Method and system for monitoring ultraviolet light for a fiber cure system
View Patent ↗A system and method for monitoring and operating one or more light emitting devices is disclosed. In one example, light intensity within a dual elliptical reflecting chamber is sensed and operation of a fiber curing system is adjusted in response to an amount of sensed light energy.
1. A method for operating a fiber curing system, comprising:
in a dual elliptical reflecting chamber,
activating two light sources and two light beam receivers, wherein the two light beam receivers are positioned perpendicularly relative to the two light sources;
determining a curing tube clarity or transmittance based on light received at the two light receivers; and
adjusting light output intensity of a plurality of light arrays based on the curing tube clarity or transmittance.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the two light sources and the two light beam receivers are arranged at opposite ends of a curing tube.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising reporting operating conditions and/or indications of curing tube degradation to an operator or a controller.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the curing tube clarity or transmittance is based on a threshold.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting light output intensity includes adjusting current supplied to the plurality of light arrays.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying a flow of an inert gas through a curing tube in response to a curing tube transmittance rate of degradation.
7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising varying a flow of coolant through a lighting array heat sink in response to the current adjustments to the plurality of light arrays.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting includes adjusting fiber throughput through the fiber curing system.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting light output intensity is in a closed loop manner.