US 12,078,584 B2
Device for measuring three-dimensional velocity, size, and/or shape of particles
Keith Nowicki, Hot Springs Village, AR (US); Alex Parker, Bellingham, WA (US); and Alejandro Soto, Boulder, CO (US)
Assigned to Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/547,308.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/128,231, filed on Dec. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0196537 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. G01N 15/10 (2024.01)
CPC G01N 15/10 (2013.01) [G01N 2015/1027 (2024.01); G01N 2015/1029 (2024.01); G01N 2015/103 (2024.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A velocimeter/nephelometer for measuring the three-dimensional velocity and/or size and/or shape of a particle, comprising:
a two-dimensional platform;
a set of three laser interferometers mounted to the platform, each operable to produce a laser beam having a fringe pattern;
wherein the laser interferometers are arranged such that the laser beams intersect within a volume of observation within the inner area of the platform;
wherein a first two of the laser interferometers are arranged around the platform such that they are spaced ninety degrees apart, and are operable to produce like-oriented fringe patterns with an angular separation between the propagation direction of their beams being ninety degrees;
wherein a third one of the laser interferometers produces a bean with the fringe pattern oriented orthogonal to the fringe patterns of the first two of the laser interferometers;
a set of at least three photodiode detectors mounted to the platform; and
wherein each detector is positioned and filtered to detect light from an associated laser interferometer, the light having been scattered by a particle as the particle passes through the volume of observation.