Moisture detection system
First Claim
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1. A moisture detection system comprising:
- an electromagnetic radiation system;
an infrared detector system; and
a controller in communication with the electromagnetic radiation system and the infrared detector system, wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnetic radiation system to transmit a pulse of electromagnetic radiation in which the pulse of electromagnetic radiation has multiple wavelengths that are absorbed by water molecules, wherein the multiple wavelengths penetrate a composite sandwich panel at a plurality of depths, and a depth at which moisture is present is determined according to wavelength; and
control the infrared detector system to detect an amount of infrared radiation in response to transmitting the pulse of electromagnetic radiation using a time window, wherein the amount of infrared radiation indicates a level of moisture.
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Abstract
A method and system for an aerospace vehicle. A pulse of electromagnetic radiation is transmitted into the composite sandwich panel such that the composite sandwich panel is heated above an ambient temperature. An amount of infrared radiation generated in the composite sandwich panel is detected in response to transmitting the pulse of electromagnetic radiation into the composite sandwich panel using a time window selected to detect the amount of infrared radiation when the pulse of electromagnetic radiation heats the composite sandwich panel. The amount of infrared radiation detected indicates a level of moisture in the composite sandwich panel.
54 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A moisture detection system comprising:
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an electromagnetic radiation system; an infrared detector system; and a controller in communication with the electromagnetic radiation system and the infrared detector system, wherein the controller is configured to control the electromagnetic radiation system to transmit a pulse of electromagnetic radiation in which the pulse of electromagnetic radiation has multiple wavelengths that are absorbed by water molecules, wherein the multiple wavelengths penetrate a composite sandwich panel at a plurality of depths, and a depth at which moisture is present is determined according to wavelength; and
control the infrared detector system to detect an amount of infrared radiation in response to transmitting the pulse of electromagnetic radiation using a time window, wherein the amount of infrared radiation indicates a level of moisture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for detecting moisture in a composite sandwich panel for an aerospace vehicle, the method comprising:
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transmitting a pulse of electromagnetic radiation into the composite sandwich panel such that the composite sandwich panel is heated above an ambient temperature, wherein the pulse of electromagnetic radiation has multiple wavelengths such that the pulse penetrates the composite sandwich panel at a plurality of depths, and a depth at which moisture is present is determined according to wavelength; and detecting an amount of infrared radiation generated in the composite sandwich panel in response to transmitting the pulse of electromagnetic radiation into the composite sandwich panel using a time window selected to detect the amount of infrared radiation when the pulse of electromagnetic radiation heats the composite sandwich panel, wherein the amount of infrared radiation detected indicates a level of moisture in the composite sandwich panel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A moisture detection system comprising:
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an electromagnetic radiation system; an infrared detector system configured to detect an amount of infrared radiation; and a controller configured to control the electromagnetic radiation system to transmit a pulse of electromagnetic radiation into a porous material in which a pulse of electromagnetic radiation beam has multiple wavelengths that are absorbed by water molecules such that the pulse penetrates the porous material at a plurality of depths, and a depth at which moisture is present is determined according to wavelength;
control the infrared detector system to detect the amount of infrared radiation in the porous material in response to transmitting the pulse of electromagnetic radiation into the porous material using a time window that captures when the pulse of electromagnetic radiation heats the porous material such that the infrared detector system detects the amount of infrared radiation in the porous material when the porous material is heated by the pulse of electromagnetic radiation; and
identify a level of moisture in the porous material using an amount of energy in the pulse of electromagnetic radiation transmitted and the amount of infrared radiation detected. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method for detecting moisture in a porous material, the method comprising:
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transmitting electromagnetic radiation into the porous material, wherein an electromagnetic radiation beam has multiple wavelengths that are absorbed by water molecules such that the electromagnetic radiation beam penetrates the porous material at a plurality of depths, and a depth at which moisture is present is determined according to wavelength; and detecting an amount of infrared radiation in the porous material in response to transmitting the electromagnetic radiation into a composite sandwich panel using a time window selected to detect the amount of infrared radiation when the electromagnetic radiation heats the porous material; and identifying a level of moisture in the porous material using an amount of energy in the electromagnetic radiation transmitted and the amount of infrared radiation detected. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification