US 2018/0024270 A1 · MULTI-FIBER OPTICAL SENSOR FOR ICING

Abstract

Apparatus and associated methods relate to sampling a large volume of a cloud atmosphere so as to obtain a large signal response from even a sparse distribution of water droplets in the cloud atmosphere. Such a volume can be probed by projecting an uncollimated optical beam into the cloud atmosphere and sampling the signal backscattered from the water droplets located within the probed volume. The uncollimated optical beam can be generated by projecting a diverging pulse of light energy from a polished end of a first optical fiber. A second optical fiber can be used to receive the optical signal backscattered from the cloud atmosphere. The second optical fiber can also have substantially the same field of view as the first optical fiber, so as to receive signals from a volume of the cloud atmosphere that is substantially commensurate with the probed volume.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for measuring cloud conditions comprising:

a laser diode configured to generate a pulse of light energy;
a transmitter fiber configured to receive the generated pulse of light energy and to project the received pulse of light energy into a cloud atmosphere, the projected pulse of light energy projected over a field of view determined by a numerical aperture of a transmission end of the transmitter fiber;
a receiver fiber having a reception end aligned proximate and substantially parallel to the transmission end of the transmitter fiber, the receiver fiber configured to receive a portion of the transmitted pulse of light energy backscattered by the cloud atmosphere;
and
a detector configured to detect the portion of the transmitted pulse of light energy received by the receiver fiber,
wherein a numerical aperture of the reception end of the receiver fiber is substantially equal to the numerical aperture of the transmission end of the transmitter fiber.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Multi-fiber optical sensor for icing

Life of this patent

Multi-fiber optical sensor for icing

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20