Temperature measurement with combined photo-luminescent and black body sensing techniques
First Claim
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1. A method of measuring the temperature of a local environment, comprising the steps of:
- positioning in thermal communication with said environment a material structure characterized by emitting radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic energy spectrum as a first optical signal having an intensity level that is related to the temperature of said structure,simultaneously positioning in thermal communication with said local environment a quantity of photoluminescent material that is characterized by emitting, when excited with optical radiation, photoluminescent radiation as a second optical signal having an intensity characteristic that is related to the temperature of the photoluminescent material,exciting the photoluminescent material with optical radiation in a manner to cause it to emit said second optical signal,establishing a first temperature range for use of said first optical signal and a second temperature range for use of said second optical signal, said first range extending to higher temperatures than said second range and said second range extending to lower temperatures than said first range,detecting at least one of the first or second optical signals, anddetermining the temperature of the local environment from the detected at least one of the first or second signals, whereby the temperature is measurable over all of said first and second ranges.
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Abstract
High temperature range black body techniques are combined with lower temperature range photoluminescent techniques to provide an optical method and apparatus for measuring temperature over a very wide range. Various optical probe configurations are disclosed which combine the black body and photoluminescent technologies. Signal detection and processing can be combined, and temperature measurements made by the photoluminescent technique within an overlap of the two temperature ranges can be used to calibrate measurements made in the higher range by the black body technique.
41 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of measuring the temperature of a local environment, comprising the steps of:
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positioning in thermal communication with said environment a material structure characterized by emitting radiation in the infrared region of the electromagnetic energy spectrum as a first optical signal having an intensity level that is related to the temperature of said structure, simultaneously positioning in thermal communication with said local environment a quantity of photoluminescent material that is characterized by emitting, when excited with optical radiation, photoluminescent radiation as a second optical signal having an intensity characteristic that is related to the temperature of the photoluminescent material, exciting the photoluminescent material with optical radiation in a manner to cause it to emit said second optical signal, establishing a first temperature range for use of said first optical signal and a second temperature range for use of said second optical signal, said first range extending to higher temperatures than said second range and said second range extending to lower temperatures than said first range, detecting at least one of the first or second optical signals, and determining the temperature of the local environment from the detected at least one of the first or second signals, whereby the temperature is measurable over all of said first and second ranges. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of measuring the temperature of an environment or object, comprising the steps of:
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positioning in thermal communication with said environment or object a black body cavity formed at least partially of photoluminescent material, said black body cavity being characterized by emitting along a common path an optical radiation signal including first and second components, said first component being a steady state signal in the infrared region of the electromagnetic energy spectrum and having a magnitude that is related to the temperature of said black body cavity within a first operable temperature range, said second component being a time varying luminescent signal resulting from excitation of said photoluminescent material and having an intensity characteristic that is related to the temperature of the black body cavity within a second operable temperature range, directing a time varying photoluminescent material excitation radiation signal into said black body cavity, positioning a detector in said common optical radiation signal path, thereby to generate a common electrical signal, and processing the common electrical signal in a manner to separate the first and second components therefrom, whereby the temperature of said environment or object is measurable over both of said first and second operable ranges. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of measuring the temperature of an environment or object, comprising the steps of:
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positioning in thermal communication with said environment or object a sensor surface formed at least partially of photoluminescent material and having a known emissivity, said sensor surface being characterized by emitting along a common path an optical radiation signal including first and second components, said first component being a steady state signal in the infrared region of the electromagnetic energy spectrum and having a magnitude that is related to the temperature of the sensor surface within a first operable temperature range, said second component being a time varying luminescent signal resulting from excitation of said photoluminescent material and having an intensity characteristic that is related to the temperature of the sensor surface within a second operable temperature range, directing a time varying photoluminescent material excitation radiation signal onto said sensor surface, detecting the optical radiation signal emitted by the sensor surface along said common path, thereby to generate an electrical signal related thereto, and processing said electrical signal in a manner to separate the first and second components therefrom, whereby the temperature of said environment or object is measurable over both of said first and second operable ranges. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system for measuring temperature over a given range, comprising:
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a sensor characterized by emitting first and second optical signals, said first optical signal being related to the temperature of the sensor within an upper portion of said given range and falling within an infrared region of the electromagnetic energy spectrum, said second optical signal being related to the temperature of the sensor within a lower portion of said given range and resulting from a temperature dependent emission of a photoluminescent material in response to excitation by optical radiation, means receiving said first and second optical signals for generating at least one electrical signal related thereto, and means receiving said at least one electrical signal for providing a measurement of the temperature of said sensor within said given range. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification