Radiometric Temperature Measurement Using a DLP-Based Pyrometer

摘要

Researchers at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center have identified and evaluated recently available miniature spectrometers that enable compact and robust pyrometry systems capable of measuring aircraft surface temperatures and emissivity during flight. Pyrometers measure high temperatures by observing emitted radiation; however, aircraft vibrations can render unreliable pyrometer measurements made during flight. Armstrong researchers believe these miniature spectrometers will mitigate this problem by using digital light processor (DLP) technology to measure the intensity of multiple wavelengths in the near infrared (0.9-1.7 micron) range. This work seeks to apply newly released, commercial components in a new way for which these systems were not originally designed. Developed for use in televisions, the DLP technology is used here within a robust scanning array that is nearly impervious to vibration and requires a single detector, as opposed to more complex, multi-element array detectors. The result is a mechanically stable device that is the first use of a spectrometer of this type for temperature measurements.