Heat Management for Phase Delay Coil in Guided Surface Wave Probe
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of practical structures for efficiently launching open surface guided waves over planar or spherical surfaces of lossy, homogeneous media, as theoretical analyses have not been translated into effective engineering solutions.
Innovation Solution
Guided surface waveguide probes are configured to excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface wave mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium, such as the Earth, by synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, thereby launching a guided electromagnetic field without significant reflection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional antenna structures are used for RF transmission, then radiation fields can be launched, but energy transmission efficiency is low due to geometric spreading and radiation losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional radiation-based RF transmission with a guided wave transmission system. Instead of using traditional antenna structures that radiate energy into space, the invention uses a probe with a charge terminal positioned above a lossy conducting medium to excite guided surface waves. This substitution of the transmission mechanism fundamentally changes the physics from radiation to guidance, achieving superior energy efficiency by confining energy to the surface of the conducting medium rather than allowing it to spread geometrically through space.
2Loss of energy
If electrical conductors are used for power transmission, then energy can be guided along conductors, but Joule heating causes significant energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a lossy conducting medium (such as the Earth's surface) as an intermediary to guide electromagnetic energy. Instead of forcing current through electrical conductors where Joule heating occurs, the invention uses the natural surface of a conducting medium to support guided surface waves. The charge terminal positioned above the surface excites these waves, which propagate along the interface between the lossy medium and the air, significantly reducing resistive losses compared to conventional conductor-based transmission.
3Loss of energy
If guided surface wave probes are configured to excite electric fields at complex Brewster angle, then mode-matching is achieved and energy loss is reduced, but device configuration and alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves mode-matching by carefully controlling the parameters of the excited electric field, specifically the angle of incidence and phase distribution. By configuring the probe to generate a wave front that impinges on the lossy conducting medium at the complex Brewster angle, the system achieves optimal coupling between the probe and the guided surface wave mode. This parameter control approach allows for efficient energy transfer while maintaining practical design flexibility, as the Brewster angle condition provides a clear target for design optimization.
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 solution enables the efficient propagation of guided surface waves along lossy conducting media, achieving mode-matching with the surface wave mode and reducing energy loss, thereby improving energy transmission efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Various electrical components, connections, or interfaces in electrical circuits may generate a notable amount of heat due to Joule heating
Implementation Method 2
Guided surface waveguide probes are configured to excite electric fields that couple into a guided surface wave mode along the surface of a lossy conducting medium, such as the Earth, by synthesizing a wave front incident at a complex Brewster angle, thereby launching a guided electromagnetic field without significant reflection
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments for heat management around a phase delay coil in a probe are described. A guided surface waveguide probe may be at least partially housed or enclosed in a structure and configured to generate electrical energy in the form of a guided surface wave traveling along a terrestrial medium, where the guided surface waveguide probe comprises at least one electromagnetic coil encapsulated by an exterior of the structure. A cooling device may be provided and configured to manage heat in the structure by providing cold air between the at least one electromagnetic coil and the exterior of the structure.