Fluid flow monitoring system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system to monitor fluids in nozzles, the system comprising:
- a spray nozzle configured to release a fluid according to a desired flow rate;
a thermal material positioned in a flow path of the fluid inside the spray nozzle in fluid communication with an inlet integrally formed as part of a circular mount of the spray nozzle, wherein the thermal material is entirely enclosed within a body of the spray nozzle, and is sized and dimensioned to conform to an interior surface of an orifice coaxially aligned with the inlet;
an electronic feedback circuit designed to attempt to maintain at least one of a current through the thermal material and a voltage across the thermal material;
wherein a measured value of at least one of the current and the voltage different from a target value indicates a change in resistance of the thermal material, and wherein a degree of a plugged condition or a type of fluid flow restriction is determined based on the measured change in resistance;
wherein a range of the measured value is correlated with an actual flow rate of the fluid, and wherein the range of the measured value is dynamically adjusted as the flow rate increases or decreases to maintain at least one of the current through the thermal material or the voltage across the thermal material by adjusting a baseline signal based on a computed average of the current; and
a digital processor circuit designed to generate an output signal to initiate a corrective action to disable current flow through the thermal material if the actual flow rate falls below a predetermined threshold to allow for a temperature of the thermal material to decrease, andwherein a reset command is generated by the digital processor circuit to reenable current flow through the thermal material when the temperature reaches a lower temperature threshold.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a sprayer system having spray nozzles; each nozzle includes a thermistor or resistor that provides an electronic current or voltage value correlated with a flow rate or a local temperature. A low flow rate indicates of a fluid flow clog or plug within the nozzle or conduit. The flow rate or temperature results among the different nozzles are compared to detect which nozzles are partially or entirely clogged or otherwise anomalous. In various embodiments, the thermistor electronics are integrated in each individual nozzle. In some embodiments, upon detection of a potential clog, the electronics create an alert and respond to the clogged condition.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A system to monitor fluids in nozzles, the system comprising:
-
a spray nozzle configured to release a fluid according to a desired flow rate; a thermal material positioned in a flow path of the fluid inside the spray nozzle in fluid communication with an inlet integrally formed as part of a circular mount of the spray nozzle, wherein the thermal material is entirely enclosed within a body of the spray nozzle, and is sized and dimensioned to conform to an interior surface of an orifice coaxially aligned with the inlet; an electronic feedback circuit designed to attempt to maintain at least one of a current through the thermal material and a voltage across the thermal material; wherein a measured value of at least one of the current and the voltage different from a target value indicates a change in resistance of the thermal material, and wherein a degree of a plugged condition or a type of fluid flow restriction is determined based on the measured change in resistance; wherein a range of the measured value is correlated with an actual flow rate of the fluid, and wherein the range of the measured value is dynamically adjusted as the flow rate increases or decreases to maintain at least one of the current through the thermal material or the voltage across the thermal material by adjusting a baseline signal based on a computed average of the current; and a digital processor circuit designed to generate an output signal to initiate a corrective action to disable current flow through the thermal material if the actual flow rate falls below a predetermined threshold to allow for a temperature of the thermal material to decrease, and wherein a reset command is generated by the digital processor circuit to reenable current flow through the thermal material when the temperature reaches a lower temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. An agricultural spray system comprising:
-
a spray boom mounted on a motor vehicle; a fluid distribution pipe mounted to the spray boom; spray nozzles mounted along the fluid distribution pipe to receive a fluid;
each of the spray nozzles include a thermal sensor system having;a thermal sensor positioned in a fluid flow path inside each of the spray nozzles in fluid communication with an inlet integrally formed as part of a circular mount of the spray nozzle, wherein the thermal sensor is entirely enclosed within a body of the spray nozzle, and is sized and dimensioned to conform to an interior surface of an orifice coaxially aligned with the inlet; an electronic circuit that attempts to maintain at least one of a current through the thermal sensor and a voltage across the thermal sensor; wherein a measured value of at least one of the current and the voltage different from a target value indicates a change in resistance of the thermal sensor, and wherein a degree of a plugged condition or a type of fluid flow restriction is determined based on the measured change in resistance; wherein the measured value correlates with a flow rate of the fluid in each of the spray nozzles, and wherein a range of the measured value is dynamically adjusted as the flow rate increases or decreases to maintain at least one of the current through the thermal sensor or the voltage across the thermal sensor by adjusting a baseline signal based on a computed average of the current; a digital processor circuit designed to generate an output signal to initiate a corrective action to disable current flow through the thermal sensor if the flow rate falls below a predetermined threshold to allow for a temperature of the thermal sensor to decrease, and wherein a reset command is generated by the digital processor circuit to reenable current flow through the thermal sensor when the temperature reaches a lower temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An agricultural spray system comprising:
-
a spray boom mounted on a motor vehicle; a fluid distribution pipe mounted to the spray boom; spray nozzles mounted along the fluid distribution pipe to receive a fluid;
each of the spray nozzles include a single thermal material located between each fluid valve and corresponding fluid outlet that is sized and dimensioned to conform to an interior surface of an orifice coaxially aligned with a fluid inlet integrally formed as part of a circular mount of each of the spray nozzles, and wherein the single thermal material is entirely enclosed within a body of each of the spray nozzles;an electronic circuit configured to attempt to maintain at least a current through the thermal material or a voltage across the thermal material; wherein a measured value of at least the current or the voltage different from a target value indicates a change in resistance of the thermal material, and wherein a degree of a plugged condition or a type of fluid flow restriction is determined based on the measured change in resistance; wherein the measured value correlates with a flow rate of the fluid in each of the spray nozzles, and wherein a range of the measured value is dynamically adjusted as the flow rate increases or decreases to maintain at least one of the current through the thermal material or the voltage across the thermal material by adjusting a baseline signal based on a computed average of the current; a digital processor circuit designed to generate an output signal to initiate a corrective action to disable current flow through the thermal material if the actual flow rate falls below a predetermined threshold to allow for a temperature of the thermal material to decrease, and wherein a reset command is generated by the digital processor circuit to reenable current flow through the thermal material when the temperature reaches a lower temperature threshold. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification