Plasma-based electro-optical sensing and methods
AssigneeInnoveering, LLC
InventorsGeorge Papadopoulos, Daniel Bivolaru, Nicholas Tiliakos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to systems and methods detecting a change in pressure, wall shear flow, or both. The method includes generating DC plasma having an electrical field based on an input DC voltage and a DC current, detecting changes to the electrical field, and identifying a change in wall shear flow, pressure, or both based on the change in the electrical field when the DC plasma is disposed in a flow field.
Claims20
A plasma sensor for a propulsion system, the plasma sensor comprising:
- a first electrode coupled to the propulsion system and configured to generate DC plasma with an electrical field as a virtual sensor of the propulsion system based on an input DC voltage and a DC current;
- and
- a probe coupled to the propulsion system and positioned relative to the first electrode to detect a change in the electrical field,
- wherein the first electrode and the probe are encapsulated in a cap, the cap configured to confine the DC plasma.
A plasma-based sensing system, comprising:
- a plasma sensor including:
- a first electrode configured to generate DC plasma having an electrical field based on an input DC voltage and a DC current, the first electrode configured to position the DC plasma in a flow field;
- and
- a probe configured to detect a change in the electrical field when the DC plasma is positioned in the flow field;
- a power control unit configured to supply the input DC voltage and the DC current to the first electrode;
- a current limiting resistor electrically coupled in series with the power control unit;
- and
- a processor in electrical communication with the probe and configured to identify a change in at least one of wall shear flow or pressure based on the change in the electrical field, and to determine a fluid dynamic based on the input DC voltage and the DC current.
A method for detecting a change in pressure and wall shear flow, the method comprising:
- generating DC plasma having an electrical field based on an input DC voltage and a DC current;
- positioning the DC plasma in a flow field;
- detecting a change in the electrical field of the DC plasma;
- identifying a change in at least one of wall shear flow or pressure based on the change in the electrical field;
- and
- determining a plasma property including sheath potential (φpl(t)), electron number density (ne), floating potential (φf(t)), or combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.