SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING A SURFACE WAVE OVER A SINGLE CONDUCTOR

• US 20080211727A1
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Published: 09/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Corridor Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Corridor Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Elmore, Glenn E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,567,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 343/773
• CPC Class Codes: H01P 3/10 Wire waveguides, i.e. with a single solid longitudinal conductor

Abstract

A low attenuation surface wave transmission line system for launching surface waves on a bare and unconditioned conductor, such as are found in abundance in the power transmission lines of the existing power grids. The conductors within the power grid typically lack dielectric and special conditioning. Accordingly, the present invention includes a first launcher, preferably including a mode converter and an adapter, for receiving an incident wave of electromagnetic energy and propagating a surface wave longitudinally on the power lines. The system includes at least one other launcher, and more likely a number of other launchers, spaced apart from one another along the constellation of transmission lines. The system and associated electric fields along any given conductor are radially and longitudinally symmetrical.

Claims

1. A low attenuation surface wave transmission line system, comprising:

a bare and unconditioned conductor, wherein the conductor lacks dielectric or special conditioning;

a first launcher for receiving incident electromagnetic energy and propagating a surface wave longitudinally along and in the region immediately around said conductor; and

a second launcher spaced apart from said first launcher on said conductor;

wherein said first and said second launcher have a maximum dimension no greater than 64 cm; and

wherein the transmitted wave is of frequency less than 5 GHz.

2. The system of claim 1, further including an enclosing dielectric medium surrounding said conductor.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said dielectric medium includes air.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said surface wave has a frequency within a three decade range including, at least, frequencies from about 10 MHz to 5 GHz.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said launcher form is selected from the group consisting of horn, planar and reverse-horn.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said launcher is shaped and fitted with dielectric to minimize or augment conversion of surface waves to radiating modes while converting to and from a wave propagation along the SWTL.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said first and second launchers comprise at least one mode converter.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said first and second launchers each further include an adapter.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one mode converter is selected from the group consisting of horn, planar, and reverse horn.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein said at least one mode converters are fabricated from conductive material and include shaping of a kind selected from the group consisting of linear taper, exponential taper, and special curvature at the edge of the conductive material.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein in operation said at least one mode converters initiate propagation in the desired surface wave mode along said conductor.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein in operation said at least one mode converters modify the termination point of e-field lines along said conductor.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein in regions distant from said at least one mode converter, e-field lines terminate along said conductor, and wherein e-fields within said launchers terminate in a manner so as to return current to a respective adapter.

14. The system of claim 7, further including a compensator for reducing radiation away from said at least one mode converter.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said compensator is made from dielectric material and disposed on said conductor proximate said at least one mode converter so as to increase symmetry of the e-field, thereby reducing radiation away from said at least one mode converter and increasing transmission between said launcher and said conductor surface wave.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said compensator includes tapered regions, and wherein the physical taper, dielectric constant, or both are adjustable so as to produce a Chebyshev or other desired taper to optimize compensation over a broad range of frequencies while requiring a minimum of dielectric material.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein in operation the incident electromagnetic energy is directed to said first launcher via propagation through a conventional type of transmission line.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein in operation the incident electromagnetic energy is an incident wave directed to said first launcher via radiation through free space.

19. The system of claim 1, further including an antenna to convert an incident wave directly to radiated power.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said antenna is tethered by said system and is supported aerially with an aerial supporting device.