Mappable atmospheric pollutant detection system

• US 20040090628A1
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canberra Auila Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Canberra Auila Incorporated
• Inventors: Ershov, Oleg, Berezin, Andrey, Kadner, Steven, Nadezdinskii, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/293,836
• Publication Number:
  US 20040090628A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/438
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/031 Multipass arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides for an apparatus, method, and system for mapping out each pollutant and its locality. The apparatus includes a cell where pollutants can be collected in with an optical channel having multiple passes of radiation within the cell. The cell requires a valve acting like a vacuum for allowing pollutants in the atmosphere to be deposited in the cell for detection. A location sensor is provided for determining a location coordinate of the cell. The mappable atmospheric pollutant detection system utilizes laser technology with a computer system.

The optical scheme within the cell is capable of multiple passes of radiation in which the total length of radiation is multiple length of the cell. The multiple passes scheme conforms to Chernin'"'"'s multipass matrix system. Chernin'"'"'s multipass matrix includes a matrix of mirrors to create multiple passages of radiation within a confined space.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mapping atmospheric pollutants comprising:

a cell with a first optical channel wherein said first optical channel detects atmospheric pollutants;

a valve to direct an airflow from the atmosphere into said cell wherein pollutants deposit into said cell for detection; and

a location sensor for determining a location coordinate for said cell.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprises:

a diode laser for emitting radiation that is tunable over a maximum absorption line of said pollutants; and

a multiple passes of radiation wherein the total length of radiation is multiple length of said cell.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said multiple passes conforms to Chernin'"'"'s multipass matrix system.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said optical channel further comprises:

a first connection for a first current into said diode laser for radiation intensity; and

a second connection for a second current for adjusting the temperature of said diode laser.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said second current is tunable over an absorption line of pollutant.

6. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprises a second optical channel outside of said cell wherein said second optical channel detects atmospheric pollutants and wherein radiation passes from said second optical channel to first optical channel and wherein said second optical channel includes multiple passes.

7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6 further comprises a third optical channel for reference from the first or second optical channel.

8. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 further comprises:

a diode laser for emitting radiation at a maximum absorption line of said pollutants on two ends;

a first receiver detecting the presence of said pollutant from said first or second optical channel; and

a second receiver for reference from said third optical channel.

9. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said cell further couples with an air vacuum for directing air from the atmosphere into said cell wherein maximum pollutants deposits in said cell.

10. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said location sensor includes a Global Positioning System.

11. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein mapping atmospheric pollutants is in realtime.

12. A method for mapping atmospheric pollutants comprising:

installing a pollutant detector on a vehicle;

coupling a location sensor with said pollutant detector;

correlating pollutants with the location of said pollutant detector; and

mapping pollutants with the location of said pollutant detector.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 further comprises:

collecting pollutants into a cell;

detecting pollutants in said cell;

saving the location and correlated pollutant data; and

analyzing said data.

14. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein mapping pollutants with the location of said pollutant detector is in real time.

15. A computer system for controlling a mappable pollutant detector, said computer system comprising:

a microprocessor for running software wherein the software analyzes the data from photoreceivers, maps location of pollutants, and controls said pollutants detector;

a pollutants detector controller for transforming data between said pollutant detector and the computer system; and

a storage device for storing predetermined diode laser pulsed current and analyzed data.

16. A computer system as recited in claim 15 wherein said pollutant detector further comprises:

an analog to digital converter for sampling inputs into digitized data for storage in said computer system wherein said digitized data will be analyzed according to an absorption line of said pollutants; and

a digital to analog converter for converting stored data into continuous data, wherein the continuous data couples to an input of said pollutant detector.

17. A pollutants detector system with a pollutant detector, said system comprising:

a pollutant detector wherein results of detection is in real time and correlated to a location coordinate;

a computer system for running a software wherein the software analyzes the data, maps location of pollutants, and controls said pollutants detector; and

an interface connecting said computer system and said pollutants detector.

18. A pollutants detector system as recited in claim 17, wherein said interface comprises:

a diode laser supply transforming pulsed diode laser current for pollutant detector;

a resistance-voltage transformer providing good thermal contact with diode laser;

a peltier current supply providing power amplifier for pump current; and

a preamplifier unit for interfacing between a photoreceiver and pollutants controller.

19. The computer program product in a computer readable medium for mappable pollutants detector comprising:

instructions for signal processing for generating the diode laser current pulses;

instructions for stabilizing diode laser temperature wherein diode laser radiation is tunable by adjusting the temperature of said diode laser;

instructions for calculating pollutants concentration detected by said pollutants detector; and

instructions for mapping location of pollutants.

20. The computer program product recited in claim 19, where in said instructions for signal processing further comprises:

first instructions for setting pattern of current pulses;

second instructions for storing pattern in a buffer memory; and

third instructions for applying pattern to a digital to analog converter.

21. The computer program product recited in claim 19, wherein said instructions for temperature stabilization further comprises:

first instructions for setting initial diode laser temperature by thermistor;

second instructions for switching to line stabilization position;

third instructions for receiving signal from reference signal;

fourth instructions for calculating the line position of the reference signal;

fifth instructions for determining Peltier current from the line position; and

sixth instructions for applying Peltier current to a digital to analog converter.

22. An apparatus for detecting atmospheric pollutants comprising:

a cell with a first optical channel wherein said first optical channel detects atmospheric pollutants; and

a multiple passes of radiation within said cell wherein the total length of radiation is multiple length of said cell wherein said multiple passes conform to Chemin'"'"'s multipass matrix system.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 further comprises:

a diode laser for emitting radiation that is tunable over a maximum absorption line of said pollutants; and

a valve to direct an airflow from the atmosphere into said cell wherein pollutants deposit into said cell for detection;

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein said Chemin'"'"'s multipass matrix system includes:

a matrix of main field mirrors; and

a set of auxiliary field mirrors wherein said radiation systematically falls on the mirrors creating multiple passages across said cell wherein the absorption of pollutants is amplified.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein a number of passages correlates to said matrix dimensions.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 22 wherein said optical channel further includes:

a first connection for a first current into said diode laser for radiation intensity; and

a second connection for a second current for adjusting the temperature of said diode laser.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 26 wherein said second current is tunable over an absorption line of pollutant.

28. A method for detecting pollutant comprising:

installing a pollutant detector on a vehicle;

collecting said pollutant into a cell;

detecting said pollutant in said cell; and

analyzing pollutant data.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein detecting said pollutant further includes multiple passes of radiation within said cell wherein the total length of radiation is multiple lengths of said cell wherein said multiple passes conforms to Chemin'"'"'s multipass matrix system.

30. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein said Chemin'"'"'s multipass matrix system includes:

a matrix of main field mirrors; and

a set of auxiliary field mirrors wherein said radiation systematically falls on the mirrors creating multiple passages across said cell wherein the absorption of pollutants is amplified;

31. The method as recited in claim 30 wherein a number of passages correlates to said matrix dimensions.