Deuterium Oxide Laser Beam Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
High power laser beams face significant power losses when transmitted through water due to high absorptivity, making it challenging to deliver them to remote, hazardous, and optically occluded locations such as oil wells, boreholes, and underground mines without substantial power loss.
Innovation Solution
The use of deuterium oxide (D2O) as a carrier fluid in laser fluid jets, which has lower absorptivity for certain wavelengths, allowing for the transmission of high power laser beams with minimal power loss, particularly for wavelengths below 1250 nm, by forming a fluid jet that the laser beam can travel through, thereby reducing absorption and maintaining beam intensity over longer distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If high power laser beams are transmitted through water, then the laser beam can reach the target, but substantial power loss occurs due to high absorptivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameter of the transmission medium by substituting water (H2O) with deuterium oxide (D2O). This parameter change fundamentally alters the absorption characteristics at laser wavelengths, reducing power loss from substantial attenuation to minimal loss of about 1.5%/inch, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving laser transmission and minimizing energy loss
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces deuterium oxide as an intermediary substance to replace water in the laser beam transmission path. This intermediary medium serves as a bridge that allows high power laser beams to traverse the transmission path with minimal absorption, effectively mediating between the laser source and target while preserving beam intensity
2Length of moving object
If the laser beam path is extended to reach remote locations, then the operational range is increased, but power loss increases due to absorption over distance
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the transmission medium parameter from water to deuterium oxide, the patent enables extended beam path lengths to be achieved with minimal power loss. The reduced absorption coefficient of D2O allows laser beams to travel longer distances while maintaining sufficient intensity, thus resolving the contradiction between extending operational range and minimizing energy loss
3Adaptability or versatility
If high power laser operations are performed in challenging environments, then the operational versatility is improved, but power loss increases due to environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs deuterium oxide as an intermediary fluid that can be deployed in various challenging environments (subsea, underground, remote locations) to enable high power laser operations. This intermediary medium protects the laser beam from environmental attenuation factors while maintaining operational versatility across diverse conditions, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and energy loss
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 enables the efficient delivery of high power laser beams with reduced power loss, allowing for effective laser operations in challenging environments by minimizing absorption, thus maintaining the beam's intensity and power over longer distances.
Implementation Method 1
High power laser beams face significant power losses when transmitted through water due to high absorptivity... deuterium oxide (D2O) as a carrier fluid in laser fluid jets, which has lower absorptivity for certain wavelengths
Data Source
AI summary
There are provided using deuterium oxide as a media for transmitting high power lasers to perform laser operations, such as cutting, boring and drilling, a target material. High power laser beams are transmitted through a deuterium oxide beam path to a target material, including material in a pressure containment vessel.