Industrial process device utilizing magnetic induction

• US 20070273496A1
• Filed: 05/23/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Rosemount Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hedtke, Robert C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,913,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/506
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 1/08 Amplitude

Abstract

A process device for coupling to an industrial process for use in monitoring or controlling the process includes a device housing configured to physically couple to the industrial process. A coil of wire is mounted to the housing and a magnet is configured to move through the coil of wire. The relative movement of the magnet is responsive to vibrations in the industrial process. Such relative movement induces an electrical current in the coil of wire. Electrical circuitry in the housing includes an input to receive the electrical current from the coil of wire.

Claims

1. A process device for coupling to an industrial process for use in monitoring or controlling the process, comprising:

a device housing configured to physically couple to the industrial process;

a coil of wire mounted to the housing;

a magnet configured to move through the coil of wire in response to vibrations in the industrial process thereby inducing an electrical current in the coil of wire; and

electrical circuitry in the housing having an input to receive the electrical current from the coil of wire.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical circuitry is configured to diagnose operation of the industrial process based upon the electrical current.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 including an analog to digital converter having a digital output related to digitize the electrical current.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 including a microcontroller configured to perform diagnostics.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the diagnostics are based upon an amplitude of vibrations in the industrial process.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the diagnostics are based upon a frequency of vibrations in the industrial process.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the diagnostics are based upon a signature in the vibrations in the industrial process.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the electrical circuitry provides a diagnostic output based upon the vibrations and data stored in a memory.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 including a process interface configured to sense a process variable.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process device includes a process interface configured to control the process.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical circuitry includes power storage circuitry configured to store power from the electrical current from the coil.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the power storage circuitry comprises a capacitor.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 including a rectifier to rectify the electrical current from the coil.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnetic induction circuitry includes spring members configured to reverse a direction of movement of the magnet relative to the coil.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the orientation of the magnet is adjustable.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 including a sensor configured to sense vibration.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the orientation of the magnet is adjusted based upon the sensed vibrations.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the sensor comprises a three axis accelerometer.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the capacitor comprises a supercapacitor.

20. A method for sensing vibrations in a process device coupled to an industrial process of the type used in monitoring or controlling the industrial process, the method comprising:

physically coupling a housing of the process device to the industrial process;

receiving vibrations from the industrial process through the physical coupling;

moving a magnet through a coil of wire in response to the vibrations and generating an electrical current in the coil of wire; and

providing the electrical current to circuitry of the process device.

21. The method of claim 20 including diagnosing operation of the industrial process based upon the electrical current.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the diagnosing is based upon an amplitude of vibrations.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the diagnosing is based upon a frequency of vibrations.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the diagnosing is based upon a signature in the vibrations.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the diagnosing is based upon the vibrations and stored data.

26. The method of claim 20 including storing power storage based from the electrical current from the coil.

27. The method of claim 20 including rectifying the electrical current from the coil.

28. The method of claim 20 including adjusting orientation of the magnet.

29. The method of claim 28 including sensing vibrations and adjusting the orientation of the magnetic based upon the sensed vibrations.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein sensing vibrations includes monitoring an output of a tri-axis accelerometer.