Sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsAlan Zachary Ullman, Jan Vetrovec, Arthur H. Bauer, William E. McDermott
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser (SECOIL) employing a sealed exhaust system (SES) is described. The SES is capable of selectively condensing and cryosorbing various chemical species contained in the laser-exhaust gas. Additionally, a condensable diluent is employed. The SES is configured so that the diluent and other condensables can be removed in a first stage with a high temperature condensing bed, while the oxygen can then be removed in a second stage in a low temperature sorbing bed. The result is a reduction in the weight, volume, and power consumption of the SECOIL system, especially the SES component thereof.
Claims21
sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser system, comprising:
- (a) a chemical oxygen-iodine laser system including a laser cavity through which an active lasing material and a diluent are flowed;
- wherein the active lasing material consists essentially of oxygen, iodine, or combinations of oxvaen and iodine;
- and
- (b) a sealed exhaust system for removing exhaust gas from the laser cavity, the sealed exhaust system comprising:
- (i) a condenser assembly for condensing a condensable material contained in the exhaust gas including a substantial portion of said diluent;
- and
- (ii) a sorption assembly for sorbing a sorbable material contained in the exhaust gas.
A sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser system, comprising:
- (a) a chemical laser system including a laser cavity;
- (b) a condensable non-reactive diluent gas introduced into the chemical laser system;
- and
- (c) a sealed exhaust system for removing exhaust gas from the laser cavity, the sealed exhaust system being in communication with the laser cavity, the sealed exhaust system comprising:
- (i) a condenser assembly for condensing a condensable material contained in the exhaust gas;
- and
- (ii) a sorption assembly including a cooled non-reactive sorption material for sorbing a sorbable material contained in the exhaust gas, the sorption assembly being in communication with the condenser assembly, the sorption assembly being downstream of the condenser assembly;
- and
- (iii) a vacuum pump assembly in communication with the sorption assembly, wherein the vacuum pump assembly pumps exhaust gases desorbed from the sorption assembly.
A method of operating a sealed exhaust chemical oxygen-iodine laser system, comprising:
- (a) providing a chemical laser system including a laser cavity;
- (b) providing active lasing materials to said laser cavity consisting essentially of oxygen, iodine, or combinations oxygen and iodine;
- (c) selecting a condensable diluent gas;
- (d) introducing a condensable diluent gas into the chemical laser system;
- and
- (e) using a sealed exhaust system for removing exhaust gas from the laser cavity, the sealed exhaust system being in communication with the laser cavity.
The method of further comprising 16, further comprising:
- (e) providing a first removal assembly for removing the condensable material from the condenser assembly;
- and
- (f) providing a second removal assembly for removing the sorbable material from the sorption assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.