Retro-Reflective Sensor Coating for Signal Collection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sensor coatings for temperature measurement, such as pressure and temperature sensitive paints and thermographic phosphors, emit signal light equally in all directions, leading to a rapid reduction in signal amplitude with increasing distance between the probe and the target, resulting in a low signal-to-noise ratio and limited measurement range or accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A retro-reflective sensor coating arrangement featuring a base layer with embedded optical bodies, such as spheres made from materials like plastic, glass, or ceramic, that refract and collimate the emitted signal light back in the direction of the collection optics, enhancing the signal strength and directionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If sensor coating emits signal light equally in all directions, then the emission is uniform and simple, but the signal amplitude reduces rapidly with increasing distance resulting in low signal-to-noise ratio
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds spherical optical bodies (microspheres) within the sensor coating layer. These spheres have curved surfaces that refract and reflect incident light, redirecting the emitted signal light back toward the probe. The spherical geometry enables effective retro-reflection across a range of incident angles, concentrating the signal in the direction of the probe rather than distributing it uniformly in all directions.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical bodies act as intermediary elements between the sensor material and the probe. They receive the signal light emitted by the sensor material and actively redirect it toward the probe, serving as a mediating structure that improves the efficiency of signal transfer from the coating to the detection device.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the probe is placed farther from the target, then the measurement range increases, but the signal amplitude decreases as 1/r² reducing measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The spherical optical bodies in the coating retro-reflect signal light back toward the probe, creating a more favorable signal distribution that does not follow the simple 1/r² attenuation law. This enables accurate measurements at greater distances by maintaining higher signal amplitude at the probe.
3Measurement precision
If retro-reflective optical bodies are added to the sensor coating, then the signal collection efficiency increases, but the coating structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds discrete optical bodies within the sensor coating layer, creating a structure that can be viewed as a controlled porous or composite material. The optical bodies are distributed throughout the coating at controlled concentrations, allowing the coating to maintain its functional properties while incorporating the retro-reflective elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor coating becomes a composite material combining the sensor material with optical bodies having different refractive indices. This composite structure enables both the sensing function and the retro-reflection function to coexist within a single integrated coating layer.
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 solution significantly increases the amount of emitted signal light collected, allowing for more accurate temperature measurements over greater distances and in challenging environments, such as those found in gas turbine engines, while minimizing interference and aerodynamic disruption.
Implementation Method 1
the optical bodies refract and collimate the emitted signal light back in the direction of the collection optics
Implementation Method 2
the optical bodies refract and collimate the emitted signal light back in the direction of the collection optics
Data Source
AI summary
A retro-reflective sensor coating arrangement comprises a base layer of luminescent sensor material and an outer layer of optical bodies, such a spheres.