RU2534568C1 - Method and apparatus for fog dispersal - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: direction of propagation of fog relative to a secured facility is determined. A non-uniform electric field is generated in the windward side of the secured facility in the region of the fog adjacent to an earthed surface. The field is formed by applying electrical potential to the surface of an electrode. The electrode is in the form of a shell with a smooth surface with a curvature radius not less than zero. The electrode is placed equidistant with a gap through a dielectric spacer relative to the earthed plate of a capacitor. The apparatus for implementing the method comprises an electrode. The electrode is placed with a gap relative to the earthed surface and is connected to a power supply. The electrode is in the form of a shell with a smooth surface. The curvature radius of the surface is not less than zero. The electrode is placed through a dielectric spacer with a gap relative to an additional earthed plate.

EFFECT: simple design and low operational costs.

2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of technology designed to disperse fog in a controlled area (airfields, high-speed roads, open areas for various sports and entertainment events, etc.), where it is necessary to fulfill the requirements for transparency of the atmosphere and ensuring the range of visibility.

Known methods for dispersing fogs based on artificial condensation of water vapor by using special substances (reagents). See, for example, patent RU No. 2357404, publ. 06/10/2009, patent RU No. 2175185, publ. October 27, 2001, patent RU No. 2061358, publ. 06/10/1996

The delivery of reagents and their distribution in fog or clouds is carried out from aircraft (see, for example, US patent No. 2815928, IPC A01G 15/00, publ. 10.12.1957), using missiles (see, for example, USSR copyright certificate No. 576839, IPC A01G 15/00), shells (see, for example, RF patent No. 2034444, IPC 6 A01G 15/00, publ. 05/10/1995). The application of these methods is limited to supercooled fogs (fogs formed under conditions of negative ambient temperatures). Warm mists are stable and do not disperse with reagents.

Known methods of electrical exposure to an aerosol cloud, based on the delivery to the aerosol cloud of corona wires connected to a high voltage source (see, for example, USSR copyright certificate No. 71260, IPC A01G 15/00, published on July 31, 1948, US patent No. 3456880, IPC A01G 15/00, published on July 22, 1969).

The main disadvantage of the described method and known devices is the need to raise the corona wires to the height of the cloud, which determines the high cost of resources and is not always feasible by weather conditions.

A known method, which consists in blowing air flow formed using technical means, the corona electrodes installed at the surface of the earth.

Technical solutions that the known method implements are a method of causing rain (see USSR author's certificate No. 29675, IPC A01G 15/00, published in 1948), as well as a device for destroying fog (see published application for Germany No. 4005304 , IPC E01H 13/00).

The described method promotes the spread of ionized air, i.e. electrically charged particles upward, thereby accelerating the process of precipitation from clouds or the deposition of fog.

A known method of dispersing fogs and clouds, which consists in generating electric charges into the atmosphere by connecting corona wires to the high voltage source, fixed through insulators on supports at the surface of the earth, (see "Journal of Geophysical Research", Cambridge, Massachusetts, March 1962, Vol. 67, pp. 1073-1082). Information about this method is reflected in the domestic technical literature (see L. G. Kachurin. Physical fundamentals of impact on atmospheric formations. - L.: Gidrometeoizdat, 1978, pp. 287-293).

As follows from the above sources of information, the determining factor in the dispersion of fog in the known method is the space charge acting on atmospheric formations.

The closest way to the proposed method is a method of dispersing fog according to the patent of the Russian Federation for invention No. 2242 584 RU. The known method consists in determining the direction of propagation of fog relative to the protected object, followed by generation by a corona discharge from the windward relative to the protected object side of the stream of charged particles oriented to the side directed towards the protected object. A corona discharge is generated by forming an inhomogeneous electric field on the sharp edges of the surface of the corona electrode.

The closest device to the proposed device is a patent of the Russian Federation No. 2124288 C1, cl. Е01Н 13/00, December 19, 1997, publ. 01/10/1999 g, bull. No. 1. The device comprises wires connected to a current source with a small radius of curvature of the surface, mounted on the insulators of the supports parallel to the electrical conductive grid mounted in a vertical plane passing through the axis of symmetry of the adjacent supports. The corona discharge generated by the corona wires creates an ionic wind that is directed from the corona wires to a grounded grid. A cloud of fog passing through the corona discharge region receives an electric charge and is directed by an ionic wind, as well as by an external wind flow, to an earthed grid. Passing through the cells of the grounded grid, the electrically charged drops of fog are separated from the wind stream and the wind stream cleaned from fog is directed to the area of the space protected from fog. A well-known technical solution provides the separation of droplets of fog from the air flow running onto the protected object. The air stream cleared of drops of fog has good optical transparency and provides the necessary range of visibility. The separation of fog droplets in known technical solutions is carried out in two stages: at the first stage, in the field of corona discharge burning, electric droplets of fog are charged; In the second stage, electrically charged drops are separated on a grounded surface. The efficiency of droplet separation in known technical solutions is determined by the stability of corona discharge combustion, which can be ensured under conditions of high accuracy of the gap of the discharge gap over the entire area of the device, which is a complex technological task. In addition, corona discharge generation is a fairly energy-intensive energy process and requires significant operating costs. The aim of the invention is to simplify the design, reducing the cost of operating costs.

To achieve the stated goal in the known method of dispersing fog, which consists in determining the direction of propagation of the fog relative to the protected object and the formation of the inhomogeneous electric field adjacent to the grounded surface of the fog region from the windward protected object, the formation of an inhomogeneous electric field is performed by applying an electric potential to the surface a capacitor electrode made in the form of a shell with a smooth surface with a radius of cr and the life is not less than zero and set equidistantly with a gap through the dielectric gasket relative to the internal grounded capacitor plate.

To achieve the stated goal, a known device for dispersing fog containing an electrode installed with a gap relative to the ground plane connected to a power source is equipped with a grounded plate installed through a dielectric plate with a gap relative to the inner surface of the electrode, made in the form of a shell with a smooth surface, the radius of curvature of which not less than zero.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that the energy of an inhomogeneous electric field in the present invention is used directly to remove droplets of fog from the controlled space. Energy is not spent on the generation of a corona discharge, the formation in the surrounding space of electrically charged particles that charge the passing drops of fog with an electric charge. In the proposed technical solution, the energy of the generated electric field provides polarization of the droplets of fog in the surrounding space, and due to its heterogeneity, the polarized droplets move in the direction of increasing the gradient of the electric field. In known methods of dispersing fog, a high value of the gradient of the electric field is provided due to the small radius of curvature of the electrode surface. In the proposed method, a high value of the gradient of the electric field is achieved due to the high value of the electric charge accumulated on the surface of the electrode. The supply of electric potential to the electrode in the form of a shell with a smooth surface with a radius of curvature of not less than zero provides a more uniform distribution of the inhomogeneous electric field in the space surrounding the electrode. Having reached the electrically charged surface of the capacitor plate, the droplets of fog receive an electric charge and are displaced to the grounded surface by electric lines. Thus, by forming an inhomogeneous electric field in the fog, the relative motion of the droplets relative to each other is intensified, which leads to their collision, enlargement, gravitational precipitation and deposition on a grounded surface. The energy of the electric field is spent on the electrical charging of only those drops that have reached the surface of the electrically charged capacitor electrode. In the known methods, the energy of the electric field is spent on the formation of a cloud of electrically charged particles, some of them fall on the droplets and charges them, and a significant part of the electrically charged particles is either deposited on a grounded surface or carried out with a stream. This explains the high energy costs in the known methods of dispersing fog.

Implementation of the proposed method is as follows. The boundaries of the area protected from the fog are pre-set. According to long-term observations, areas of space are established along which fog flows onto the protected area and devices for forming an inhomogeneous electric field with a gap relative to grounded surfaces are installed at an acceptable distance from the protected area. Upon receipt of information about the possible formation of fog, determine the direction of propagation of the fog relative to the protected object. On the windward side of the protected object, they turn on the power source and supply potential to the electrode surface, and an electric charge accumulates on its surface. Since the electrode is made in the form of a shell, the surface curvature radius of which is not less than zero, and the electric field lines are always normal to the electrically conductive surface, the electric field lines from the accumulated charge will be directed into the space surrounding the electrode, and their density, and therefore the value of the electric field strength will decrease with distance from the electrode. An inhomogeneous electric field is formed. Since the electrode surface is smooth, in the space surrounding the electrode, the lines of force, and therefore the energy of the generated electric field, will be distributed throughout the space surrounding the electrode between the electrode and the grounded surface. Drops of fog in an electric field are polarized and, due to the inhomogeneity of the electric field, are drawn up to increase its gradient. Thus, electrically neutral droplets of fog are attracted to an electrically charged electrode. In contact with an electrically charged electrode, fog droplets receive an electric charge of the same sign as the electrode, and are carried by electric lines along electric field lines to an earthed surface. On their way, electrically charged droplets collide with neutral droplets, merge with them, transfer an electric charge to them, and are either carried away to the grounded surface by an electric field, or fall down due to gravity. Thus, an electrically charged electrode forces droplets of fog to move relative to each other. What contributes to their coagulation and loss from a controlled space. In the experiments conducted by the author, an electrically charged electrode scattered the fog in a 2 cubic meter fog chamber. meter for 1 minute. The air cleaned from fog is displaced by the natural air flow towards the protected object and displaces the fog. When changing the direction of the fog flowing onto the object, devices located on the side of the fog flowing onto the object are turned on. In addition, as you know, see, for example, N.S. Shishkin. Clouds, precipitation and lightning electricity. - L .: Gidrometeoizdat, 1964, p. 328, a significant part of the droplets of fog has an electric charge, and under the influence of an electric field on them, they will come into motion.

Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the proposed device. The device includes a grounded rod 1 mounted on the surface of the earth, made in the form of a cylindrical surface, the total curvature of which is equal to zero. A spherical shell is attached to the top of the rod 1, with a surface curvature of 1 / R ² , where R is the radius of the spherical shell. A grounded rod 1 with a spherical shell over the entire surface is covered by an external electrically conductive shell 2. The lower boundary of the outer electrically conductive shell 2 does not reach the earth's surface in order to avoid charge transfer to the earth. The space between the outer surface of the grounded rod 1 with a spherical shell and the outer electrically conductive shell 2 is filled with a dielectric 3. The outer electrically conductive shell 2 is connected to the power source 4. In the space between the rods 1 there are grounded surfaces 5, which can be made in the form of any electrically conductive structures. The distance between the rods 1, their structural design and dimensions, as well as the shapes and sizes of the grounded structures are set at the design stage depending on the parameters of the fog, the requirements for their dispersion, the size of the area free from fog on the protected object, etc.

Fig. 2 shows a variant of the scheme of the proposed device, suspended above the ground.

The device is a three-layer shell pumped with excess pressure ΔP, made in the form of a smooth regular surface with a positive radius of curvature of the surface. The smoothness and regularity of the shell surface with a positive radius of curvature of the surface can be ensured by appropriate patterning of the shell material, manufacturing the shell from elastic deformable fabrics (such as rubberized materials) and maintaining its shape by internal overpressure. The inner 1 and outer 2 shells are made of electrically conductive material. The intermediate shell 3 is made of dielectric material. Technologically, this design can be made in the form of an inner shell 1 of dense elastic deformable material, on the surface of which an electrically conductive coating is first applied, then a dielectric 3 coating, on top of which an electrically conductive coating 2 is again applied. power supply 4. The whole structure by known methods is suspended above the surface of the earth close to the object protected from fog from the windward side. For example, by filling the shell with gas lighter than air and held by cables 6, with insulators 7. Or simply suspended on supports (not shown in the figure). Since the shape of the shell is formed using excess pressure and is made of a deformable material, the shape of the shell automatically takes the form of a smooth surface with a positive radius of curvature of the surface. A smooth surface implies the continuity and differentiability of a function that describes the coordinates of the shell points. Fundamentally, this design can be made of any materials. The main requirement is a smooth surface of a three-layer shell.

The proposed device operates as follows.

When a high voltage is supplied from the power supply 4 to the external conductive shell 2, an electric charge will accumulate on the surface of the external conductive shell. An electric charge in the space surrounding it forms an inhomogeneous electric field, the value of which is proportional to the magnitude of the charge. An electric field induces an electric dipole moment on the surface of mist droplets. The drops of fog due to the induced dipole moment are drawn in by an inhomogeneous electric field in the direction of increasing its gradient, i.e. to the external electrically conductive shell 2. Next, the processes described above occur, leading ultimately to the cleaning of the surrounding space between the electrically conductive shell 2 and the grounded surface 5 from fog drops. By installing the proposed device on the windward side of the protected object, provides the removal of droplets of fog and their separation from the moving air stream. An air stream free of drops of fog will move to the protected area. The air stream cleared of fog will force the fog out of the controlled area and ensure dispersal of the fog. When changing the direction of wind movement relative to the protected area, those pre-installed devices that are located on the windward side are turned on. Various types of aerodynamic reflectors can be used to clean the fog at a height, which ensures that the air masses cleaned from drops of fog rise to the required height due to the energy of the wind flow. The electric field of the charge localized on the surface of the spherical shell fixed on the top of the rod 1 collects droplets of fog and purifies the air passing above the installation. If the energy of the electric charge is not enough, then a device made in the form of the structure shown in Fig. 2 rises up above the surface of the earth. As you know, the electric field is always normal to an electrically charged surface. The execution of the shell with a positive radius of curvature of the surface provides the most remote propagation of the electric field in space from the fog diffuser. Making the surface smooth provides a more even distribution of the energy of the electric field in the space surrounding the shell. The value of the electric charge accumulated on the external conductive shell 2 is mainly determined by the voltage of the source with the dielectric properties of the dielectric layer 3 and its thickness.

Thus, the proposed solution, thanks to new, previously unknown features, allows us to solve the problem of fog dispersion without forming a stream of electrically charged particles, which allows us to simplify the design (it is not necessary to create a corona discharge generating device) and significantly reduce the cost of operating costs and achieve the goal of the invention.

Claims (2)

1. The method of dispersing fog, which consists in determining the direction of propagation of the fog relative to the protected object and the formation of the side windward from the protected object in the non-uniform electric field adjacent to the grounded surface of the fog region, characterized in that the inhomogeneous electric field is generated by applying an electric potential to the surface of the external a capacitor electrode made in the form of a shell with a smooth surface with a radius of curvature not less than zero and installed equidistantly with a gap through the dielectric gasket relative to the internal grounded capacitor plate. 2. A device for dispersing fog containing an electrode installed with a gap relative to the ground plane connected to a power supply, characterized in that it is equipped with a ground plate installed through a dielectric plate with a gap relative to the inner surface of the electrode, made in the form of a shell with a smooth surface, the radius of curvature which is not less than zero

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