SURFACE IONIZATION DUST DETECTORS TO PROTECT ENGINES OF COMBAT AND TACTICAL VEHICLES

SURFACE IONIZATION IS A PROCESS IN WHICH AN ATOM OR MOLECULE WITH A LOW IONIZATION POTENTIAL, IN CONTACT WITH A HOT METAL SURFACE WITH A HIGH WORK FUNCTION, TRANSFERS AN ELECTRON TO THE SURFACE AND IS EVAPORATED AS A POSITIVE ION. ALKALI-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS IN COMMON SMOKES AND DUSTS ARE SUFFICIENTLY PLENTIFUL TO ALLOW THE DETECTION OF DUST THROUGH SURFACES IONIZATION. IN THE PROCESS THE PARTICLE STRIKESA HOT PLATINUM WIRE WHERE IT PYROLIZES AND TRANSFERS SOME OF ITS MOLECULES TO THE WIRE. THOSE CONTAINING ALKALI ATOMS DISSOCIATE AND THE ALKALI ATOM LEAVES AS AN ION. SINCE THERE ARE MANY SUCH MOLECULES IN EVEN SMALL PARTICLES, A BURST OF IONS IS PRODUCED WHICH IS DETECTED AS ELECTRICAL CURRENT PULSE, THE HEIGHT OF WHICH INDICATES THE SIZE AND/OR RICHNESS IN ALKALI COMPOUND CONTENT OF THE PARTICLE. THE PULSE COUNTING RATE INDICATES THE CONCENTRATION OF DUST PARTICLES IN THE AIR. THIS PROPOSAL PROPOSES THE DESIGN OF A SIMPLE DUST DETECTOR BASED ON SURFACE IONIZATION, AND ITS CIRCUITRY MODIFICATIONS, SUITABLE FOR USE ON A MILITARY VEHICLE, THAT WOULD WARN THE OPERATOR WHEN EXCESSIVE DUST PARTICLES WERE ENTERING THE ENGINE.