Device for determining and/or monitoring a physical or chemical quantity

• US 20060122811A1
• Filed: 07/30/2003
• Published: 06/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Company KG (Endress+Hauser AG)
• Original Assignee: Endress + Hauser Holding GmbH
• Inventors: Kirst, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/188
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/02 Automatically-operated arrangements

Abstract

A device for determining and/or monitoring a physical or chemical quantity during a process. The device comprises at least one field appliance which exchanges data with a remote monitoring station by means of a data connection. The inventive device is provided with at least one fuel cell which is electrically connected to the field appliance and at least partially covers the energy demand of the field appliance, and the fuel cell is arranged at a distance from said field appliance.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a physical or chemical variable in a process, comprising:

a remote control station;

data connection;

at least one field device, said at least one field device exchanges data with said remote control station via said data connection; and

at least one fuel cell electrically connected with said field device, wherein;

said at least one fuel cell at least partially covers the energy requirement of said field device, and said at least one fuel cell is arranged remotely from said field device.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said data connection between the control station and said at least one field device is accomplished by one of;

wirelessly, and via a data line.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

multiple field devices are provided, which are electrically connected with said at least one fuel cell.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein:

said data connection includes one of;

a field bus and a two-wire line.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein:

said at least one fuel cell is connected with said at least one field device via one of;

said field bus, and said two-wire line.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said at least one fuel cell is arranged in said control station.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

a first field cell and a second field cell are provided, and

said at least one field device is connected, at least at times, with said first fuel cell and said second fuel cell.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein:

said at least one field device is connected, at least at times, with only one of the two fuel cells.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

multiple fuel cells are combined into a fuel cell package.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein:

said at least one field device is positioned in an area where there is danger of explosion.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a monitoring unit, which issues a warning/error report as soon as the energy supplied by said at least one fuel cell falls beneath a predetermined limit value.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, further comprising:

a fueling unit, via which said at least one fuel cell can be fueled.