Intelligent biological attachment prevention system and method for underwater phased-array antenna array plane

Abstract

The invention discloses an intelligent biological attachment prevention system and method for an underwater phased array radar antenna array surface. The system comprises a glass fiber reinforced plastic antenna housing, an ultrasonic vibrator, a visual sensor, a chlorophyll sensor and a radar processing rear end. Metal bolts are pre-buried in the antenna housing, so that the ultrasonic vibrator is tightly attached and installed, the visual sensor has double-light supplementary lighting, and the chlorophyll sensor has a self-cleaning function. The radar rear end intelligently controls starting, stopping, power and frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator according to sensor data, and full-process self-adaptive management from antifouling to cleaning is achieved. The method does not need manual intervention or chemical coating, is environment-friendly and efficient, and is particularly suitable for long-term underwater unattended radar equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the design of antenna arrays for active phased array radar systems, and more specifically to an intelligent anti-biofouling system and method for underwater phased array radar antenna arrays. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of phased array radar, radar payload platforms are no longer limited to traditional land-based, vehicle-mounted, airborne, and shipborne types. In recent years, amphibious and snorkeling radars for use in underwater environments have also gradually emerged. Because underwater phased array radars are exposed to marine or freshwater environments for extended periods, they are highly susceptible to fouling by algae and shellfish. These organisms adhering to the radome surface severely affect the reception and transmission of electromagnetic waves, leading to a deterioration in radar measurement accuracy and range, and in severe cases, even causing radar failure.

[0003] Traditional methods of cleaning, relying on divers or equipment recovery, are costly, inefficient, and extremely risky. Applying special coatings to radar equipment surfaces reduces the radome's wave transmittance, and these coatings are still in the experimental stage, with their anti-fouling effects in practical applications being less than ideal. Furthermore, many of these coatings are toxic, severely impacting the ecosystem of nearby waters, and their anti-fouling effect disappears over time as the toxicity dissipates. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a design method for intelligent biomimetic attachment of underwater phased array radar antenna surfaces.

[0005] The technical solution for achieving the objective of this invention is: an intelligent anti-biofouling system for underwater phased array radar antenna arrays, comprising:

[0006] A wave-transparent, pressure-resistant, and watertight radome;

[0007] Multiple ultrasonic transducers are installed in close contact with the inner wall of the radome using metal fixing bolts pre-embedded in the radome.

[0008] The ultrasonic generator is located inside the antenna radome and connected to the ultrasonic transducer, driving the ultrasonic transducer to output adjustable vibration power and frequency.

[0009] Multiple antenna elements are housed inside the radome;

[0010] A visual sensor, located inside the radome, is used to acquire image information from the surface of the radome.

[0011] A chlorophyll sensor, mounted outside the radome, is used to detect the chlorophyll concentration in the water.

[0012] The radar processing backend, located inside the radome, is connected to the visual sensor, chlorophyll sensor, and ultrasonic transducer. Based on the information collected by the visual and chlorophyll sensors, it comprehensively assesses the risk and degree of bioattachment and outputs control commands to drive the ultrasonic transducer.

[0013] Among them, the control commands include at least start, stop, output power and operating frequency.

[0014] Furthermore, the radome includes:

[0015] The radome body is made of fiberglass material with a thickness of not less than 5mm, and the metal fixing bolts are pre-embedded in it by integral molding during the manufacturing process of the radome body;

[0016] Supporting foam is filled in the hollow area between the radome body and the reflective backplate using an integrated foaming molding technology. The location, size, and quantity of the supporting foam filling area are determined based on mechanical and electromagnetic simulations.

[0017] The above structure enables the radome to simultaneously possess water pressure resistance, electromagnetic wave transmission capability, and the ability to transmit ultrasonic vibrations for decontamination.

[0018] Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducer is installed at the geometric center of four adjacent antenna transducers, and the total number of ultrasonic transducers is 1 / 4 of the number of antenna transducers.

[0019] Furthermore, the ultrasonic generator has an adjustable output power of 20W~100W and an selectable output frequency of 40K / 80K / 120K.

[0020] Furthermore, the visual sensor integrates dual illumination devices for infrared and white light, and a transparent window is set at the position of the antenna radome where the visual sensor is located. The position of the window is determined by electromagnetic simulation calculation and should not affect the effective radiation of electromagnetic waves.

[0021] Furthermore, the chlorophyll sensor is a fluorescence-based sensor and integrates an automatic cleaning brush.

[0022] Furthermore, the chlorophyll sensor is connected to the radar processing backend inside the radome using a vulcanized cable, and the assembly is completed outside the radome. Then, a vulcanization process is used to form an integrated sealed structure at the connection.

[0023] Furthermore, the radar processing backend is configured to execute the following control strategy:

[0024] A first threshold and a second threshold are set, where the second threshold corresponds to a more severe degree of bioattachment than the first threshold.

[0025] When the degree of biological adhesion exceeds the first threshold, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to start running at the first power level to execute the anti-fouling mode.

[0026] When the bio-attachment level exceeds the second threshold, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to start operation at a second power level higher than the first power level, and the operating frequency is adaptively adjusted to execute the cleaning mode.

[0027] Furthermore, during the operation of the cleaning mode, the radar processing backend is also configured to dynamically optimize and adjust the operating frequency of the ultrasonic transducer based on the real-time feedback from the visual sensor and the chlorophyll sensor.

[0028] Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducer is a dual-frequency or multi-frequency ultrasonic transducer with an adjustable output power in the range of 20W to 100W and an output frequency selectable from at least two of 40kHz, 80kHz, and 120kHz.

[0029] A method for intelligently preventing biofouling on the array surface of an underwater phased array radar, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0030] The antenna radome surface condition and aquatic environment data are continuously collected using visual and chlorophyll sensors.

[0031] In the radar processing backend, the collected data is fused and analyzed to identify and quantify the degree of biological attachment.

[0032] Based on the quantification results, determine whether a preset threshold has been exceeded;

[0033] If the preset threshold is exceeded, a corresponding control command is generated, and the ultrasonic generator produces a high-frequency electrical signal, thereby driving the ultrasonic transducer to generate ultrasonic waves with a specific vibration frequency and power.

[0034] During the cleaning process, the output frequency and output power of the ultrasonic transducer 2 are optimized based on real-time feedback from the visual sensor and chlorophyll sensor to improve the cleaning effect.

[0035] When the bio-attachment level drops below a preset threshold, a control command is generated to shut down the ultrasonic transducer.

[0036] Compared with the prior art, the significant advantages of this invention are: (1) The underwater array designed using this method can achieve intelligent antifouling and automatic cleaning, eliminating the dependence on manpower in traditional cleaning methods. This method is particularly suitable for unattended equipment; it eliminates the need for chemical coatings and will not damage the ecological environment. (2) For different biological attachment conditions, the array can adaptively adjust the frequency and power of the ultrasonic transducer to achieve efficient removal of attachments and low-power antifouling. (3) The device uses a visual sensor and a chlorophyll sensor to collect information on biological attachment on the array. Furthermore, the visual sensor uses a dual illumination method of infrared and white light to improve the accuracy of biological attachment identification. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 Intelligent anti-bioattachment underwater phased array principle block diagram

[0038] Figure 2 3D diagram of intelligent anti-bioattachment underwater phased array

[0039] Figure descriptions: 1. Antenna radome; 2. Ultrasonic transducer; 3. Ultrasonic generator; 4. Antenna transducer; 5. Visual sensor; 6. Chlorophyll sensor; 7. Radar back-end processor; 8. Metal bolt (ultrasonic transducer fixing bolt). Detailed Implementation

[0040] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0041] An intelligent anti-biofouling system for an underwater phased array radar antenna array includes an antenna radome 1, an ultrasonic transducer 2, an ultrasonic generator 3, an antenna transducer 4, a visual sensor 5, a chlorophyll sensor 6, a radar processing back-end 7, and a pressure-resistant antenna radome 8 with embedded metal bolts.

[0042] The radome 1 is integrally formed with embedded metal bolts 8 during manufacturing. The ultrasonic transducer 2 is secured to the inner wall of the radome 1 by metal bolts and fits tightly against the inner wall. The antenna array 4 and the radar processing backend 7 are installed inside the radome. The visual sensor 5 is installed inside the radome 1, and its installation position must not affect the operation of the antenna array 4. The chlorophyll sensor 6 is installed outside the radome 1. The radar backend includes recognition algorithms and control programs.

[0043] The material of the radome 1 is adapted to the underwater environment, including electromagnetic wave transmission, pressure resistance, corrosion resistance, and watertightness. Specifically, the radome 1 is made of fiberglass with a thickness of ≥5mm to ensure electromagnetic wave transmission and corrosion resistance, and has sufficient rigidity to effectively transmit vibration energy to the radome body. An integrated foam molding technology is used, and the design incorporates supporting foam to fill the hollow area between the radome and the reflector backplate. The location, size, and quantity of the filling area need to be determined by combining mechanical and electromagnetic simulations to ensure both water pressure resistance and electromagnetic wave radiation and ultrasonic vibration decontamination capabilities.

[0044] The ultrasonic generator 3 is located inside the antenna radome and is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 2, driving the ultrasonic transducer to output adjustable vibration power and frequency; its output power is adjustable from 20W to 100W, and its output frequency is selectable from 40K / 80K (120K).

[0045] The visual sensor 5 includes dual illumination measures of infrared and white light to adapt to harsh water conditions; a transparent window is set at the position of the antenna radome where the visual sensor 5 is located. The position of the window needs to be determined by electromagnetic simulation calculations and must not affect the effective radiation of electromagnetic waves.

[0046] The chlorophyll sensor 6 comes with a cleaning brush and has an automatic cleaning function. The chlorophyll sensor 6 is connected to the radar processing back end inside the radome using a vulcanized cable. The sensor needs to be assembled outside the radome first, and then the vulcanization process is used to form an integrated sealed structure at the connection.

[0047] The radar processing backend 7, including processing hardware and algorithm programs, can comprehensively process and analyze the image information from the visual sensor 5 and the data from the chlorophyll sensor 6. Based on the analysis results, it controls the ultrasonic generator 3 to generate high-frequency electrical signals, thereby driving the ultrasonic transducer to produce ultrasonic waves with specific vibration frequencies and power. Furthermore, after the attachment cleaning function is activated on the array surface, the radar processing backend 7 can optimize the output frequency and output power of the ultrasonic transducer 2 through a convergence algorithm based on the information collected in real time by the visual sensor 5 and the chlorophyll sensor 6, forming a closed loop. Furthermore, the ultrasonic transducer 2, visual sensor 5, chlorophyll sensor 6, and radar processing backend 7 work together to achieve intelligent anti-bioattachment and adaptive cleaning of the array surface.

[0048] Example

[0049] To verify the effectiveness of the present invention, the following experimental design was conducted.

[0050] The radome is made of fiberglass with a thickness of ≥5mm. Metal bolts are embedded within the radome during manufacturing, and the bolts and radome are produced using a one-piece molding process, including compression molding. The ultrasonic transducer is fixed to the metal bolts and fits tightly against the inner wall of the radome, ensuring effective transmission of ultrasonic vibrations. The fiberglass radome is filled with foam to ensure good electromagnetic wave transmission and resistance to pressure and corrosion.

[0051] The chlorophyll sensor and vision sensor are installed outside the radome and transmit information to the radar processing backend inside the radome through a watertight connector. The ultrasonic transducer, ultrasonic generator, antenna transducer and radar processing backend are all installed inside the radome, and the radome achieves sealing and waterproofing of the internal environment. The installation position of the ultrasonic transducer should ensure the cleaning effect without affecting the energy radiation of the antenna transducer. The layout can be seen in Figure (1). One ultrasonic transducer is placed in the center of every four adjacent antenna transducers, that is, the number of ultrasonic transducers is 1 / 4 of the number of antenna transducers.

[0052] The chlorophyll sensor uses fluorescence measurement, and its test probe is equipped with a cleaning brush. The visual sensor employs dual illumination methods of infrared and white light, with a camera pixel count of at least 200W and an example focal length of 2.8mm, although other focal lengths or variable focal lengths can also be used. The ultrasonic transducer includes an ultrasonic transducer and an ultrasonic amplitude transformer, with an adjustable output power of 20W~100W and selectable output frequencies of 40K / 80K / 120K. The radar processing backend includes a signal acquisition and processing board, a control board, and software.

[0053] The workflow is as follows: Chlorophyll sensors and vision sensors collect environmental information and the condition of deposits on the array surface. This information is transmitted to the radar processing backend inside the radome. The radar processing backend uses a specific algorithm to extract image feature information and perform comprehensive processing on the deposit information input from the sensors, sensing the deposit condition on the array surface and deciding whether to activate array surface decontamination (cleaning) or array surface anti-fouling (anti-attachment). When the deposits on the array surface exceed a threshold, the radar processing backend controls the ultrasonic generator to start, driving the ultrasonic transducer to output ultrasonic waves of the corresponding frequency and power. When the array surface decontamination / anti-fouling mode is activated, the vision sensor collects the deposit condition on the array surface in real time and transmits it back to the radar processing backend. The radar processing backend processes the image feature information according to the algorithm, corrects and optimizes the output signal of the ultrasonic generator in real time, thereby correcting the power and frequency output by the ultrasonic transducer. When the deposits on the array surface fall below the threshold, the ultrasonic generator and ultrasonic transducer stop working.

[0054] In summary, the radar processing backend 7 processes the information collected by the visual sensor 5 and the chlorophyll sensor 6, controls the ultrasonic generator 3 to generate corresponding electrical signals to drive the ultrasonic transducer 2 to work, and realizes intelligent anti-biofouling and adaptive cleaning of the array surface.

[0055] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0056] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these modifications and improvements all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An intelligent anti-biofouling system for an underwater phased array radar antenna array, characterized in that, include: A wave-transparent, pressure-resistant, and watertight radome (1); Multiple ultrasonic transducers (2) are installed in close contact with the inner wall of the radome (1) by metal fixing bolts (8) pre-embedded in the inner wall of the radome (1); The ultrasonic generator (3) is located inside the antenna cover and is connected to the ultrasonic transducer (2), driving the ultrasonic transducer to output adjustable vibration power and frequency; Multiple antenna elements (4) are disposed inside the antenna radome (1); A visual sensor (5) is installed inside the radome (1) to collect image information on the surface of the radome; A chlorophyll sensor (6) is disposed outside the radome (1) and is used to detect the chlorophyll concentration in the water. The radar processing backend (7) is located inside the radome (1) and is connected to the visual sensor (5), chlorophyll sensor (6), and ultrasonic transducer (2). Based on the information collected by the visual sensor (5) and chlorophyll sensor (6), it comprehensively judges the risk and degree of biological attachment and outputs control commands to drive the ultrasonic transducer (2) to work. Among them, the control commands include at least start, stop, output power and operating frequency.

2. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for the underwater phased array radar antenna array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radome includes: The radome body is made of fiberglass material with a thickness of not less than 5mm, and the metal fixing bolts are pre-embedded in it by integral molding during the manufacturing process of the radome body; Supporting foam is filled in the hollow area between the radome body and the reflective backplate using an integrated foaming molding technology. The location, size, and quantity of the supporting foam filling area are determined based on mechanical and electromagnetic simulations. The above structure enables the radome to simultaneously possess water pressure resistance, electromagnetic wave transmission capability, and the ability to transmit ultrasonic vibrations for decontamination.

3. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for underwater phased array radar antenna arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transducer (2) is installed at the geometric center of four adjacent antenna transducers (4), and the total number of ultrasonic transducers (2) is 1 / 4 of the number of antenna transducers (4).

4. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for underwater phased array radar antenna arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic generator (3) has an adjustable output power of 20W~100W and an output frequency of 40K / 80K / 120K.

5. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for underwater phased array radar antenna arrays according to claim 1, characterized in that, The visual sensor (5) integrates a dual supplementary lighting device for infrared light and white light. A transparent window is set at the position of the antenna cover where the visual sensor is located. The position of the window is determined by electromagnetic simulation calculation and should not affect the effective radiation of electromagnetic waves.

6. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for the underwater phased array radar antenna array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The chlorophyll sensor (6) is connected to the radar processing back end inside the radome using a vulcanized cable. The assembly is completed outside the radome, and then a vulcanization process is used to form an integrated sealed structure at the connection.

7. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for the underwater phased array radar antenna array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The radar processing backend (7) is configured to execute the following control strategy: A first threshold and a second threshold are set, where the second threshold corresponds to a more severe degree of bioattachment than the first threshold. When the degree of biological adhesion exceeds the first threshold, the ultrasonic transducer (2) is controlled to start running at the first power level to execute the anti-fouling mode; When the degree of biological adhesion exceeds the second threshold, the ultrasonic transducer (2) is controlled to start running at a second power level higher than the first power level, and the working frequency is adaptively adjusted to execute the cleaning mode.

8. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for the underwater phased array radar antenna array according to claim 7, characterized in that, During the operation of the cleaning mode, the radar processing backend (7) is also configured to dynamically optimize and adjust the working rate of the ultrasonic transducer (2) based on the real-time feedback from the visual sensor (5) and the chlorophyll sensor (6).

9. The intelligent anti-biofouling system for the underwater phased array radar antenna array according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic transducer (2) is a dual-frequency or multi-frequency ultrasonic transducer with an adjustable output power in the range of 20W to 100W and an output frequency of at least two of 40kHz, 80kHz, and 120kHz.

10. A method for intelligent anti-bioattachment of underwater phased array radar antenna array based on the system described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The surface condition of the radome and the water environment data are continuously collected by the visual sensor (5) and the chlorophyll sensor (6); In the radar processing backend (7), the collected data is fused and analyzed to identify and quantify the degree of biological attachment; Based on the quantification results, determine whether a preset threshold has been exceeded; If the preset threshold is exceeded, a corresponding control command is generated, and the ultrasonic generator (3) generates a high-frequency electrical signal, thereby driving the ultrasonic transducer (2) to generate ultrasonic waves with a specific vibration frequency and power. During the cleaning process, the output frequency and output power of the ultrasonic transducer 2 are optimized based on the real-time feedback from the visual sensor (5) and the chlorophyll sensor (6) to optimize the cleaning effect; When the degree of biological attachment drops below a preset threshold, a control command is generated to shut down the ultrasonic transducer (2).

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