Charged seed cloud as a method for increasing particle collisions and for scavenging airborne biological agents and other contaminants
View Patent ↗A system and method is provided for increasing interaction between seed particles in a seed cloud and target particles to be neutralized, detected or knocked down to the ground. This is achieved by applying a charge to the seed particles so that the seed cloud formed by release of the seed particles at altitude is highly charged, which in turn produces a strong electric field between the seed cloud and ground. The relatively strong electric field causes the seed particles to move downward (toward the ground) at a velocity sufficient to increase interaction (collisions) between the seed particles and the target particles.
1. A method for increasing interaction between seed particles in a seed cloud and target particles, comprising applying a charge to the seed particles so that the seed cloud formed by release of the seed particles at an altitude above the ground is highly charged with respect to the ground, which in turn produces a strong electric field between the seed cloud and ground.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying comprises applying the charge at a strength sufficient to produce the electric field having a strength that is substantially greater than a fair-weather electric field caused by the earth, wherein the electric field produced by the seed cloud causes the seed particles in the seed cloud to move downward at sufficient velocity to increase interaction between the seed particles and target particles.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein applying comprises applying the charge at a strength sufficient to cause the electric field produced by the charged seed cloud to induce a dipole charge distribution in target particles so that the target particles are attracted to the seed particles.
4. The method of claim 1 , and further comprising releasing the charged seed particles from an air vehicle to form the charged seed particle cloud.
5. The method of claim 4 , and further comprising releasing from the air vehicle particles that are oppositely charged with respect to the charge of the seed particles to maintain charge neutrality of the air vehicle, and which oppositely charged particles are heavier than the seed particles so that they fall to the ground and do not interact with the seed cloud.
6. A method for deploying seed particles that are intended to interact with target particles, comprising:
applying a charge to the seed particles and releasing the seed particles from an air vehicle at an altitude above the ground so that a seed cloud formed by the seed particles produces an electric field between the seed cloud and the ground, wherein the electric field is substantially stronger than an electric field produced by the earth; and
releasing from the air vehicle particles that are oppositely charged with respect to the charge on the seed particles to maintain charge neutrality of the air vehicle, and which oppositely charged particles are heavier than the seed particles so that they fall to the ground and do not interact with the seed cloud.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying comprises applying the charge at a strength sufficient to cause the electric field produced by the charged seed cloud to induce a dipole charge distribution in target particles so that the target particles are attracted to the seed particles.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein applying comprises applying charge to the seed particles such that the electric field produced by the seed cloud causes the seed particles in the seed cloud to move downward at sufficient velocity to increase interaction between the seed particles and target particles.
9. A system for deploying a seed cloud from an air vehicle, comprising:
a. a first container that contains a plurality of first particles that are adapted to achieve a desired interaction with target particles;
b. a power supply configured to apply a charge to said plurality of first particles; and
c. a first tube coupled to the first container and extending from the air vehicle to release the first particles into the air so as to form a charged seed cloud at altitude above the earth thereby forming a strong electric field between the charged seed cloud and ground to enhance the desired interaction between the first particles and the target particles.
10. The system of claim 9 , and further comprising a second container on the air vehicle, the second container comprising a plurality of second particles that are heavier than the first particles, and a second elongated tube that extends from the air vehicle and is coupled to the second container to release from the air vehicle the second particles that are oppositely charged with respect to the charge of the seed particles to maintain charge neutrality of the air vehicle.
11. The system of claim 10 , wherein a distal end of the second tube from which the plurality of second particles are released is spaced a distance from the air vehicle so that the oppositely second particles do not interact with the seed cloud as they fall to the ground.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the power supply applies the charge at a strength sufficient to the first particles to cause the electric field produced by the charged seed cloud to induce a dipole charge distribution in target particles so that the target particles are attracted to the first particles.