Flight Path Generation to Avoid Contrail-Forming Atmospheric Regions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft jet engines generate soot and water vapor, leading to the formation of contrails that trap thermal radiation, contributing to climate change such as global warming.
Innovation Solution
A method using LIDAR transceivers to obtain humidity data for atmospheric regions, determining areas where contrails would form, and generating a flight path that avoids these regions to minimize contrail formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If aircraft follow conventional flight paths, then flight efficiency and speed are maintained, but contrails form in humid atmospheric regions contributing to climate change
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of atmospheric humidity conditions along potential flight paths using LIDAR transceivers before the aircraft commits to a route. By identifying contrail-prone regions in advance, the system allows pilots to plan alternative routes that avoid these areas, preventing contrail formation before it occurs rather than attempting to address it during flight
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces LIDAR transceivers as intermediary devices that detect atmospheric water vapor content and transmit this information to a flight management system. This intermediary detection layer enables the aircraft to 'see' invisible humid regions and adjust its path accordingly, acting as a mediator between the aircraft and the atmospheric conditions that would otherwise lead to contrail formation
2Object-affected harmful factors
If LIDAR transceivers are used to detect humidity data, then contrail formation can be avoided, but measurement and detection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces traditional in-situ humidity measurement methods with optical LIDAR detection. Instead of using physical probes or sensors that directly contact and measure atmospheric moisture, the system uses laser-based optical scattering techniques to remotely detect water vapor content, eliminating the need for complex mechanical or chemical sensing apparatus
Solution Approach 2:
The LIDAR transceivers used in this system are multi-functional devices that can detect various atmospheric properties including humidity, temperature, and particle distribution. By using a universal LIDAR system that performs multiple detection functions, the patent avoids the need for separate specialized sensors for each atmospheric parameter, thereby reducing overall system complexity
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 effectively reduces the contribution of aircraft to climate change by minimizing contrail formation, thereby mitigating global warming effects.
Implementation Method 1
obtaining humidity data, for at least one atmospheric geographic region, derived from a measurement only made by at least one light detection and ranging (LIDAR) transceiver
Implementation Method 2
water vapor can condense as ice onto soot particles emitted from the aircraft jet engines, thus creating a condensation trail (contrail)
Implementation Method 3
water vapor can condense as ice onto soot particles
Data Source
AI summary
A technological improvement to a system for vehicle navigation is provided. The improvement diminishes a contribution to global climate change, e.g., global warming, by generating a flight path (generated flight path) or modifying the flight path (modified flight path) of a vehicle to avoid an atmospheric region in which the vehicle would create a contrail if the vehicle travelled through the atmospheric region.