Conical Scanning Emissions Spectroscopy for Wind-Direction Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for measuring gaseous emissions using scattered sunlight spectroscopy face challenges with changing wind directions and scattering effects in the lower atmosphere, leading to unreliable measurements, especially when the wind direction deviates from the instrument's field-of-view.
Innovation Solution
An optical measuring device with a telescopic member and a scanner that scans a cone-shaped layer of the atmosphere, allowing a wider range of wind directions to be covered and reducing scattering effects by adjusting the field-of-view to form a cone with a cone angle between 20° to 80°, enabling reliable measurements even at varying wind directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the instrument uses a fixed field-of-view for measurements, then the measurement method is simple, but the reliability of measurements deteriorates when wind direction deviates from the field-of-view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a fixed field-of-view to a movable conical scanning pattern. The field-of-view is dynamically adjusted to scan through a cone-shaped volume of the atmosphere, allowing the instrument to track emission plumes regardless of wind direction variations. This dynamic scanning mechanism ensures continuous reliable measurements by adapting the measurement geometry to match changing atmospheric conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the dimensionality change principle by extending the measurement from a two-dimensional planar scan to a three-dimensional conical scan. Instead of scanning only in a vertical plane, the instrument now scans through a cone-shaped volume, adding angular freedom in the horizontal plane. This three-dimensional scanning capability allows the instrument to capture emission plumes from any direction, significantly improving measurement reliability while maintaining reasonable complexity.
2Device complexity
If the instrument scans a vertical plane only, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to changing wind directions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dimensionality change principle by extending the measurement from a two-dimensional planar scan to a three-dimensional conical scan. Instead of scanning only in a vertical plane, the instrument now scans through a cone-shaped volume, adding angular freedom in the horizontal plane. This three-dimensional scanning capability allows the instrument to capture emission plumes from any direction, significantly improving measurement reliability while maintaining reasonable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a fixed field-of-view to a movable conical scanning pattern. The field-of-view is dynamically adjusted to scan through a cone-shaped volume of the atmosphere, allowing the instrument to track emission plumes regardless of wind direction variations. This dynamic scanning mechanism ensures continuous reliable measurements by adapting the measurement geometry to match changing atmospheric conditions.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the instrument is positioned far from the emission source, then the scattering effects are reduced, but the distance to the plume increases when wind direction deviates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by transitioning from a fixed field-of-view to a movable conical scanning pattern. The field-of-view is dynamically adjusted to scan through a cone-shaped volume of the atmosphere, allowing the instrument to track emission plumes regardless of wind direction variations. This dynamic scanning mechanism ensures continuous reliable measurements by adapting the measurement geometry to match changing atmospheric conditions.
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
This approach increases the wind direction interval for reliable measurements, reduces the distance between the instrument and the emission plume, and improves measurement reliability by minimizing scattering effects, allowing for more flexible and accurate emission monitoring.
Implementation Method 1
scattered sunlight spectroscopy involves the use of a spectrometer to record the light of the zenith sky
Implementation Method 2
SO2 has a characteristic absorption spectrum around 300 nm
Implementation Method 3
a spectrometer that receives scattered UV-light from a narrow solid angle of the blue sky
Data Source
AI summary
Methods for measuring emissions of gaseous substances to the atmosphere using scattered sunlight spectroscopy and an optical measuring device are disclosed in which the device includes a telescopic member defining a field-of-view of the optical measuring device and a scanner for controlling variation of the direction of the field of view to scan a predetermined layer of the atmosphere, the method comprising scanning the field-of-view to scan the predetermined layer of the atmosphere in the form of at least a part of a cone having its apex positioned at the optical measuring device and having a cone angle β. Optical measuring devices themselves are disclosed.