Dust mitigation and surface cleaning system for maintaining a surface free from dust and other materials

A monitoring system comprising:

• an equipment housing including optical sensor equipment and a sensor window through which an optical signal is transmitted and processed;
• and
• a dust mitigation and cleaning system to maintain the sensor window clean, the dust mitigation and cleaning system comprising:
• a system housing secured around at least a portion of the equipment housing that includes the sensor window, the system housing including a hollow member extending within the system housing toward and in general alignment with the sensor window, wherein an outlet of the system housing is defined by the hollow member, the hollow member is completely separated from and does not contact the surface to be cleaned such that a gap exists between a terminal end of the hollow member and the surface to be cleaned, and an optical path for transmitting the optical signal from the optical sensor equipment to an ambient environment surrounding the monitoring system is defined between the sensor window and the hollow member;
• a duct section secured to a portion of the system housing and including an inlet to receive a gaseous fluid from a selected environment and an outlet in communication with the system housing;
• and
• a pressure generator disposed within the duct section;
• wherein operation of the pressure generator generates a pressure differential between an interior portion of the system housing and the ambient environment such that gaseous fluid drawn into the system housing via the duct section is removed from the interior portion of the system housing via the outlet defined by the hollow member.

A method of maintaining a surface clean with a dust mitigation and surface cleaning system, the method comprising:

• providing a system housing that is secured around at least a portion of a section including the surface to be cleaned;
• drawing a gasous fluid, via a pressure generator, from a selected environment and into a duct section;
• facilitating a flow of the gasous fluid from the duct section into an interior portion of the system housing;
• and
• providing a hollow member within the system housing that extends toward and is in general alignment with the surface to be cleaned, wherein the hollow member defines an outlet of the system housing that facilitates removal of gaseous fluid drawn into the system housing via the duct section from the interior portion of the system housing and to an ambient environment surrounding the system;
• wherein the hollow member is completely separated from and does not contact the surface to be cleaned such that a gap exists between a terminal end of the hollow member and the surface to be cleaned and a gaseous fluid flowing within the interior portion of the system housing contacts and cleans the surface prior to removal of the gaseous fluid from the system housing.