Refractory Thermal Capacitance Sensor for High-Energy Arc Heat Flux
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional instruments used to measure properties of high energy arc events fail due to the extreme thermal environments and plasma jets generated during such events, leading to destruction or impairment.
Innovation Solution
A high energy arc-compatible thermal capacitance sensor with a thermally capacitive slug made of refractory metal, featuring an exposed high energy arc receiver surface and a hidden thermal energy transfer surface protected by refractory insulation, allowing for non-destructive measurement of heat flux and incident energy through a temperature reader.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional instruments are used to measure heat flux and incident energy during high energy arc events, then measurement capability is provided, but the instruments fail due to extreme thermal environments and energy released
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is divided into distinct functional segments: a refractory metal slug that directly withstands thermal exposure, a hidden thermal energy transfer surface that receives thermal energy indirectly, and a protected measurement interface. This segmentation allows the measurement components to remain outside the extreme thermal environment while still capturing thermal energy data.
Solution Approach 2:
The refractory metal slug acts as an intermediary between the extreme thermal environment and the measurement system. It absorbs thermal energy from the arc event and transfers it to the hidden thermal energy transfer surface, which then communicates with protected temperature readers that remain outside the harsh environment.
2Measurement precision
If the sensor exposed surface receives direct thermal energy from the arc event, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the sensor components are destroyed by the extreme conditions
Solution Approach 1:
Different parts of the sensor have different thermal exposure characteristics. The exposed high energy arc receiver surface is designed to withstand direct thermal exposure and absorb heat flux, while the hidden thermal energy transfer surface and temperature readers are positioned to remain outside the extreme thermal environment, maintaining their structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor employs composite construction combining refractory metals (which withstand extreme temperatures) with protected measurement components. The refractory metal slug serves as a thermal buffer that protects the precision measurement instruments from direct thermal damage while enabling accurate heat flux measurement.
3Reliability
If the sensor components are protected from direct thermal exposure, then component survival is improved, but measurement capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The design replaces direct mechanical exposure of measurement instruments to thermal energy with a thermal field substitution approach. Temperature readers measure thermal energy that has been transferred through the refractory metal slug, allowing the instruments to remain in a protected mechanical environment while still accurately measuring incident energy through thermal conduction.
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 sensor effectively measures peak heat flux and incident energy from high energy arc events, withstanding extreme thermal conditions without destruction, providing accurate data with reasonable uncertainty and a sufficient dynamic range.
Implementation Method 1
an exposed high energy arc receiver surface that receives heat flux and incident energy from the plasma jet and produces thermal energy from receiving the heat flux and incident energy
Implementation Method 2
the thermal energy is communicated from the exposed high energy arc receiver surface to the hidden thermal energy transfer surface through the refractory metal
Implementation Method 3
a refractory insulation member blocks the plasma jet and the heat flux and incident energy from the hidden thermal energy transfer surface
Implementation Method 4
the temperature reader disposed on the hidden thermal energy transfer surface of the thermally capacitive slug and in thermal communication with the hidden thermal energy transfer surface and that measures a temperature of the hidden thermal energy transfer surface
Data Source
AI summary
A high energy arc-compatible thermal capacitance sensor includes a thermally capacitive slug comprising; a refractory insulation member on which the thermally capacitive slug is disposed; and a temperature reader disposed on a hidden thermal energy transfer surface of the thermally capacitive slug and in thermal communication with the hidden thermal energy transfer surface and that measures a temperature of the hidden thermal energy transfer surface, such that the temperature reader: is a refractory insulation member blocks the temperature reader from a plasma jet and heat flux and incident energy; and receives thermal energy from the hidden thermal energy transfer surface; and produces thermal energy data from the thermal energy, such that the heat flux and incident energy of the high energy arc event is determinable from the thermal energy data.