Corner-cube irradiation control
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Solution Overview
Problem
In irradiation systems, a significant portion of photons is lost due to reflection, transmission, or back-scattering, reducing efficiency, as existing reflector designs are complex and often ineffective in redirecting these photons back to the target, leading to wasted energy and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The use of corner-cube reflector material, strategically positioned to reflect and redirect photons back to the target item, improving the efficiency of irradiation systems by utilizing arrays of corner cube reflectors that cover substantial areas within the irradiation zone, such as in ovens or processing chambers, to ensure high reflection efficiency across a wide range of angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional flat reflectors are used to redirect photons back to the target, then some photons may be returned, but the design becomes extremely complicated and difficult to apply across a large range of sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector surface is divided into multiple small corner-cube reflector elements arranged in an array. Each corner-cube element is a simple geometric structure, but collectively they cover a large area and handle a wide range of incident angles, simplifying the overall design while maintaining effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from using flat 2D reflector surfaces to using three-dimensional corner-cube reflector elements. This dimensional change allows photons incident at various angles to be reflected back toward the target regardless of the specific angle of incidence, eliminating the need for complex angle-specific calculations.
2Loss of energy
If large flat reflective surfaces are used to increase efficiency, then more photons may be captured, but they are ineffective at returning photons to the exact positions on the target where they are most useful
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is segmented into multiple small corner-cube elements distributed across the surface. Each element independently reflects photons back toward the target, and the collective effect of many such elements ensures that photons are returned to their approximate origin points on the target, improving both capture efficiency and position accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner-cube reflector elements create retro-reflective paths that copy the incident photon paths back to the source region. This allows photons to be returned to positions on the target that closely match their original incident positions, maintaining the spatial relationship without requiring complex positioning.
3Productivity
If conventional reflector systems are implemented, then some photon recycling is achieved, but the system design becomes intensive and difficult to configure for different target sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The array of corner-cube reflector elements creates a universal reflector system that can be applied to targets of various sizes. The modular nature of the corner-cube elements allows the same basic design to scale across different application sizes without requiring intensive redesign, making the system easy to manufacture and configure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of reflector geometry from flat surfaces to three-dimensional corner-cube elements. This parameter change enables the system to maintain effectiveness across a wide range of target sizes and irradiation geometries, simplifying configuration while improving irradiation efficiency through effective photon recycling.
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 significantly increases the overall efficiency of irradiation systems by recycling lost photons, enhancing energy absorption in the target, and simplifying system design, particularly in applications like food processing and plastic bottle preform heating, while maintaining aesthetic and functional considerations.
Implementation Method 1
corner-cube reflector material...operative to reflect irradiation back to the target item
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for utilizing corner-cube reflector technology for irradiation control in direct radiant heating systems is described. The system and method has application in many types of direct irradiation heating systems and is applicable to both narrowband or broadband directed irradiation heating systems. The purpose and result of the implementation is to improve the overall system efficiency through the redirection of photons back to a targeted item which is being heated or treated with the irradiation energy.