Piping fluid decision device and piping fluid control system

• US 20020118025A1
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Published: 08/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unirec Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Unirec Company Limited
• Inventors: Yamagishi, Junichi, Yo, Eikou
• Granted Patent: US 6,545,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/672
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/221 by investigating the dielectric properties using microwaves G01N22/00; measuring loss factors or dielectric constants per se G01R27/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/226 Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/146 containing alcohol

Abstract

To enable a fluid state of a fluid substance flowing through a path in a piping, for example a liquid state or a froth state of beer, to be surely and easily judged while keeping a sanitary condition, allowing a take out to be surely and easily performed, a piping fluid decision device is constituted with an electrostatic capacity sensor (15) disposed outside of a piping (1) adapted for a fluid substance to flow through a path therein, for detecting a variation of electrostatic capacity of the path in the piping (1), reference value storage means for storing in advance a reference variation of electrostatic capacity of the path to provide for a decision on a fluid state of the fluid substance flowing through the path in the piping, and fluid decision means for comparing the detected variation of electrostatic capacity and the stored variation of electrostatic capacity to make the decision on the fluid state of the fluid substance flowing through the path.

Claims

1. A piping fluid decision device comprising:

an electrostatic capacity sensor disposed outside of a piping adapted for a fluid substance to flow through a path therein, for detecting a variation of electrostatic capacity of the path in the piping;

reference value storage means for storing in advance a reference variation of electrostatic capacity of the path to provide for a decision on a fluid state of the fluid substance flowing through the path in the piping; and

fluid decision means for comparing the detected variation of electrostatic capacity and the stored variation of electrostatic capacity to make the decision on the fluid state of the fluid substance flowing through the path.

2. A piping fluid decision device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacity sensor comprises a measuring electrode and a grounding electrode made of a conductive metallic film and wound around an outside of the piping forming the path, with an insulator in between, and a shield member covering the measuring electrode and the grounding electrode, with an insulator in between.

3. A piping fluid decision device according to claim 2, wherein the grounding electrode is narrower than the measuring electrode, and the measuring electrode and the grounding electrode are alternately disposed.

4. A piping fluid decision device according to claim 3, wherein the measuring electrode and the grounding electrode are wound to be spiral along a flow direction.

5. A piping fluid control system comprising:

a piping fluid decision device according to any of claims 1 to 4;

adjust means adapted to adjust the fluid state of the fluid substance flowing through the path; and

control means for controlling the adjust means depending on a result of the decision of the fluid decision means.

6. A piping fluid control system according to claim 5, wherein the piping is provided at a terminal thereof with a substance take-out machine of the fluid substance, the adjust means comprises a first open-close valve installed on the piping between an electrostatic capacity sensor position and a substance take-out machine position, and a second open-close valve installed on a branch pipe connected to the piping between a position of the first open-close valve and the electrostatic capacity sensor position, and the control means is adapted, when the variation of electrostatic capacity is within a set value, to open the first open-close valve and close the second open-close valve and, when the variation of electrostatic capacity exceeds the set value, to close the first open-close valve and open the second open-close valve.