FAQ
Are there different types of side emitting fiberxs?
Nowadays several types of side emitting fibers are marketed. The most common are:Solid core optics, Multistranded optics, Multistranded roped/coiled and woven/knitted optic.
What are side-emitting fibers?
There are no side-emitting fibers. All fiber optics receive the light at one end and transport it to the other. When light enters a fiber and travels through the core it encounters multitude of obstacles:microscopic cracks and fissures, impurities and other elements which obstruct the passage of some light and which, in turn, escapes through the outer cladding.
All fibers lose some light though the cladding because there are no perfect systems. This unavoidable effect is used to produce elements termed"side emitting fibers" which, in fact are normal fiber optics with a clear protective external cladding wich permit to view the escaping light. In fact, some manufacturers induce stresses on the fibers, by means of torsion or bending to bruise the fibers and cause more light to escape along the way.
Some glass fibers are made side emitting, by the expedient method of cladding a bunch into a clear tube and breaking them at intervals. Clearly there comes a point along the tube when there are no more unbroken fibers to continue the process.
How long will fiber optics last?
In the case of glass practically indefinitely due to the inert characteristic of the material. This refers to the actual fiber, and not to the polymer cladding. Also the common ends being an encapsulation of epoxy's will behave less predictably and perform erratically, depending of many factors, such as temperature of operation and level of radiation exposure.
As far as polymer systems are conncerned 20 years for the conductors is the standard guarantee in the industry. This also refers to the actual fiber, without reference to the common end whose average life depends on the same factors outlined before.
Can you put any amount of light into a fiber optic?
This is one of the standard fallacise of the industry. The system needed to put a sizeable amount of light into a fiber optic is very simple; a lamp, perhaps a lens and something to hold the fiber pointing at the light source. It follows that the bigger and more powerful the lamp the greater amount of light it will issue and the more light that will get into the fiber; at least this is the argument that most people think logical.
The problem is that optics is a subject far from simple. An optical fiber will accept a measure of light and no more, regardless of the power of the lamp: if a light soure puts ten units of light through a fiber, another light source, twice as bright will not put double the light into the fiber.
There is one thing called power density acceptance which makrs the limit to how much energy can circulate through a system, no matter how much more energy you try to force into it. A copper wire of a given thickness will be happy with five amps, get warm with ten, heat up with twenty and melt with forty.
Will light go any length along a fiber?
All conductors have losses, and in the case of fiber optics, these are sizeable.
Light losses in the industry average 2 to 5% per meter or over. If we start with, say 100 units of light at the common end we will lose 25% at the end of five meters and over 50% over a ten-meter length
Can lighting fiber optics be spliced or joined?
All fibers can be spliced with more or less success and difficulty. The problem is the losses resulting from such a joint.
Fiber splicing is a common practice in the telecommunications industry where is done with sophisticated alignment apparatus and a considerable dose of skill.
Nowadays there are splicing systems for polymer light guides using special fittings and a refraction index equalizing gel capable of low price splices with minimal losses. In glass fibers where one would have to individually splice hundreds or even thousands of single fibers, splicing is not resolved yet.
solid core fibers can be joined with greater ease but the losses are massive;up to 25% of the available light.
Can plastic optical fiber be bent at right angles?
All plastic optical fiber must be bent with a radius, which will not alter the internal architecture of the plastic optica fiber. For every type and size of plastic optical fiber, there is a minimum radius of curvature, specified and recommended by the manufacturer. Bending fiber optics at right angles will cause the conductor to shatter in the case of glass, and be permanently damaged in all other types.
Are optical fibers fragile?
Glass fibers are very brittle, in fact in any glass light guide there is a percentage of fibers broken during the manufacturing process, on the other hand, because these light guides are sheathed, once installed are very resistant to external influences.
Bare PMMA fibers are extremely delicate during manufacture and manipulation, requiring great handing care. Once sheathed are practically impervious to external damage.
Other solid core fibers are very tough because of an eternal Teflon cladding and can be installed without any problem. The only drawback with this type of optics is the hardening with age, which makes these conductors brittle and prone to shatter.
fiber optic star ceiling
Fiber optics are passive elements, therefore do not use power to generate light, as is the case with lamps. As light conductors only carry light from one point to another, never electricity.
Fiber optics can be put under, or in direct contact with water, can be cut, handled, broken or hammered and can never be anything but totally safe lighting conductors, with the exception of power conversion.
Because standard lighting fiber optics have a very restricted transmission window most radiation which could be harmful to beings or thing is not transmitted. In fact the amount of infrared and ultraviolet issuing from a fiber optic is, in most instances, negligible.
The use of fiber optics in the lighting of museum pieces or radiation sensitive material is one of the main applications of these light conductors.
There is, however, the phenomenon of power to light conversion on the extremes of the fibers: a very high temperature may be present, with the use of high powered illuminators, very close to the tip. If a light guide is cut, abrader or damaged in anyway along its length a very hot spot may ensue which can destroy the fiber and the surrounds. When using systems with high power densities additional precautions should be observed to maintain safety in the system.
Fiber optic star ceiling overview: fiber optic lighting is a new lighting technology, with photoelectric isolation, energy saving, environmental protection and long service life, widely used in various types of advertising, indoor and outdoor decoration, Waterscape, home, garden and road lighting etc.. Fiber lighting is widely used, because of bright color and soft, which in recent years has been the subject of many entertainment places and families of all ages.
Fiber optic star ceiling principle: Theory of fiber travels in straight lines, in practical applications, people want to change the direction of propagation of light, optical fiber based the principle of total reflection, optical fiber transmission to the path along the lighting places, so have more flexibility in the design and construction of lighting
Can I light a house with fiber optics?
A house can be lit with anything, from candles and gas lamps to fiber optics. There is the question, however, of the efficiency of the system. One should never forget that a light source, such as an electric lamp, delivers its maximum output hanging free in mid air, and that anything added, such as a coffer, a louver or an optical system of lenses or reflectors diminishes the performance.
Truth is that in most cases light issuing from a lamp in a spherical fashion is of little use because we want the light pointing towards a given direction, in order to perform a task. Nevertheless, is also true that anything around or in front of a lamp rests light to the general output of the system.
With fiber optics, this is no exception. The lamp enclosed in the illuminator would give a greater quantity of light if taken out and hung from ceiling than pushing the light through fibers.
There is a common misconception amongst the public that if we have a 100 Lm lamp in one place and we run then fibers to different rooms we would have a 100 Lm lamp in a box and run then fibers out, the total combined output of the fibers will always be considerably less than 100 Lm, now and in the future.
Suggestions
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