Vortex flowmeter with polarimetric sensing

The paper presents initial studies of the fiber flowmeter realized by polarimetric sensing with highly birefringent polarization-maintaining optical fibers. In the studied system one fiber is applied as the both bluff body and sensing element. The flow velocity is evaluated from the amplitude modulated signal of the frequency of vortex shedding. The polarimetric sensing based on polarization interference presents the advantage of sensitivity compared to the interferometry measurement but without the expense of its complex arrangement.