Method and system for preventing fouling of surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10668995-B2
Application number	US-201715477681-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2017
Priority date	May 22, 2013
Publication date	Jun 2, 2020
Grant date	Jun 2, 2020

Abstract

A method of anti-fouling of a surface while said surface is at least partially submersed in an liquid environment, comprising: providing an anti-fouling light; distributing at least part of the light through an optical mediumcomprising a silicone material and/or UV grade fused silica; emitting the anti-fouling light from the optical medium and from the surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A module for protecting a surface from fouling, the module comprising:
an optical medium in close proximity to the protected surface, comprising at least one light source extending into the optical medium, the at least one light source configured to generate a light,
wherein the optical medium comprises:
a first layer; and
a second layer,

wherein the first layer and the second layer are separated by a plurality of spacers,
wherein the spacers form at least one of spaces and pockets between the first layer and the second layer,
wherein at least one of the first layer and the second layer is configured to distribute at least part of the light through the optical medium,
wherein the light source is configured to direct the light substantially parallel to the protected surface;

an emission surface configured to emit anti-fowling light in a direction away from the protected surface, wherein the anti-fowling light depends on the light generated by the light source; and
a reflecting surface on an opposite side of the optical medium from the emission surface, wherein the light reflect from both the reflecting surface and the emission surface as the light travels through the medium substantially parallel to the protected surface,
wherein the optical medium and the emission surface are configured to be distributed over the protected surface.

2. The module of claim 1 , wherein the emission surface comprises one of a transparent surface of the optical medium and a coating applied to a surface of the optical medium.

3. The module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of spaces and pockets are filled with one of a gas and a liquid.

4. The module of claim 3 ,
wherein the at least one of spaces and pockets are arranged in a pattern,
wherein the pattern in arranged to form at least one of a regular pattern and an irregular pattern.

5. The module of claim 4 , wherein the regular pattern is one of a linear channel, a rectangular channel, and a honeycomb.

6. The module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is arranged in a two dimensional grid.

7. The module of claim 1 , wherein a distance between two adjacent ones of the at least one light source is one of uniform, and variable.

8. The module of claim 1 , wherein the emission surface is liquid tight.

9. The module of claim 1 , wherein the optical medium comprises a material selected from a group comprising at least one of silicones and UV grade silica.

10. The module of claim 1 , wherein the optical medium comprises a light spreader.

11. The module of claim 1 , wherein the optical medium comprises a plurality of spatially distributed UV grade translucent particles.

12. The module of claim 11 , wherein a density of the spatially distributed UV grade translucent particles increases from within the optical medium towards the emission surface.

13. The module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source is at least one of a Light Emitting Diode (LED) and an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED).

14. The module of claim 1 , wherein the lighting module is shaped as one of a tile, and an elongated strip.

15. The module of claim 1 , wherein the light is one of a UV light and a visible light.

16. The module of claim 1 ,
wherein the optical medium comprises a wavelength conversion material,
wherein the wavelength conversion material is configured to convert the light generated at a first wavelength to a second wavelength,
wherein the second wavelength is in a UV range.

17. The module of claim 15 , wherein the UV light is between 240 nm and 280 nm.

18. The module of claim 16 , wherein the UV range is about 240 nm to about 280 nm.

19. The method of claim 13 ,
wherein the anti-fouling light is emitted from a plurality of light sources arranged in a two-dimensional grid,
wherein the anti-fouling light is emitted onto or in close proximity to the protected surface.

20. The module of claim 1 ,
wherein the emission surface is a substantially planar surface,
wherein the emission surface masks or obscures a thickness of the at least one light source and wiring connections embedded in the lighting module.

21. The module of claim 1 ,
wherein the emission surface is a substantially planar surface,
wherein the emission surface masks or obscures constructional unevenness of the protected surface.

22. The module of claim 1 , wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one UV LED.

23. The module of claim 1 ,
wherein the optical medium comprises a silicone material selected from the group consisting of methyl-silicones, and/or UV grade silica material,
wherein the optical medium is selected from the group consisting of a light guide, a light spreader or a combination of a light guide and a light spreader.

24. The module of claim 1 , wherein the layer of the optical medium is configured to distribute the generated light using internal reflection.

25. The module of claim 1 ,
wherein a wavelength conversion material is disposed in the optical medium,
wherein at least part of the anti-fouling light is generated by photo-exciting the wavelength conversion material with light having a first wavelength causing the wavelength conversion material to emit the anti-fouling light at another wavelength.

26. The module of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of lighting modules are arranged on the protected surface so as to provide anti-fouling light over substantially the entire area of the protected surface.

27. A ship comprising at least one module according to claim 1 .

28. The ship of to claim 27 , wherein a hull is the protected surface.

29. A module for protecting a surface from fouling, comprising:
a medium, the medium arranged substantially planar to the protected surface, in close proximity with the protected surface, comprising:
a first layer;
a second layer; and
a plurality of walls separating the first layer and the second layer, the plurality of walls forming a plurality of channels between the first layer and the second layer; and

a plurality of light sources arranged with respect to the plurality of channels,
wherein the plurality of light source are arrange to generate anti-fowling light,
wherein the channels are configured to distribute the light generated by the plurality of light sources,
wherein the light is directed substantially parallel to the protected surface and then directed away from the protected surface.

30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the channels are filled with one of a gas and a liquid.

31. The module of claims 29 , wherein the channels comprise a material selected from a group comprising at least one of silicones and UV grade silica.

32. The module of claim 29 , wherein the medium is arranged in one of a tile and an elongated strip.

33. The module of claim 29 , wherein a distance between neighboring light sources is one of uniform and variable.

34. The module of claim 33 , wherein the distance between neighboring light sources is based on a desired light output power.

35. The module of claim 29 , wherein the plurality of light sources are arranged in one of a foil and an electronic textile.

36. The module of claim 29 , wherein the two dimensional grid is arrang

Assignees

• Koninklijke Philips Nv

Inventors

• Salters Bart Andre
• Hietbrink Roelant Boudewijn
• Rutten Ivo Wilhelmus Johannes Marie
• Van Houten Hendrik

Classifications

• G02B6/0043

  provided on the surface of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/00

  Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings · CPC title

• G02B6/0036

  2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces · CPC title

• A61L2/10

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• G02B19/0061

  the light source comprising a LED · CPC title