Filter systems

• US 10,137,397 B2
• Filed: 06/23/2015
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated (Kyndryl Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Salahshour, Abdolreza, Vemireddy, Nagarjuna R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Clemente, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hawkins, Karla
• Application Number:
  US14/747,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150283491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: 553851, 55466, 55471-472, 55DIG 10, 55DIG 30, 210 97, 210275, 210741, 210793
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0086 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/446 by pressure measuring

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring quality of filters within a filtering system are disclosed. The system includes at least one pressure sensor which monitors a force applied by a filter on a filter housing. The system further includes a control system which provides notification to a user when the force measured by the at least one pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

at least one pressure sensor and a filter supported by a filter housing, the at least one pressure sensor provided between the filter and a support member of the filter housing; and

a control system which provides at least one of a visual indicator and an auditory signal in response to a measurement of the at least one pressure sensor exceeding a certain force associated with a clean filter,

wherein the at least one pressure sensor senses a direct measurement of an increased force applied by the filter on the support member of the filter housing, as the filter becomes blocked, and

the at least one pressure sensor is directly mounted to the filter.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter housing is a frame of an air duct, and the at least one pressure sensor is a piezoelectric dynamic force sensor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one pressure sensor is at least two pressure sensors which sense the increased force applied by the filter on the support member of the filter housing at different locations.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric dynamic force sensor comprises lead zirconate titanate crystals which generate piezoelectricity when their static structure is deformed by about 0.1% of their original dimension.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the piezoelectric dynamic force sensor comprises quartz crystal microbalance which measures mass deposition down to about 0.1 nanograms.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one pressure sensor is mounted at a corner of a frame of the filter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator is one of a first color which indicates that the filter is in working order and a second color which indicates that the filter needs to be cleaned.

14. The system of claim 3, wherein an average reading of the at least two pressure sensors is calculated by the control system.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the control system comprises a mobile device which wirelessly connects with the at least two pressure sensors to obtain the average reading.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the at least one pressure sensor is mounted at a side edge of a frame of the filter.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control system calculates a median reading of the at least one pressure sensor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system provides a calibration based on a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) of the filter.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the control system provides a calibration based on a size of the filter.

4. A system, comprising:

at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors mounted between a filter and a support member of a filter housing,

wherein the filter housing supports the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors and the filter, the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors are provided between the filter housing and the filter, and

wherein the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors sense a direct measurement of an increased force applied by the filter on the support member of the filter housing, as the filter becomes blocked,

each of the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors comprises crystals which generate piezoelectricity when their static structure is deformed from their original dimension, and

the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors are directly mounted to the filter.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors sense the increased force applied by the filter on the support member of the filter housing during use.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the filter housing is a frame of an air duct.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least two piezoelectric pressure sensors sense the increased force applied by the filter on the support member of the filter housing at different locations.

12. The system of claim 4, further comprising a control system which provides a visual indicator in response to a measurement of the at least one pressure sensor exceeding a certain force associated with a clean filter.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the visual indicator is one of a first color which indicates that the filter is in working order and a second color which indicates that the filter needs to be cleaned.