Method, device and medium for automatically determining spray cone angle

Abstract

The invention provides a device for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, and the device comprises a light source which is used for illuminating the spray cone; the camera is used for acquiring a fog cone image of the spray fog cone; the at least one processor is used for selecting a group of cross sections of the fog cone image to obtain a group of corresponding scattered light intensity distribution along the horizontal direction; for the scattered light intensity distribution of each section in the group of sections, selecting a specified light intensity value as a boundary point of a corresponding single measured section taper angle to obtain a corresponding boundary point set; symmetrical taper angle straight edges are generated based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points to automatically determine the taper angle. Methods and computer-readable media for automatically determining a cone angle of a spray cone are also provided. Numerous other aspects are also disclosed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of aero-engine, and more particularly to a method, device and medium for automatically determining a fuel nozzle atomization cone angle. BACKGROUND

[0002] The fuel nozzle atomization cone angle, referred to as the spray cone angle, is one of the important parameters for characterizing the atomization performance of the nozzle, and its characteristics are related to flame stability, combustion efficiency and pollutant generation, and is an important parameter for the design of the fuel nozzle of the aero-engine.

[0003] The early spray cone angle measurement method is mainly a mechanical probe method, that is, two probes are arranged on both sides of the spray cone axis plane at a certain distance from the nozzle, the probes are moved along the direction perpendicular to the spray cone axis line during measurement, until the probes just contact the spray cone boundary, the spray cone is regarded as a two-dimensional plane figure, and the cone angle size can be calculated. However, the boundary of the cone angle is obtained by visual observation, which has great subjectivity and locality, cannot optimally approximate the true value of the spray cone angle, and the repeatability of the measurement is also poor. With the application of image processing technology and the development of visualization technology, the profile of the spray cone can be more accurately and directly obtained, and the labor intensity of the tester can be reduced and the detection efficiency of the nozzle cone angle can be improved. For the spray image obtained by the optical photography method, the extraction of the cone angle is usually directly visualized by the spray boundary, and then an angle is obtained by using a protractor or similar software, which has strong subjectivity, and especially when the image boundary is blurred, a large error can be caused. Therefore, a method and device for automatically determining the spray cone angle are urgently needed.

[0004] The present application provides a method, device and medium for automatically determining a spray cone angle, realizing automatic determination of the cone angle boundary, eliminating human error and improving the measurement accuracy. SUMMARY

[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of one or more aspects in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all aspects nor delineate the scope of any or all aspects. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more aspects in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[0006] To solve the above problems, the present application provides a method, device and medium for automatically determining a spray cone angle.

[0007] An aspect of the present application provides an apparatus for automatically determining a cone angle of a spray plume, comprising: a light source for illuminating the spray plume; a camera for acquiring a plume image of the spray plume; at least one processor for selecting a set of cross sections of the plume image to obtain a corresponding set of scattering light intensity profiles along a horizontal direction; for each cross section's scattering light intensity profile in the set of cross sections, selecting a specified light intensity value as a boundary point of a corresponding single measurement cross section cone angle to obtain a corresponding boundary point set; generating a symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least in part on the corresponding boundary point set to automatically determine the cone angle.

[0008] Preferably, generating the symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least in part on the corresponding boundary point set to automatically determine the cone angle comprises: determining an included angle of the symmetrical cone angle straight line edge as the cone angle.

[0009] Preferably, the specified light intensity value is a 50% light intensity peak value.

[0010] Preferably, the apparatus further comprises: an observation window between the spray plume and the camera, self-rotating around a center axis to throw fuel out of a window face; and a background comprising a black background plate to form an annular darkroom background.

[0011] Preferably, the light source is a red strip light source, and the apparatus further comprises a red filter to improve contrast.

[0012] Preferably, the exposure time of the light source and the camera is balanced to prevent excessive saturation.

[0013] Yet another aspect of the present application provides a method for automatically determining a cone angle of a spray plume, comprising: illuminating the spray plume; acquiring a plume image of the spray plume; selecting a set of cross sections of the plume image to obtain a corresponding set of scattering light intensity profiles along a horizontal direction; for each cross section's scattering light intensity profile in the set of cross sections, selecting a specified light intensity value as a boundary point of a corresponding single measurement cross section cone angle to obtain a corresponding boundary point set; generating a symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least in part on the corresponding boundary point set to automatically determine the cone angle.

[0014] Preferably, generating the symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least in part on the corresponding boundary point set to automatically determine the spray plume angle comprises: determining an included angle of the symmetrical cone angle straight line edge as the spray plume angle.

[0015] Preferably, the specified light intensity value is a 50% light intensity peak value.

[0016] Preferably, a red strip light source is used to illuminate the spray plume, and a red filter is used to filter the plume image to improve contrast.

[0017] Another aspect of this application provides an apparatus for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, comprising: a memory configured to store instructions; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: illuminate the spray cone; acquire a cone image of the spray cone; select a set of cross-sections of the cone image to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; for each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, select a specified light intensity value as a boundary point of the cone angle of the corresponding single measurement cross-section, thereby obtaining a set of corresponding boundary points; and generate a symmetrical cone angle straight edge based at least in part on the set of corresponding boundary points to automatically determine the cone angle.

[0018] Other aspects of this application provide a computer-readable storage medium storing code for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, the code being executable by a processor to: illuminate the spray cone; acquire a cone image of the spray cone; select a set of cross-sections of the cone image to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; for each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, select a specified light intensity value as a boundary point of the cone angle of the corresponding single measurement cross-section, obtaining a corresponding set of boundary points; and generate a symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points to automatically determine the cone angle.

[0019] This synopsis is provided to introduce some concepts in a simplified form, which will be further described in the detailed description below. This synopsis is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Other aspects, features, and / or advantages of the embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practice of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To gain a detailed understanding of the manner in which the above-described features of the invention are employed, a more specific description of the above-briefly summarized content can be provided with reference to various embodiments, some of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be noted that the drawings only illustrate certain typical aspects of the invention and should not be considered as limiting its scope, as this description may allow for other equivalent aspects. In the drawings, similar reference numerals are consistently used for similar purposes. It should be noted that the described drawings are merely schematic and non-limiting. In the drawings, the dimensions of some components may be enlarged and are not drawn to scale for illustrative purposes.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system for automatically determining the spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the intensity distribution of scattered light across a spray field cross section according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between image width calculation error and scattered light intensity was provided.

[0024] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between light intensity distribution and boundary determination at the measurement section of a spray field is provided.

[0025] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the actual spray cone angle measurement results was provided.

[0026] Figure 6 A block diagram illustrating a method for automatically determining a spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0027] Figure 7 A block diagram of an example device for automatically determining the spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments and the accompanying drawings. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the described exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments can be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other exemplary embodiments, well-known structures or processing steps have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the concepts of this disclosure.

[0029] In this specification, unless otherwise stated, the term "A or B" as used herein refers to "A and B" and "A or B", and does not imply that A and B are exclusive.

[0030] The fuel nozzle atomization cone angle, or spray cone angle for short, is one of the important parameters characterizing the nozzle atomization performance. Its characteristics are related to flame stability, combustion efficiency and pollutant generation, and it is an important parameter in the design of aero-engine fuel nozzles.

[0031] Early methods for measuring spray cone angle primarily relied on mechanical probes. This typically involved placing a probe on each side of the nozzle at a certain distance within the plane of the spray cone's axis. During measurement, the probes were gradually moved along a direction perpendicular to the cone's central axis until they just touched the cone's boundary. Treating the cone as a two-dimensional plane, the cone angle could be calculated. However, obtaining the cone angle boundary visually is highly subjective and localized, failing to optimally approximate the true spray cone angle value, and exhibiting poor repeatability. With the application of image processing and visualization technologies, the contour of the spray cone can be more accurately and directly acquired, reducing the workload of the experimenter and improving the efficiency of nozzle cone angle detection. For spray images acquired through optical photography, cone angle extraction usually involves directly visually judging the spray boundary and then using a protractor or similar software to obtain the angle. This method is highly subjective, especially when the image boundary is blurred, potentially leading to significant errors. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a method and device that can automatically determine the spray cone angle.

[0032] The following combination Figures 1 to 7 The method, apparatus, and medium for automatically determining the spray cone angle are explained, which can realize automatic determination of the cone angle boundary, eliminate human error, and improve measurement accuracy.

[0033] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system for automatically determining the spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0034] In the embodiments of this application, the spray cone angle measurement system mainly consists of a light source 1, an observation window 2, a filter 3, a camera 4, and a background 5. In the embodiments of this application, although... Figure 1 Although not shown, the fuel nozzle can be fixed to the top of the central axis of background 5 using a clamp or other means, and its position can be longitudinally movable along the central axis. In embodiments of this application, the fuel nozzle can be fixed to a special tooling fixture, which is then connected to the displacement mechanism of the test equipment, allowing the nozzle to move in three dimensions and rotate around the central axis of the nozzle by a specified angle.

[0035] like Figure 1As shown, a red strip light source 1 can preferably be selected to illuminate the spray cone. In embodiments of this application, the light source can be located on both sides of the spray cone, symmetrically placed, and red light is selected according to the relative intensity ratio of different wavelengths (colors) of light in natural light to minimize the influence of natural light (external light). It should be understood that other colors of light sources and corresponding color filters can also be used. In embodiments of this application, the observation window 2 is embedded and fixed to the background plate of the background 5, and a small pipe at the bottom supplies high-pressure gas to blow it to rotate, thereby throwing off the fuel droplets adhering to the window surface to achieve real-time self-cleaning and avoid blocking light. In embodiments of this application, the observation window 2 can rotate around its central axis to throw off the fuel on the window surface to keep it clean. It should be understood that one or more observation windows can exist, such as Figure 1 As shown, there are three observation windows, and correspondingly, three cameras (not shown) can be present to capture images of the spray cone and cross-verify the results. In this embodiment, a red filter 3 can be placed between the observation window 2 and the camera 4 to minimize the influence of external light and improve contrast. In this embodiment, since the cone angle measurement does not have high time scale requirements, a common digital SLR camera 4 or other types of image-acquiring devices (e.g., video cameras, etc.) can be selected, which can have a fixed focal length and be controlled via a USB interface or other interfaces. In this embodiment, fixing the focal length of the image-acquiring device simplifies the test preparation work, eliminating the need for refocusing each time. Fixing the focal length also allows for control of variables to ensure consistent focal length during repeated tests. In this embodiment, using a USB interface enables remote control, eliminating the need for an operator to be present during the test and ensuring safety. In this embodiment, a black background board can be used to assemble a ring-shaped darkroom background 5, which can surround the entire spray cone, making the captured images clearer. Alternatively, the viewing window 2 may be mounted (e.g., glued or otherwise fixed) to the background 5, and the background 5 may have an opening so that the camera 5 can acquire (e.g., photograph) an image of the spray cone through the viewing window 2. Alternatively, a balance needs to be struck between the illumination source 1 and the exposure time of the camera 4 to prevent excessive saturation.

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating the intensity distribution of scattered light across a spray field cross section according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0037] In embodiments of this application, when measuring the spray cone angle, an ideal image of the spray field is illuminated, such as... Figure 2As shown, one or more measurement sections or a group of measurement sections can be selected sequentially from top to bottom. For example, three measurement sections, 6, 7, and 8, are selected. It should be understood that in actual measurement, a large number of measurement sections will be selected to measure the distribution of fog droplet scattered light intensity. Figure 2 As shown, the scattered light intensity distribution curves of measurement sections 6, 7 and 8 along the horizontal direction correspond to curves 9, 10 and 11 respectively, and are symmetrically distributed about the center line.

[0038] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between image width calculation error and scattered light intensity was provided.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, the analysis of the scattered light intensity distribution curve reveals that region 12, where the light intensity peak is 50%, has a slope value greater than other regions (e.g., the slope value of region 12 is greater than that of region 13). This means that the measurement error is minimized at the 50% peak of the light intensity distribution curve. Therefore, in this embodiment, the 50% light intensity peak is selected as the boundary point of the cone angle of the corresponding single measurement section. It should be understood that in this embodiment, other specified light intensity values ​​(e.g., 30%, 70%, 95%, etc.) can also be selected as the boundary point of the cone angle of the single measurement section as needed.

[0040] Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the relationship between the scattered light intensity distribution and boundary determination of the measurement section of the spray field is provided.

[0041] In the embodiments of this application, the actual situation of any one of the scattered light intensity distribution curves 9, 10, and 11 at the spray measurement cross-section can be illustrated as follows: Figure 4 As shown, 14 is the peak light intensity and 15 is the 50% peak light intensity.

[0042] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating the actual spray cone angle measurement results was provided.

[0043] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 5 As shown, the peak light intensity of 50% of all measured cross sections is extracted as the cone angle boundary point (displayed as a light-colored dashed curve 16). Then, the best-fit algorithm is used to generate the straight edge of the cone angle (displayed as a darker straight line 17). The included angle between the two cone angle edges is the spray cone angle. Preferably, N cross sections can be extracted from top to bottom along the fog cone cross section (e.g., ...). Figure 2 As shown in the image, the light intensity distribution curve of each cross-section is extracted to obtain the image location of the 50% peak point of a single curve (which can form...). Figure 5The dashed line 16 (one on each side of the fog cone) represents the discrete target points. Combining the light intensity values ​​of the N discrete target points on each side, the best approximation line 17 is fitted using the optimal adaptive algorithm, which represents the cone angle side. The angle between the two cone angle sides is the spray cone angle.

[0044] Figure 6 A block diagram illustrating a method for automatically determining a spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided.

[0045] In embodiments of this application, the method 600 for automatically determining the spray cone angle may include: at 610, illuminating the spray cone. (Referring to the above...) Figures 1-5 As described, a red strip light source 1 can be selected to illuminate the spray cone. Alternatively or alternatively, other colored light sources and corresponding colored filters can be used to minimize the influence of external light.

[0046] Preferably, method 600 may further include: at 620, acquiring a mist cone image of the spray mist cone. (Refer to the above.) Figures 1-5 The described viewing window for observing an image (e.g., Figure 2 The observation window 2) can be located between the spray cone and the camera, and can be rotated about its central axis to fling off fuel from the window surface and keep it clean. Alternatively, at least one camera can be present to capture images of the spray cone. Alternatively, a red filter can be placed between the observation window and the camera to minimize the influence of external light and improve contrast. In other words, a red strip light source can be used to illuminate the spray cone, and a red filter can be used to filter the image of the cone to improve contrast. In embodiments of this application, since the cone angle measurement does not have high time-scale requirements, a common digital SLR camera or other type of image-acquiring device (e.g., a video camera, etc.) can be selected, which can have a fixed focal length and be controlled via a USB interface or other interfaces. Alternatively, a black background board can be assembled into a ring-shaped experimental darkroom background to surround the entire spray cone. Alternatively, the observation window can be mounted (e.g., glued or otherwise fixed) on the background, and the background can have an opening so that at least one camera can acquire (e.g., photograph) images of the spray cone through the observation window. Additional or alternative locations require a balance between the lighting source and camera exposure time to prevent excessive saturation.

[0047] Preferably, method 600 may further include: at 630, selecting a set of cross-sections of the fog cone image to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction. (Refer to the above.) Figures 1-5As described, when measuring the spray cone angle, an image can be acquired after illuminating the spray field, and one or more sections or a set of sections of the image can be selected sequentially from top to bottom (e.g., Figure 3 The three measurement sections 6, 7, and 8 are shown in the embodiments of this application. Each section has a light intensity distribution curve along the horizontal direction (for example, the light intensity distribution curves of sections 6, 7, and 8 correspond to curves 9, 10, and 11, respectively) and is symmetrically distributed about the center line.

[0048] Preferably, method 600 may further include: at 640, for the scattered light intensity distribution of each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, selecting a specified light intensity value as the boundary point of the corresponding single measurement cross-section cone angle, thereby obtaining a set of corresponding boundary points. (Refer to the above...) Figures 1-5 As described, the specified light intensity value is 50% of the light intensity peak. In the embodiments of this application, the calculated image width error corresponding to the measurement error at 50% of the light intensity peak is the smallest; therefore, the 50% light intensity peak is selected as the boundary point of the cone angle corresponding to a single measurement section. Alternatively or alternatively, other specified light intensity values ​​(e.g., 30%, 70%, 95%, etc.) can be selected as the boundary point of the cone angle of a single measurement section as needed.

[0049] Preferably, method 600 may further include: at 650, generating symmetrical cone-angle straight line edges, at least in part, based on the corresponding set of boundary points, to automatically determine the cone angle. (Refer to the above.) Figures 1-5 The described method of automatically determining the spray cone angle by generating symmetrical cone-shaped straight edges, at least in part, based on the corresponding set of boundary points, includes determining the included angle of the symmetrical cone-shaped straight edges as the spray cone angle. Additionally or alternatively, an optimal adaptation algorithm is used to generate the cone-shaped straight edges.

[0050] Figure 7 A block diagram of an example device 700 for automatically determining the spray cone angle according to an embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0051] It should be noted that Figure 7 This is intended only to provide a general explanation of the various components, which may be appropriately utilized by any or all of them. Note that in some instances, [the components are...]. Figure 7 The components being explained can be localized into a single physical device and / or distributed among various networked devices, for example, they can be located in different physical locations on a large test facility or other entity.

[0052] Device 700 is shown as including hardware elements that can be electrically coupled (or otherwise communicated) via bus 705. The hardware elements may include processing units 710, which may include, but are not limited to, one or more general-purpose processors, one or more special-purpose processors (such as digital signal processing (DSP) chips, graphics accelerator processors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc.), and / or other processing structures or means.

[0053] The device 700 may also include one or more input devices 770, which may include devices related to a user interface (e.g., touchscreen, touchpad, microphone, buttons, dial pad, switch, etc.). Similarly, one or more output devices 715 may be involved in interacting with the user (e.g., via a display, light-emitting diode (LED), speaker, etc.).

[0054] Device 700 may also include a wireless communication interface 730, which may include, but is not limited to, a modem, a network card, an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a chipset (such as...). Devices, WiFi devices, WiMax devices, WAN devices, and / or various cellular devices, etc. The wireless communication interface 730 enables device 700 to communicate with other devices. This can include various forms of communication from the previously described embodiments. Thus, it can be capable of transmitting direct communication, broadcasting wireless signals, receiving direct and / or broadcast wireless signals, etc. Accordingly, the wireless communication interface 730 can be capable of transmitting and / or receiving RF signals from various RF channels / bands. Communication using the wireless communication interface 730 can be performed via one or more wireless communication antennas 732 that transmit and / or receive wireless signals 734.

[0055] The device 700 may further include sensors 740. Sensors 740 may include, but are not limited to, one or more inertial sensors and / or other sensors (e.g., lidar, accelerometer, gyroscope, camera, magnetometer, altimeter, microphone, proximity sensor, light sensor, barometer, etc.). Sensors 740 may be used, for example, to determine certain real-time characteristics of the test device, such as location, longitude, latitude, altitude, and elevation.

[0056] Device 700 may further include memory 760 and / or be in communication with memory 760. Memory 760 may include, but is not limited to, local and / or network-accessible storage, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices (such as random access memory (RAM) and / or read-only memory (ROM)), which may be programmable, flash-updatable, etc. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data storage, including but not limited to various file systems, database structures, and / or the like.

[0057] The memory 760 of device 700 may also include software elements ( Figure 7 (Not shown in the document), these software elements include operating systems, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code (such as one or more applications). These software elements may include computer programs provided by various embodiments, and / or may be designed to implement the methods as described herein, and / or configure the system as described herein. Software applications stored in memory 760 and executed by processing units 710 can be used to implement the functionality of the test device as described herein. Furthermore, one or more procedures described with respect to the methods discussed herein can be implemented as code and / or instructions in memory 760 executable by device 700 (and / or processing units 710 or DSP 720 within device 700), including those described below. Figure 4 The functions described in the method. In one respect, such code and / or instructions can be used to configure and / or adapt a general-purpose computer (or other device) to perform one or more operations according to the described method.

[0058] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also disclose a computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the methods of the embodiments herein.

[0059] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also disclose an apparatus including a processor and a memory storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the methods of the embodiments herein.

[0060] Furthermore, embodiments of this application also disclose an apparatus for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone. The apparatus includes: a device for illuminating the spray cone; a device for acquiring a cone image of the spray cone; a device for selecting a set of cross-sections of the cone image to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; a device for selecting a specified light intensity value as the boundary point of the cone angle of a corresponding single measurement cross-section for each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, thereby obtaining a corresponding set of boundary points; and a device for automatically determining the cone angle by generating a symmetrical cone angle straight line edge based at least partially on the corresponding set of boundary points.

[0061] The above describes the method and apparatus for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone according to the present invention. Compared with the prior art, the method of the present invention has at least the following advantages:

[0062] (1) The spray cone angle measurement method based on the distribution of droplet scattered light intensity automatically determines the cone angle boundary, eliminating the error of manual identification of the cone angle boundary;

[0063] (2) Improved the accuracy of cone angle measurement, reaching ≤±0.2°.

[0064] Throughout this specification, reference has been made to "embodiments," meaning that a particular described feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the use of these phrases may refer to more than one embodiment. Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0065] The various steps and modules of the methods and apparatus described above can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. If implemented in hardware, the various illustrative steps, modules, and circuits described in connection with this disclosure can be implemented or executed using a general-purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic components, hardware components, or any combination thereof. A general-purpose processor can be a processor, microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine, etc. If implemented in software, the various illustrative steps and modules described in connection with this disclosure can be stored as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium or transmitted. Software modules implementing the various operations of this disclosure can reside in a storage medium, such as RAM, flash memory, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, registers, hard disk, removable disk, CD-ROM, cloud storage, etc. The storage medium can be coupled to a processor so that the processor can read and write information from / to the storage medium and execute corresponding program modules to implement the various steps of this disclosure. Moreover, software-based embodiments can be uploaded, downloaded, or remotely accessed through appropriate communication means. Such appropriate means of communication include, for example, the Internet, the World Wide Web, intranets, software applications, cables (including fiber optic cables), magnetic communication, electromagnetic communication (including RF microwave and infrared communication), electronic communication, or other such means of communication.

[0066] The numerical values ​​given in the various embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, as a whole, there are other components or steps not listed in the claims or specification of this invention. Moreover, a single name for a component does not preclude other names for that component.

[0067] It should also be noted that these embodiments may be described as processes depicted as flowcharts, flow diagrams, structure diagrams, or block diagrams. Although a flowchart may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of these operations can be executed in parallel or concurrently. Furthermore, the order of these operations can be rearranged.

[0068] The disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems should not be limited in any way. Rather, this disclosure covers all novel and non-obvious features and aspects of the various disclosed embodiments (individually and in various combinations and sub-combinations of each other). The disclosed methods, apparatuses, and systems are not limited to any particular aspect or feature or combination thereof, and no disclosed embodiment is required to have any one or more specific advantages or to solve any particular or all technical problems.

[0069] This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other modifications based on the teachings of this invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these modifications are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0070] Those skilled in the art will recognize that these embodiments can be practiced without one or more specific details or using other methods, resources, materials, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, resources, or operations are not shown or described in detail merely for the purpose of observing obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0071] While embodiments and applications have been described and illustrated, it should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the precise configurations and resources described above. Various modifications, substitutions, and improvements that will be apparent to those skilled in the art may be made in the arrangement, operation, and details of the methods and systems disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the claimed embodiments.

[0072] As used herein, the terms “and,” “or,” and “and / or” may include a variety of meanings, which are also contemplated, at least in part, depending on the context in which such terms are used. Generally, “or,” when used to relate a list such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C (in the inclusive sense) and A, B, or C (in the exclusive sense). Additionally, the term “one or more” as used herein may be used to describe any feature, structure, or property in its singular form, or to describe multiple features, structures, or characteristics, or some other combination thereof. However, it should be noted that this is merely an illustrative example, and the claimed subject matter is not limited to this example.

[0073] While the features currently considered exemplary have been explained and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various other modifications can be made and equivalents can be substituted without departing from the claimed subject matter. Additionally, numerous modifications can be made to adapt a particular scenario to the teachings of the claimed subject matter without departing from the central concepts described herein.

Claims

1. A device for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, comprising: A light source, used to illuminate the spray cone; A camera used to acquire images of the spray cone; At least one processor, which is used for A set of cross sections of the fog cone image is selected to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; For the scattered light intensity distribution of each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, a specified light intensity value is selected as the boundary point of the corresponding single measurement cross-section cone angle, thus obtaining the corresponding set of boundary points; and The cone angle is automatically determined by generating symmetrical cone angle straight lines based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, Generating symmetrical cone-angle straight lines based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points to automatically determine the cone angle includes: The included angle between the straight sides of the symmetrical cone angle is defined as the cone angle.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The specified light intensity value is 50% of the peak light intensity.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The device further includes An observation window, located between the spray cone and the camera, rotates about its central axis to fling fuel off the window surface; and Background, the background including a black background panel to form a circular darkroom background.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The light source is a red strip light source, and the device further includes a red filter to improve contrast.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The exposure times of the light source and the camera are balanced to prevent excessive saturation.

7. A method for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, comprising: Illuminate the spray cone; Obtain an image of the spray cone; A set of cross sections of the fog cone image is selected to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; For the scattered light intensity distribution of each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, a specified light intensity value is selected as the boundary point of the corresponding single measurement cross-section cone angle, thus obtaining the corresponding set of boundary points; and The cone angle is automatically determined by generating symmetrical cone angle straight lines based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points.

8. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Generating symmetrical cone-angle straight edges, at least in part, based on the corresponding set of boundary points to automatically determine the spray cone angle includes: The included angle of the straight side of the symmetrical cone angle is defined as the spray cone angle.

9. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The specified light intensity value is 50% of the peak light intensity.

10. The method as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The spray cone is illuminated using a red strip light source, and the image of the spray cone is filtered using a red filter to improve contrast.

11. An apparatus for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, comprising: A memory configured to store instructions; as well as One or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to: Illuminate the spray cone; Obtain an image of the spray cone; A set of cross sections of the fog cone image is selected to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; For the scattered light intensity distribution of each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, a specified light intensity value is selected as the boundary point of the corresponding single measurement cross-section cone angle, thus obtaining the corresponding set of boundary points; and The cone angle is automatically determined by generating symmetrical cone angle straight lines based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points.

12. A computer-readable storage medium storing code for automatically determining the cone angle of a spray cone, said code being executable by a processor for the following operations: Illuminate the spray cone; Obtain an image of the spray cone; A set of cross sections of the fog cone image is selected to obtain a corresponding set of scattered light intensity distributions along the horizontal direction; For the scattered light intensity distribution of each cross-section in the set of cross-sections, a specified light intensity value is selected as the boundary point of the corresponding single measurement cross-section cone angle, thus obtaining the corresponding set of boundary points; and The cone angle is automatically determined by generating symmetrical cone angle straight lines based at least in part on the corresponding set of boundary points.

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