Three-dimensional Deformed Multi-core Optical Fiber Reconstruction Technology for Skins of a Near-space Airship.

In order to solve the problems of real-time monitoring of the airbag shapes of a space airship, three-dimensional (3D) deformation reconstruction method of airbag skins was proposed based on temperature self-decoupling multi-core optical fiber sensor. According to the 3D shape characteristics of the airship airbags, the layout of the multi-core optical fiber sensors were designed, sensing structure of multi-core optical fiber was combined with the Frenet-Serret equation to establish a 3D deformation reconstruction algorithm of the airship airbags with temperature self-decoupling function. Using flexible composite skins of the airship airbag as the test subjects, the 3D deform multi-core optical fiber reconstruction test system of the airship airbag was designed and integrated. The test analyzed the 3D deformation reconstruction accuracy of the multi-core optical fiber se: under the temperature change environments and the surface of airship airbag skins under diff bending degrees, and verified the effectiveness of the method. The research results show that method of multi-core optical fiber sensor with temperature self-decoupling may accurately recons the deformation of the airship airbag skins in a large range of temperature environment, and the age value of the reconstruction errors of the 3D surface of the airship airbag skins is less than 1.5%. The real-time monitoring of shapes has application prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]