Capacitive Mirror Electrode for Marine Anti-Fouling Light
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing anti-fouling technologies for marine structures face challenges in providing both effective light distribution and reliable power delivery to light sources, particularly in harsh underwater environments where biofouling occurs, leading to increased drag and operational costs.
Innovation Solution
A light emitting arrangement comprising an optical medium with embedded light sources and mirrors that reflect and distribute anti-fouling light, while also serving as electrodes for capacitive power transfer, allowing for efficient energy delivery and heat management without direct galvanic connections, using AC power to mitigate corrosion and electrochemistry issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If light sources are embedded in the optical medium for anti-fouling, then light distribution is improved, but power delivery and heat management become problematic in underwater environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mirror as an intermediary component that serves dual functions: optically, it reflects and distributes light uniformly across the optical medium; electrically, it acts as an electrode for capacitive power transfer from the housing to the light source. This intermediary structure resolves the contradiction by enabling both effective light distribution and reliable power delivery without direct galvanic connections that would cause corrosion in underwater environments.
2Ease of manufacture
If direct galvanic connections are used for power delivery, then power transfer is simple, but corrosion and electrochemistry damage occur in underwater environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/galvanic connection system with a capacitive coupling system. The mirror serves as one electrode and the housing as the other, with the dielectric layer forming the capacitor structure. This substitution eliminates direct galvanic contact between dissimilar metals in the corrosive underwater environment, thereby preventing corrosion and electrochemical damage while maintaining effective power transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
The dielectric layer acts as an intermediary between the mirror electrode and the housing electrode, enabling capacitive power transfer without direct galvanic contact. This intermediary prevents harmful electrochemical reactions while allowing AC power to be delivered to the embedded light sources in the harsh underwater environment.
3Illumination intensity
If mirrors are used for light distribution, then light uniformity is improved, but adding electrically conductive mirrors complicates the electrical isolation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the mirror multi-functional by giving it both optical and electrical roles. Optically, it reflects and distributes light uniformly across the medium. Electrically, it serves as an electrode for capacitive power transfer. This universality eliminates the need for separate electrical isolation components, as the mirror itself is part of the capacitive coupling system, thereby reducing overall device complexity while achieving both light uniformity and electrical isolation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents biofouling by ensuring uniform light distribution and reliable power delivery to light sources, reducing operational costs and minimizing damage from corrosion and electrochemistry, while maintaining the integrity of cathodic protection systems.
Implementation Method 1
at least one mirror configured to reflect anti-fouling light from the light source towards the emission surface of the optical medium
Implementation Method 2
the optical medium allowing at least part of the anti-fouling light to distribute through the optical medium
Implementation Method 3
the mirror is electrically conductive and electrically coupled to the light source for providing a first electrode arranged for transferring electrical power between a power source and the light source
Data Source
AI summary
A light emitting arrangement (100) is provided for realizing anti-fouling of a surface (30) of a marine structure. The light emitting arrangement is shaped in sheet form and has an optical medium (4) and a light source (20) embedded in the optical medium and configured to emit anti-fouling light from an emission surface (301). The light emitting arrangement has at least one mirror configured to reflect anti-fouling light from the light source towards the emission surface. The mirror is arranged near or at the back surface and is electrically conductive and coupled to the light source for constituting a first electrode (120) arranged for transfer of electrical power between the light source and a power source. For example, the mirror forms a capacitor (6) in combination with an external electrically conductive element (50) and a dielectric layer (4a).