US-12618710-B2 - Oscillating heat pipe based energy beam profiler and calorimeter

Abstract

An energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC) includes a target surface configured to receive an impinging energy beam to be profiled by the EPC and generate heat in response to the energy beam. The EPC also includes one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) arranged to transfer the heat away from a location at which the impinging energy beam strikes the target surface of the EPC. Other features are also provided.

Inventors

• Wade Lawrence Klennert
• Ralph Russell Galetti

Assignees

• THE BOEING COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260505

Application Date

20230322

Claims (20)

1. 1 . An energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC) comprising: a target surface configured to receive an impinging energy beam to be profiled by the EPC and generate heat in response to the impinging energy beam; and a stack of first plates comprising one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) arranged to transfer the heat away from a location at which the impinging energy beam strikes the target surface of the EPC, wherein each first plate of the stack of first plates comprises two respective major surfaces perpendicular to the target surface.
2. 2 . The EPC of claim 1 , wherein each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises an evaporator adjacent to the target surface and a condenser located farther from the target surface than the evaporator.
3. 3 . The EPC of claim 2 , wherein, in each first OHP of the one or more first OHPs, the condenser and the evaporator are interconnected by capillary tubes perpendicular to the target surface.
4. 4 . The EPC of claim 2 , wherein: each first plate, of the stack of first plates, extends at an angle to the target surface, and each first plate, of the stack of first plates, supports at least part of an evaporator and at least part of a condenser of a corresponding at least one first OHP of the one or more first OHPs.
5. 5 . The EPC of claim 4 , wherein each first plate, of the stack of first plates, comprises a groove extending along an entire length of the corresponding at least one first OHP and supporting the entire length of the corresponding at least one first OHP.
6. 6 . The EPC of claim 4 , wherein, for each first plate of the stack of first plates, the corresponding at least one first OHP is a common closed-loop OHP shared by the stack of first plates.
7. 7 . The EPC of claim 4 , wherein each first plate, of the stack of first plates, has a respective tapered edge, and wherein tapered edges of the stack of first plates form the target surface, each pair of adjacent tapered edges forming a groove therebetween.
8. 8 . The EPC of claim 2 , further comprising one or more second OHPs running substantially parallel to the target surface and thermally coupled to the one or more first OHPs, the one or more first OHPs being located between the one or more second OHPs and the target surface.
9. 9 . The EPC of claim 1 , wherein each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises first capillary tubes running at an angle to the target surface.
10. 10 . The EPC of claim 9 , wherein the one or more first OHPs are a single closed-loop OHP comprising: a first part extending at an angle to the target surface; and a second part parallel to the target surface, the first part being positioned between the second part and the target surface.
11. 11 . The EPC of claim 1 , wherein each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises first capillary tubes perpendicular to the target surface.
12. 12 . An energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC) comprising: a stack of first plates, each first plate comprising two respective major surfaces and a respective tapered edge, wherein: the tapered edges of the first plates form a target surface configured to receive an impinging energy beam, each pair of adjacent tapered edges forming a groove therebetween; and for each first plate of the stack of first plates, the two respective major surfaces are perpendicular to the target surface.
13. 13 . The EPC of claim 12 , further comprising one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) positioned within the stack of first plates and configured to spread heat generated by absorption of energy of the impinging energy beam at the target surface.
14. 14 . The EPC of claim 13 , wherein each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises respective capillary tubes running away from the target surface.
15. 15 . The EPC of claim 13 , wherein the one or more first OHPs are configured to spread the heat in a direction away from the target surface.
16. 16 . A method for measuring a calorimetry and beam profile with an energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC), the method comprising: absorbing an energy beam at a target surface of the EPC to generate heat; and spreading the heat by one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) adjacent to the target surface of the EPC, wherein: the one or more first OHPs are positioned within a stack of first plates, and each first plate of the stack of first plates comprises two respective major surfaces perpendicular to the target surface.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the EPC is configured to guide energy obtained from the energy beam to one or more sensors configured to measure the energy obtained from the energy beam.
18. 18 . The method of claim 16 , wherein: each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises an evaporator adjacent to the target surface and a condenser located farther from the target surface than the evaporator, and spreading the heat comprises transferring the heat from the evaporator to the condenser.
19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein, in each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, the condenser and the evaporator are interconnected by capillary tubes perpendicular to the target surface.
20. 20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein each first OHP, of the one or more first OHPs, comprises first capillary tubes perpendicular to the target surface.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/372,067, filed Jul. 9, 2021, hereby incorporated herein by reference, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/080,628 filed Sep. 18, 2020, hereby incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field The field of the present disclosure relates generally to energy beam systems, and more specifically, to test systems for measuring characteristics of an energy beam. 2. Prior Art Existing, commercially available systems that measure high-energy energy/laser beam profiles are relatively large, power intensive, have low damage thresholds, and require longer measurement times than what is needed for the beam dynamics typically tested on modern high-energy laser systems under field test conditions. These systems are typically limited in the overall area that can be implemented as a target board size. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method that addresses some of these problems, and others. SUMMARY Disclosed is an energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC). The EPC includes a target surface configured to receive an impinging energy beam to be profiled by the EPC and generate heat in response to the energy beam. The EPC also includes one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) arranged to transfer the heat away from a location at which the impinging energy beam strikes the target surface of the EPC. Also disclosed is an EPC comprising a stack of first plates each of which has two major surfaces and a tapered edge, wherein the tapered edges of the first plates form a target surface configured to receive an impinging energy beam, each pair of adjacent tapered edges forming a groove therebetween. In examples of operation, both EPC configurations perform a method for measuring the calorimetry and beam profile of the energy beam. The method includes absorbing an energy beam at a target surface of the EPC to generate heat; and spreading the heat by one or more first oscillating heat pipes (OHPs) adjacent to the target surface of the EPC. Other devices, apparatuses, systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional devices, apparatuses, systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The invention may be better understood by referring to the following figures. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views. FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of an example of an implementation of an energy beam profiler and calorimeter (EPC) in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the sandwich type stack-up of the EPC shown in FIG. 1 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an example of an implementation of the EPC shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of an implementation of another EPC having a middle plate in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a system diagram of an example of an implementation of a single loop oscillating heat pipe in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a system diagram of an example of an implementation of a multiple loop oscillating heat pipe having a meandering and serpentine pattern in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 7A is a front view of a system diagram of an example of an implementation of oscillating heat pipe on a first plate for use with the EPC of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 7B is a front view of a system diagram of an example of an implementation of oscillating heat pipe on a second plate for use with the EPC of FIG. 1 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a front view of a system diagram of an example of an implementation of oscillating heat pipes on a middle plate for use with the EPC of FIG. 4 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a partial front perspective view of an example of an implementation of oscillating heat pipes on the middle plate shown in FIGS. 4 and 8 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a front view of a system diagram of an example of another implementation of the oscillating heat pipes on a middle plate for use with the EPC of FIG. 4 in accordance with the present disclosure. FIG. 11A-C are front views of a system diagram of an example of yet another implementation of oscillating heat pipes on a middle plate for use with the EPC of FIG. 4 in acco