Method and apparatus for anti-fouling an anemometer
AssigneeUniversity of Kansas
InventorsRonald M. Barrett, Scott E. Cravens, Travis R. Cravens
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for adaptive materials arranged in a variety of orientations and with a wide range of attachment configurations to induce structural vibrations at extremely high frequencies. These mechanical vibrations cause fouling agents to become detached and accordingly “clean” an otherwise dirty element or wire of a hot-wire anemometer, planar or curvilinear sensor surface, or display surfaces. They also can be made to vibrate at such frequencies with such intensities that local droplets of water are either shaken off or instantaneously cavitate, thereby allowing the elements to be used in all weather conditions.
Claims22
A method of anti-fouling a sensing device comprising the steps of:
- providing a sensing device having a sensing member extending across a gap between first and second portions of a support structure and first and second opposing ends of said sensing member are attached to first and second portions of the support structure respectively;
- providing an actuator member constructed of an adaptive material operable to induce an ultrasonic vibration when selectively actuated by applying an input necessary to actuate the adaptive material where said actuator member is arranged with an orientation adapted to induce vibrations with a desired orientation;
- attaching the actuator member in an optimal manner to the support structure operable to efficiently transfer the ultra sonic vibration to the support structure and thereby to the sensing member;
- and
- inducing structural ultrasonic vibrations with the actuator by applying the input necessary to actuate the adaptive material,
- where said sensing member is an exposed filament wire of a hot-wire anemometer adapted for sensing fluid flow or wind speed, and
- where the actuator member is an elongated actuator strip having a fixed end attached on a substrate and an opposing actuation end attached to the support structure.
An apparatus for anti-fouling a sensing device comprising:
- a sensing device having a sensing member extending across a gap between first and second portions of a support structure and first and second opposing ends of said sensing member are attached to first and second portions of the support structure respectively;
- an actuator member constructed of an adaptive material operable to induce an ultrasonic vibration when selectively actuated by applying an input necessary to actuate the adaptive material where said actuator member is arranged with an orientation adapted to induce vibrations with a desired orientation, where the actuator member is optimally attached to the support structure operable to efficiently transfer the ultra sonic vibration to the support structure and thereby to the sensing member;
- and
- an energy source adapted to provide the input necessary to actuate the adaptive material,
- where said sensing member is an exposed filament wire of a hot-wire anemometer adapted for sensing fluid flow or wind speed, and
- where the actuator member is an elongated actuator strip having a fixed end attached on a substrate and an opposing actuation end attached to the support structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.