In the book chapter, the authors review results regarding the mitigating of the impacts of space small debris on composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPV) by using fibre sensors monitoring and self-repairing materials. The small debris impact dynamic was detected and monitored with fibre Bragg gratings (FBG) sensors at very fast acquisition frequencies, up to 500 MHz (2 ns), measuring the variation of the total reflected signal by the FBG. The acquisition system was based on commercially available products.

Chapter Contents:

• 9.1 Introduction
• 9.1 Introduction
• 9.2 Methodology
• 9.2 Methodology
• 9.3 Experimental results
• 9.3 Experimental results
• 9.4 Healing verification
• 9.4 Healing verification
• 9.5 Conclusions
• 9.5 Conclusions
• References
• References

Inspec keywords: maintenance engineering; condition monitoring; fibre optic sensors; aerospace safety; space debris; aerospace components; Bragg gratings; aerospace materials; pressure vessels; impact (mechanical); composite materials; polymer fibres; fuel storage

Other keywords: Reverlink; time 2 ns; cryogenic tank; bulletproof, materials; space; protective walls; acquisition frequencies; fuel leak; EMAA; self-healing commercial materials; hermeticity; fibre sensors; holes; ethylene-co-meth acrylic acid; acquisition system; Kevlar; COPV; space small debris; walls; self-healing materials; self-repairing materials; composite overwrapped pressure vessels; Nextel; frequency 500 MHz; fibre Bragg gratings

Subjects: Maintenance and reliability; Ballistics and mechanical impact (mechanical engineering); Aerospace testing and simulation; Aerospace industry; Instrumentation; Inspection and quality control; Testing; Composite materials (engineering materials science); Engineering materials; Mechanical components; Fibre optic sensors