Ultraviolet sensing apparatus with mirror amplification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11204274-B2
Application number	US-201816159907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2018
Priority date	Mar 31, 2016
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments may enable the detection and localization of power line corona discharges and/or electrical arcs by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including an ultraviolet (UV) sensor and a reflective parabolic dish. In various embodiments, the UV sensor may use the photoelectric effect to sense narrow-band UV photons in a Geiger-Mueller tube and circuit configuration. In various embodiments, the reflective parabolic dish may be fixed relative to the UV sensor and include a reflective concave surface. The reflective concave surface may be configured to reflect narrow-band UV photons toward the UV sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An ultraviolet (UV) sensing apparatus configured to detect narrow-band UV photons emitted from a high voltage corona discharge, comprising:
a UV sensor configured to detect narrow-band UV photons emitted from a high voltage corona discharge in a field of view facing in a first direction; and
a reflective dish fixed relative to the UV sensor, wherein the reflective dish includes a reflective concave surface facing the UV sensor in a second direction, wherein the reflective concave surface is configured to reflect the narrow-band UV photons toward the UV sensor.

2. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the UV sensor is configured to detect UV light of 185 nm to 260 nm.

3. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the UV sensor includes a Geiger-Mueller tube, and a portion of the Geiger-Mueller tube is disposed at a focal point of the reflective dish.

4. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective concave surface is metallic.

5. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective concave surface is a metalized polymer.

6. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reflective concave surface is covered with at least one material selected from aluminum, zinc, tin, and reflective polymer.

7. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying the UV sensor and the reflective dish, wherein the UAV includes a set of rotors for propulsion.

8. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the reflective dish is secured to the UAV such that the first and second directions are perpendicular to a forward flight path of the UAV.

9. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the reflective concave surface is parabolic and defines a focal length to diameter ratio greater than 0.25.

10. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the reflective dish is secured to the UAV such that the first and second directions are not perpendicular to a forward flight path of the UAV.

11. The UV sensing apparatus of claim 10 , wherein a diameter of the reflective dish is less than 8 inches or is perforated.

12. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, comprising:
a UAV body;
an ultraviolet (UV) sensing apparatus coupled to the UAV body, wherein the UV sensing apparatus includes a UV sensor facing a reflective concave surface of a reflective dish, wherein the UV sensor is configured to detect narrow-band UV photons emitted from a high voltage corona discharge and reflected off the reflective concave surface; and
a processor in communication with the UV sensing apparatus, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:
controlling a flight control of the UAV to fly the UAV along a selected route; and
determining whether a corona or arc is detected along the selected route based on UV measurements received from the UV sensing apparatus, wherein the corona or arc is generated by a power system.

13. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the UV sensor is configured to detect UV light of 185 nm to 260 nm.

14. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the reflective concave surface is metallic.

15. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the reflective concave surface is covered with at least one material selected from aluminum, zinc, tin, and reflective polymer.

16. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the UV sensing apparatus is configured to detect the narrow-band UV photons from a first direction and the reflective dish is secured to the UAV facing in a second direction, wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular to a forward flight path of the UAV.

17. The UAV of claim 16 , wherein the reflective dish includes a focal length to diameter ratio greater than 0.25.

18. The UAV of claim 12 , wherein the reflective dish is secured to the UAV such that the first and second directions are not perpendicular to a forward flight path of the UAV.

19. The UAV of claim 18 , wherein at least a portion of the reflective concave surface is parabolic and a focal length of the reflective concave surface is less than 8 inches or is perforated.

20. A method for detection and localization of corona discharges or electrical arcs by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), comprising:
controlling a flight control of the UAV by a processor of the UAV to fly the UAV along a selected route; and
detecting, by the processor of the UAV, a corona or arc along the selected route based on ultraviolet (UV) measurements received from a UV sensing apparatus on the UAV, wherein the UV sensing apparatus includes a UV sensor facing a reflective concave surface of a reflective parabolic dish, wherein the UV sensor is configured to detect narrow-band UV photons reflected off the reflective concave surface.

Assignees

• Nasa

Inventors

• Moore Andrew J
• Rymer Nicholas H
• Schubert Matthew R

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06V20/17

  taken from planes or by drones · CPC title

• G01J1/0219

  Electrical interface; User interface · CPC title

• G01J1/0411

  using focussing or collimating elements, i.e. lenses or mirrors; Aberration correction · CPC title