Laser transmission channel thermal management device and flow field adaptive control method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a laser transmission channel thermal management device and a flow field self-adaptive control method thereof. The laser transmission channel thermal management device comprises a basic shell with a laser transmission channel, and the basic shell is provided with an air inlet hole array and an air outlet hole array; the air inlet hole array, the laser transmission channel and the exhaust hole array are communicated in sequence, so that a stable and uniform air flow field is formed in the laser transmission channel. The device is applied to the field of high-energy laser, is simple in structure, is low in cost, is convenient to realize, and can effectively guarantee the stability of a thermal management effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of high-energy laser technology, specifically to a thermal management device for a laser transmission channel and its adaptive flow field control method. Background Technology

[0002] When a high-energy laser beam propagates through air, a static thermal coma effect occurs if the air is stationary. This means the air density in the center of the beam is low due to heating, while the density at the edges is high, creating an equivalent concave lens that causes the beam to diverge, affecting its transmission. Simultaneously, the cleanliness of the air is crucial during high-energy laser transmission. The presence of dust or other contaminants can lead to combustion and secondary failures such as mirror burn-out. Traditional solutions involve constructing complex clean environments with precise airflow, sometimes utilizing inert gas supply systems to ensure safe operation. However, this approach is extremely costly and structurally complex, making it unsuitable for low-cost, compact systems. Therefore, there is a need to develop simpler, more efficient, and lower-cost thermal management devices for laser transmission channels. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the shortcomings of the prior art, this invention provides a thermal management device for a laser transmission channel and its adaptive flow field control method. This solution is simple in structure, low in cost, and easy to implement, and can effectively ensure the stability of the thermal management effect.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a thermal management device for a laser transmission channel, comprising a base housing having a laser transmission channel, wherein the base housing has an array of air inlets and an array of air outlets. The air inlet array, the laser transmission channel, and the exhaust array are connected in sequence to form a stable and uniform airflow field within the laser transmission channel.

[0005] In one embodiment, the laser transmission channel thermal management device further includes an exhaust assembly, which includes an exhaust connection cover, an exhaust pipe, and an exhaust fan; The exhaust connection cover is disposed on the outer wall of the base shell and covers the exhaust hole array. An exhaust cavity is formed between the exhaust connection cover and the outer wall of the base shell, and the exhaust cavity is in communication with the exhaust hole array. The first end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the exhaust connection cover, and the exhaust fan is located at the second end of the exhaust pipe.

[0006] In one embodiment, the exhaust pipe is a flexible hose.

[0007] In one embodiment, a first filter assembly is provided on the outer wall of the base housing, and the first filter assembly covers the air inlet array; The first filter assembly includes, from the outside to the inside, a coarse filter layer, a moisture-absorbing layer, and a fine filter layer, which are used to filter large dust particles, water vapor, and fine dust particles, respectively.

[0008] In one embodiment, a second filter assembly is provided inside the exhaust pipe.

[0009] In one embodiment, the air intake array includes a plurality of closely arranged air intakes, and the exhaust port array includes a plurality of closely arranged exhaust ports. Both the air inlet and the exhaust outlet are tapered holes with a larger inner diameter at the first end, and the first ends of both the air inlet and the exhaust outlet face the laser transmission channel to form a stable and uniform airflow field within the laser transmission channel.

[0010] In one embodiment, the edge spacing between two adjacent air inlets is less than 1 mm, and the edge spacing between two adjacent exhaust outlets is less than 1 mm; The inner diameter of the first end of the air inlet and the exhaust port is 5mm~8mm, and the inner diameter of the second end of the air inlet and the exhaust port is 0.8mm~1.2mm.

[0011] In one embodiment, the base housing is a square tube structure, and the laser transmission channel is a rectangular channel disposed within the base housing; One of the air intake port array and the air exhaust port array is located on the top shell wall of the base housing, and the other is located on the bottom shell wall of the base housing.

[0012] In one embodiment, the base housing is a cylindrical structure, and the laser transmission channel is a circular channel disposed within the base housing; One of the air intake port array and the air exhaust port array is located on the shell wall at the first end of the base housing, and the other is located on the shell wall at the second end of the base housing.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention also provides a flow field adaptive control method for the above-mentioned laser transmission channel thermal management device, characterized by comprising the following steps: A beam splitter is arranged in the extension direction of the output end of the laser transmission channel, and one-thousandth of the power of the laser transmitted in the laser transmission channel is extracted by the beam splitter as feedback light. The feedback light is focused using a convex lens to obtain a far-field light spot; The power or beam quality of the far-field light spot is extracted using a photodetector as a control index, and the speed of the exhaust fan is controlled to optimize the control index.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial technical effects: 1. The laser transmission channel thermal management device of the present invention forms a stable and uniform air flow field in the laser transmission channel by arranging an air inlet array and an exhaust array on the basic shell with the laser transmission channel. This not only removes the laser-heated air in the laser transmission channel in a timely manner, but also effectively maintains the uniformity of airflow in the laser transmission channel, ensuring the transmission quality, stability and pointing accuracy of the laser beam. 2. In a preferred embodiment, the thermal management device for the laser transmission channel in this invention can arrange a first filter component on the air inlet array, and ensure the dryness and cleanliness of the air in the laser transmission channel through three layers of air filters with different functions and precisions; 3. In a preferred embodiment, the thermal management device for the laser transmission channel in this invention uses a flexible exhaust pipe to effectively isolate the vibration of the exhaust fan rotation; 4. The flow field adaptive control method in this invention achieves optimal flow field uniformity and velocity by adaptively controlling the rotation speed of the exhaust fan, thus ensuring that the beam quality after transmission through the laser transmission channel is in the optimal state. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is an isometric view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under the first embodiment; Figure 2 This is a left view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under a first embodiment. Figure 3 This is a front view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under a first embodiment. Figure 4 This is an isometric view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under a second implementation method; Figure 5 This is a left view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under a second implementation method; Figure 6 This is a front view of the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention under a second implementation method; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the flow field adaptive control of the thermal management device for the laser transmission channel in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0017] Reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Basic housing; 101. Laser transmission channel; 102. Air inlet array; 103. Air outlet array; 2. Air outlet connection cover; 201. Air outlet chamber; 3. Air outlet pipe; 301. Soft suction tube; 4. Air outlet fan; 5. First filter assembly; 5. Coarse filter layer; 501. Moisture-absorbing layer; 502. Fine filter layer; 503. Second filter assembly; 6. Beam splitter; 7. Transmitting laser; 8. Feedback light; 9. Convex lens; 10. Photodetector; 11. Controller; 12.

[0018] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0021] Furthermore, in this invention, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, a physical connection, or a wireless communication connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0023] Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other, but only if they are feasible for those skilled in the art. If the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be considered that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

[0024] Example 1 This embodiment discloses a thermal management device for a laser transmission channel, including a base housing 1, a laser transmission channel 101 inside the base housing 1, and an air inlet array 102 and an exhaust array 103 provided on the base housing 1. The air inlet array 102, the laser transmission channel 101, and the exhaust array 103 are connected in sequence, thereby forming a stable and uniform airflow field in the laser transmission channel 101.

[0025] In this embodiment, by arranging an air inlet array 102 and an exhaust array 103 on the base housing 1 with the laser transmission channel 101, a stable and uniform airflow field is formed in the laser transmission channel 101. This not only allows the laser-heated air in the laser transmission channel 101 to be discharged in a timely manner, but also effectively maintains the uniformity of airflow in the laser transmission channel 101, ensuring the transmission quality, stability and pointing accuracy of the laser beam.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the air inlet array 102 includes a plurality of closely arranged air inlets, and the exhaust port array 103 includes a plurality of closely arranged exhaust ports. Both the air inlets and exhaust ports are tapered holes with a larger inner diameter at the first end and a smaller inner diameter at the second end. The first ends of both the air inlets and exhaust ports face the laser transmission channel 101, while the second ends face away from the laser transmission channel 101. Specifically, the edge spacing between two adjacent air inlets in the air inlet array 102 is less than 1 mm, and the edge spacing between two adjacent exhaust ports in the exhaust port array 103 is also less than 1 mm. Furthermore, the inner diameter of the first end of both the air inlets and exhaust ports is 5 mm to 8 mm, and the inner diameter of the second end is 0.8 mm to 1.2 mm. This parameter design allows for the construction of a stable, uniform, and low-turbulence unidirectional laminar airflow field within the laser transmission channel 101.

[0027] refer to Figures 1 to 3In this first embodiment of the laser transmission channel thermal management device, the base housing 1 is a square tube structure, the laser transmission channel 101 is a rectangular channel disposed within the base housing 1, and one of the air inlet array 102 and the exhaust array 103 is disposed on the top shell wall of the base housing 1, and the other is disposed on the bottom shell wall of the base housing 1. Specifically, in this embodiment, the air inlet array 102 is disposed on the top shell wall of the base housing 1, and the exhaust array 103 is disposed on the bottom shell wall of the base housing 1. The air inlets included in the air inlet array 102 are evenly distributed on the top shell wall of the base housing 1, and the exhaust ports included in the exhaust array 103 are evenly distributed on the bottom shell wall of the base housing 1. The airflow direction at this time is as follows: Figure 2 As shown, this is to ensure the stability and uniformity of the flow field within the rectangular laser transmission channel 101.

[0028] refer to Figures 4 to 6 This is a second embodiment of the thermal management device for the laser transmission channel in this example. In this embodiment, the base housing 1 is a circular tube structure, and the laser transmission channel 101 is a circular channel located inside the base housing 1. One of the air inlet array 102 and the air outlet array 103 is located on the shell wall at the first end of the base housing 1, and the other is located on the shell wall at the second end of the base housing 1. Specifically, in this embodiment, the air inlet array 102 is annular and located on the inlet end shell wall of the base housing 1, and the air outlet array is annular and located on the outlet end shell wall of the base housing 1. The airflow direction is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, this ensures the stability and uniformity of the flow field within the circular laser transmission channel 101. If the length of the base shell 1 is large, multiple air inlet arrays 102 and exhaust arrays 103 can also be provided.

[0029] In practical implementation, the thermal management device for the laser transmission channel also includes an exhaust assembly, which consists of an exhaust connection cover 2, an exhaust pipe 3, and an exhaust fan 4. The exhaust connection cover 2 is located on the outer wall of the base housing 1 and covers the exhaust hole array 103. The exhaust connection cover 2 and the outer wall of the base housing 1 form an exhaust cavity 201, which is connected to the exhaust hole array 103. The first end of the exhaust pipe 3 is connected to the exhaust connection cover 2, and the exhaust fan 4 is located at the second end of the exhaust pipe 3. Through the exhaust assembly, the exhaust fan 4 actively draws in air, creating a negative pressure in the exhaust cavity 201, continuously drawing out and discharging the hot air flowing through the laser transmission channel 101. This works in conjunction with the air inlet array 102 to drive and maintain a stable unidirectional flow of air within the laser transmission channel 101.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the exhaust pipe 3 is a flexible hose with a certain rigidity, thereby effectively isolating the vibration of the rotating exhaust fan 4 and avoiding affecting the airflow field within the laser transmission channel 101. More preferably, the first end of the exhaust pipe 3 has multiple thinner soft suction tubes 301, such as flexible corrugated tubes, etc. One end of each soft suction tube 301 is connected to the exhaust connection cover 2, and the other end is connected to the first end of the exhaust pipe 3, thereby further improving the vibration isolation effect.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, a first filter assembly 5 is provided on the outer wall of the base housing 1. The first filter assembly 5 covers the air inlet array 102. From the outside to the inside, the first filter assembly 5 includes a coarse filter layer 501, a moisture-absorbing layer 502, and a fine filter layer 503, which are used to filter large dust particles, water vapor, and fine dust particles respectively to ensure the dryness and cleanliness of the air in the laser transmission channel 101. In specific applications, the coarse filter layer 501, the moisture-absorbing layer 502, and the fine filter layer 503 can be made of synthetic fiber nonwoven fabric, silica gel desiccant, or high-performance composite fiber filter material, respectively.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, a second filter assembly 6 may also be provided inside the exhaust pipe 3. The second filter assembly 6 may also consist of a coarse filter layer, a moisture-absorbing layer and a fine filter layer, thereby forming a protective barrier at the exhaust end to prevent external dust and moisture from flowing back into the laser transmission channel 101 when the system is shut down, and to protect the exhaust fan 4 from contamination, ensuring that the entire airflow circulation is stable and clean for a long time.

[0033] Example 2 Based on the laser transmission channel thermal management device in Example 1, this example discloses a flow field adaptive control method for the laser transmission channel thermal management device, which mainly includes the following steps: First, a beam splitter 7 is arranged along the extension direction of the output end of the laser transmission channel 101, and approximately one-thousandth (0.1%) of the power of the laser 8 transmitted within the laser transmission channel 101 is extracted by the beam splitter 7 as the feedback light 9. Figure 7 As shown; Then, the convex lens 10 is used to focus the feedback light 9 to obtain a far-field light spot; Finally, the power in the barrel and / or beam quality of the far-field spot are extracted using the photodetector 11 as control indicators, and the rotation speed of the exhaust fan 4 is controlled to optimize these control indicators. Specifically, a controller 12 equipped with a PID control algorithm or other optimization algorithms can be used to automatically control the rotation speed of the exhaust fan 4 to optimize the control indicators, thereby ensuring that the beam quality after transmission through the laser transmission channel 101 is at its optimal state.

[0034] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made under the inventive concept of the present invention using the contents of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management device for a laser transmission channel, characterized in that, It includes a base housing with a laser transmission channel, and the base housing has an array of air inlets and an array of air outlets; The air inlet array, the laser transmission channel, and the exhaust array are connected in sequence to form a stable and uniform airflow field within the laser transmission channel.

2. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an exhaust assembly, which includes an exhaust connection cover, an exhaust pipe and an exhaust fan; The exhaust connection cover is disposed on the outer wall of the base shell and covers the exhaust hole array. An exhaust cavity is formed between the exhaust connection cover and the outer wall of the base shell, and the exhaust cavity is in communication with the exhaust hole array. The first end of the exhaust pipe is connected to the exhaust connection cover, and the exhaust fan is located at the second end of the exhaust pipe.

3. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe is a flexible hose.

4. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, A first filter assembly is provided on the outer wall of the base housing, and the first filter assembly covers the air inlet array. The first filter assembly includes, from the outside to the inside, a coarse filter layer, a moisture-absorbing layer, and a fine filter layer, which are used to filter large dust particles, water vapor, and fine dust particles, respectively.

5. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The exhaust pipe is equipped with a second filter component.

6. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The air intake array includes a plurality of closely arranged air intake holes, and the exhaust port array includes a plurality of closely arranged exhaust ports. Both the air inlet and the exhaust outlet are tapered holes with a larger inner diameter at the first end, and the first ends of both the air inlet and the exhaust outlet face the laser transmission channel to form a stable and uniform airflow field within the laser transmission channel.

7. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The edge spacing between two adjacent air inlets is less than 1 mm, and the edge spacing between two adjacent exhaust outlets is less than 1 mm; The inner diameter of the first end of the air inlet and the exhaust port is 5mm~8mm, and the inner diameter of the second end of the air inlet and the exhaust port is 0.8mm~1.2mm.

8. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The base housing is a square tube structure, and the laser transmission channel is a rectangular channel located inside the base housing. One of the air intake port array and the air exhaust port array is located on the top shell wall of the base housing, and the other is located on the bottom shell wall of the base housing.

9. The laser transmission channel thermal management device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, The base shell is a cylindrical structure, and the laser transmission channel is a circular channel located inside the base shell. One of the air intake port array and the air exhaust port array is located on the shell wall at the first end of the base housing, and the other is located on the shell wall at the second end of the base housing.

10. A flow field adaptive control method for the thermal management device of a laser transmission channel according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: A beam splitter is arranged in the extension direction of the output end of the laser transmission channel, and one-thousandth of the power of the laser transmitted in the laser transmission channel is extracted by the beam splitter as feedback light. The feedback light is focused using a convex lens to obtain a far-field light spot; The power or beam quality of the far-field light spot is extracted using a photodetector as a control index, and the speed of the exhaust fan is controlled to optimize the control index.

Images