Emissivity independent non-contact high temperature measurement system and method

• US 7,891,866 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Issued: 02/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rogers, Mark D., Shawgo, Loyal B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jagan; Mirellys
• Application Number:
  US12/032,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20090210191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 374/120, 374/127, 374/128, 702/134
• US Class Current: 374/120
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/026 Control of working procedures of a pyrometer, other than calibration; Bandwidth calculation; Gain control
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/042 High-temperature environment G01J5/0007, G01J5/0044, G01J5/0088 and G01J5/004 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/08 Optical arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0802 Optical filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0806 Focusing or collimating elements, e.g. lenses or concave mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/084 Adjustable or slidable
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/601 using spectral scanning

Abstract

A system and method for determining the temperature of an object without physically contacting the object. The method involves reading a spectral radiation of the object over a plurality of wavelengths to obtain a set of radiation data related to a temperature of the object. A known characteristic of a black body is determined at a plurality of predetermined, different test temperatures. The spectral data and the characteristic of the black body at the various test temperatures are used to calculate a temperature of the object.

Claims

1. A method for determining the temperature of an object without physically contacting the object, comprising:

reading a spectral radiation of the object over a plurality of wavelengths to obtain a set of radiation data related to a temperature of the object;

determining a known characteristic of a black body at a plurality of test temperatures;

generating a set of ratios of said characteristic of said black body to said radiation data, at each one of said plurality of test temperatures;

generating an array of standard deviations, with each one of said standard deviations of said array being associated with a specific one of said set of ratios; and

using said set of ratios and said array of standard deviations to determine a temperature of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a set of ratios of said characteristic of said black body to said radiation data, at each one of a plurality of temperatures, comprises sequentially generating each said set of ratios for said black body characteristic at each one of said test temperatures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reading said spectral information over a plurality of wavelengths comprises selecting a frequency spectrum where ambient factors are not likely to significantly influence a reading of said spectral radiation being obtained.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein using said characteristic of a black body and said set of radiation data to determine a temperature of the object comprises searching all of said array of standard deviations to identify a minimum standard deviation within said array of standard deviation, and identifying said test temperature associated with said minimum standard deviation as a temperature of said object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising using said minimum standard of deviation and said test temperature associated therewith to calculate an actual temperature of said object.

6. A method for determining the temperature of an object without physically contacting the object, comprising:

reading a spectral radiation of the object over a plurality of wavelengths to obtain a set of radiation data related to a temperature of the object;

determining a characteristic of a black body at a plurality of test temperatures; and

using said characteristic of a black body at each of the test temperatures, and said set of radiation data, to generate a set of ratios, each said set of ratios being uniquely associated with a respective one of said test temperatures;

determining a standard deviation for each said set of ratios, to thus create an array of standard deviations;

analyzing said array of standard deviations to identify a specific set of said ratios that deviate the least from its associated said test temperature, and using said specific set of ratios to identify a specific one of said test temperatures as correlating to said temperature of said object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating said sets of ratios comprises sequentially generating said sets of ratios for each of said test temperatures, one said test temperature at a time.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein reading said spectral information over a plurality of wavelengths comprises selecting a frequency spectrum where ambient factors are not likely to significantly influence a reading of said spectral radiation being obtained.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising using said minimum one of said standard deviations and its associated said test temperature to calculate an actual temperature of said object.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein using said standard deviations to identify a specific set of said ratios that deviate the least comprises identifying a minimum one of said standard deviations from said array of standard deviations.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein creating an array of standard deviations comprises sequentially determining said standard deviations for each said set of ratios.