Passive Optical Pollution Device for Atmospheric Re-entry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Active methods for reducing pollution in optical instruments during atmospheric re-entry are costly, mass-intensive, and sensitive, limiting their effectiveness and usability in polluting environments.
Innovation Solution
A passive device comprising a channel and cavity with a specific diameter ratio, creating a natural pressure field that reduces contaminant penetration and pollution of the optical path, allowing for prolonged measurement durations without additional mass or cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If active methods (pressure control or jet system) are used to clean the optical window, then the optical path is cleared of contaminants, but the device becomes expensive, mass-intensive, and sensitive to the constraining environment
Solution Approach 1:
The device utilizes the natural flow of polluting environment through the channel to automatically generate a pressure field that reduces contaminant penetration. The system serves itself by using the incoming flow to create the cleaning effect, eliminating the need for external active cleaning mechanisms like pressure control systems or jet systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces complex active mechanical cleaning systems (jet systems, pressure control mechanisms) with a passive geometric structure. The channel and cavity geometry naturally generates the required pressure field without mechanical actuators, motors, or active control systems, thereby reducing device complexity and mass.
2Measurement precision
If a stack of heat shields is used to provide unpolluted exposure, then measurement quality is optimized, but the system becomes very restrictive and generates a very limited number of usable measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The device prepares the optical path in advance by using the incoming polluting flow to naturally generate a pressure field that prevents contaminant penetration. This preliminary passive protection allows continuous measurements without the need to eject heat shields or interrupt measurements for cleaning, thereby increasing the number of usable measurements while maintaining measurement quality.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If active cleaning methods are used, then contaminants are removed from the optical window, but the system becomes expensive and requires additional mass
Solution Approach 1:
The device uses the natural kinetic energy of the incoming polluting environment to generate the pressure field required for contaminant removal. No additional power sources, pumps, or active mechanisms are needed, eliminating the mass associated with active cleaning systems while maintaining effective contaminant removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the cleaning function from complex active systems and embeds it in the passive geometric structure of the channel and cavity. The geometry itself performs the cleaning function by naturally generating the pressure field, removing the need for separate active cleaning components and their associated mass.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If active cleaning methods are used, then the optical window is cleaned, but the system becomes sensitive to the constraining environment
Solution Approach 1:
The device relies on the natural flow characteristics of the polluting environment to generate the pressure field, making it inherently adapted to the operating conditions. The passive geometric structure has no moving parts or sensitive components that could fail in the harsh re-entry environment, thereby improving reliability while maintaining optical path cleanliness.
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 passive device effectively reduces pollution and extends measurement duration in high-contaminant environments, such as during atmospheric re-entry, while being cost-effective and lightweight, and can be applied to various optical instruments and environments.
Implementation Method 1
a specific pressure field is naturally set up in the device. This pressure field makes it possible to passively reduce the penetration of contaminants into said device
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The device (1) includes a part (2) that is provided with a channel (3) having a first end (3A) that is intended to open into a polluting environment (4), said channel (3) having a substantially rectilinear axis (X-X) and an average general diameter d, the part (2) also being provided with a cavity (5) that is produced at a second end (3B) of the channel (3), which end is opposite said first end (3A), said second end (3B) of the channel (3) opening into the cavity (5), said cavity (5) having an open end (5B) that is opposite said second end (3B) of the channel (3), this open end (5B) being intended to face an optical instrument (IO), said cavity (5) having an average general diameter D, the ratio between the average general diameter D and the average general diameter d being higher than or equal to 2.