e} ⁺ commercially available single-mode fiber.