Methods for detecting oil deterioration and oil level

• US 20090063060A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yizhong Sun
• Original Assignee: Yizhong Sun
• Inventors: Sun, Yizhong
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/265 for discrete levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2847 Water in oils

Abstract

Methods for detecting oil conditions including a top oil level in an oil system which is reduced to a top level of a threshold amount of the oil, a normal oil deterioration which occurs in the absence of water having a confirmed remaining oil usage, and an abnormal oil deterioration which occurs in the presence of water. The methods comprise a first preferred embodiment which applies a reference and sensing capacitors to obtain a measured temperature compensated electrical property of an oil in use. From which a quantitatively measured remaining usage is obtained so as to a predicted one for the oil. Therefore, the respective top oil level, or the normal or the abnormal oil deterioration can be concluded according to the measured remaining usage which is respectively larger than, or similar to, or less than the predicted one for the oil. A second preferred embodiment only includes the sensing capacitor for obtaining the measured property of the oil. Variations to the embodiments lead to employment of at least two sensing capacitors to monitor an uneven distribution of the oil deterioration or a full range of the oil level of the entire oil system.

Claims

1. A method for detecting oil deterioration and oil level, comprising the steps of:

a. providing an oil in use, said oil in use is placed in an oil system of a machine;

b. providing a reference oil being free of water, said reference oil is disposed in a sealed container which is located in a common temperature environment with said oil;

c. providing a measurement sensor which includes a first capacitor;

d. providing a reference sensor which includes a second capacitor, said second capacitor is immersed in said reference oil;

e. positioning said measurement sensor wherein said first capacitor is immersed in said oil in use;

f. measuring an electrical property of said first capacitor and an electrical property of said second capacitor, wherein said electrical property is one of;

an impedance of the respective said first and said second capacitors;

a current passing through the respective said first and said second capacitors;

a voltage developed across the respective said first and said second capacitors;

g. combining said electrical property of said first capacitor with said electrical property of said second capacitor to obtain a measured temperature compensated electrical property of said first capacitor, which represents a measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) of said oil in use;

h. following the steps (a) to (g) establishing a predicted temperature compensated electrical property profile for said oil, which reflects a normal oil deterioration for said oil, said predicted profile includes an electrical property (EP_T,N), which is equal to a measured property EP_T(M) of said oil if it is unused and dry, and another electrical property (EP_T,S), which is equal to the measured property EP_T(M) of said oil if it is spent and dry;

i. establishing a full range of usage of said oil as Δ

U_F=(U_S−

U_N) according to change of said electrical properties (EP_T,N−

EP_T,S), wherein U represents an actual oil usage which is an independent variable to said property EP_T;

said U_N is an actual usage of said unused oil and said U_S is an actual usage of said spent oil;

j. defining a measured normalized remaining usage ratio R_M of said oil having said property EP_T(M) as;

R_M=[EP_T(M)−

EP_T,S]/[EP_T,N−

EP_T,S],

wherein R is a remaining usage ratio and ranges from one for said unused oil to zero for said spent oil;

k. defining a measured remaining usage of said oil as (R_MΔ

U_F);

l. from said predicted property profile, determining a predicted temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(P) according to a same usage moment as compared with said measured property EP_T(M), establishing a predicated remaining usage ratio as R_p=[EP_T(P)-EP_T,S]/[EP_T,N-EP_T,S], from which to obtain a predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F);

m. determining said normal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the absence of said water if said measured remaining usage (R_MΔ

U_F) is similar to said predicated remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F), and confirming said measured remaining usage which represents an actual remaining usage of said oil;

n. determining an abnormal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the presence of said water if said measured remaining usage (R_MΔ

U_F) is less than said predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F); and

o. determining a top level of said oil which is reduced to a top level of a predetermined threshold amount of said oil if said measured remaining usage (R_MΔ

U_F) is larger than said predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F).

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

b”

, wherein said reference oil is one of said unused oil, or a partially spent oil, or said spent oil, and said reference oil has a similar thermal property as compared with a thermal property of sais oil.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

d”

, wherein said first capacitor and second capacitor have structural relationships which make said capacitors exhibit a same change of the respective said electrical properties as a function of oil temperature change when said first capacitor and said second capacitor are immersed in a same oil;

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

f”

, further comprising;

said electrical property is a resistance or a capacitive reactance of the respective said first capacitor and said second capacitor.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

i”

, wherein said usage is a number of used times or traveled miles.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

g”

, further comprising;

observing a likely presence of said water in said oil if said measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) occurring any of the following;

said measured property EP_T(M) exhibits a sudden change, wherein said sudden change indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(P);

or

said measured property EP_T(M) having a value which differs from said predicted property EP_T(P), wherein said difference indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P);

or

said measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) has a rate of change of deterioration of said oil which differs from a rate of change of deterioration determined by said predicted property EP_T(P), wherein said difference indicates extra deterioration of said oil than the deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P);

or

said measured property EP_T(M) having a value which exceeds a predetermined extreme value of said predicted property profile, wherein said predetermined extreme value is exceeded at a measurement time which is earlier than a time predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P).

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step (a), further comprising:

positioning said oil in a cold internal combustion engine, starting said engine, and observing a likely presence of said water in said oil if said measured property EP_T(M) of step “

g”

exhibits an initial anomaly, wherein said initial anomaly indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P).

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

k”

, further comprising the following steps;

p. determining a measured actual remaining usage of said oil as Δ

U_M=(U_S−

U_M), wherein said U_M is corresponding to said measured property EP_T(M);

q. defining a predicted actual remaining usage as Δ

U_p=U_S−

U_p for said oil, wherein said U_p correlates to said predicted property EP_T(P);

r. determining said normal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the absence of said water if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is similar to said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p, and confirming said measured actual remaining usage;

S. determining said abnormal deterioration fo said oil which occurs in the presence of said water if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is less than said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p; and

t. determining said top level of said oil which is reduced to said top level of said predetermined threshold amount of said oil if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is larger than said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

j”

, further comprising a measured deterioration degree D_M for said oil having said property of EP_T(M) as;

D_M=[EP_T,N−

EP_T(M)]/[EP_T,N−

EP_T,S],

wherein D is normalized ranging from zero for said unused oil to one for said spent oil.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

e”

, further comprising;

placing said measurement sensor in said oil system wherein said first capacitor is positioned aligning with said top level of the threshold amount of said oil of said oil system.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

h”

, further comprising;

predicting said top level of the oil which is reduced to said top level of the threshold amount of the oil if said measured temperature compensated electrical property differs to said predicted property wherein said difference indicates less deterioration of the oil than deterioration determined by said predicted electrical property.

12. The method in accordance with claim 1 in step “

c”

, further comprising at least two said measurement sensors, each of which comprises a respective first capacitor that is immersed in said oil, said at least two measurement sensor are placed at the respective at least two different locations of said oil system of said machine.

13. The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein a first of said at least two measurement sensors is positioned in said oil system, wherein its said first capacitor is aligned with a level adjacent but below an initial top oil level when a full amount of said oil is just newly disposed in said oil system, a second of said at least two sensors is installed wherein its said first capacitor is positioned aligning with said top level of said threshold amount of said oil.

14. A method for detecting oil deterioration and oil level, comprising the steps of

a. providing an oil in use, said oil in use is placed in an oil system of a machine;

b. providing a sensor which includes a capacitor;

c. positioning said sensor wherein said capacitor is immersed in said oil;

d. measuring a temperature compensated electrical property of said capacitor, which represents a measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) of said oil in use, wherein said electrical property is one of;

an impedance of said capacitor;

a current passing through said capacitor;

a voltage developed across said capacitor;

e. establishing a predicted temperature compensated electrical property profile for said oil, which reflects a normal oil deterioration for said oil, said predicted profile includes an electrical property (EP_T,N), which is equal to a measured property EP_T(M) of said oil if it is unused and dry, and another electrical property (EP_T,S), which is equal to the measured property EP_T(M) of said oil if it is spent and dry;

f. establishing a full range of usage of said oil as Δ

U_F=(U_S−

U_N) according to change of said electrical properties (EP_T,N−

EP_T,S), wherein U represents an actual oil usage which is an independent variable to said property EP_T;

said U_N is an actual usage of said unused oil and said U_s is an actual usage of said spent oil;

g. defining a measured normalized remaining usage ratio R_M of said oil having said property EP_T(M) as;

R_M=[EP_T(M)−

EP_T,S]/[EP_T,N−

EP_T,S],

wherein R is a remaining usage and ranges from one for said unused oil to zero for said spent oil;

h. defining a measured remaining usage of said oil as (R_M Δ

U_F);

i. from said predicted property profile, determining a predicted temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(P) according to a same usage moment as compared with said measured property EP_T(M), establishing a predicated remaining usage ratio as R_p=[EP_T(P)−

EP_T,S]/[EP_T,N−

EP_T,S], from which to obtain a predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F);

j. determining said normal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the absence of said water if said measured remaining usage (R_MΔ

U_F) is similar to said predicated remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F), and confirming said measured remaining usage which represents an actual remaining usage of said oil;

k. determining an abnormal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the presence of said water if said measured remaining usage (R<sub>M l Δ

UF</sub>) is less than said predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F); and

l. determining a top level of said oil which is reduced to a top level of a predetermined threshold amount of said oil if said measured remaining usage (R_MΔ

U_F) is larger than said predicted remaining usage (R_pΔ

U_F).

15. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

d”

, further comprising;

said electrical property is a resistance or a capacitive reactance of the respective said first capacitor and said second capacitor.

16. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

f”

, wherein said usage is a number of used times or traveled miles.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

d”

, further comprising;

observing a likely presence of said water in said oil if said measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) occurring any of the following;

said measured property EP_T(M) exhibits a sudden change, wherein said sudden change indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(P);

or

said measured property EP_T(M) having a value which differs from said predicted property EP_T(P), wherein said difference indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P);

or

said measured temperature compensated electrical property EP_T(M) has a rate of change of deterioration of said oil which differs from a rate of change of deterioration determined by said predicted property EP_T(P), wherein said difference indicates extra deterioration of said oil than the deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P);

or

said measured property EP_T(M) having a value which exceeds a predetermined extreme value of said predicted property profile, wherein said predetermined extreme value is exceeded at a measurement time which is earlier than a time predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P).

18. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step (a), further comprising:

positioning said oil in a cold internal combustion engine, starting said engine, and observing a likely presence of said water in said oil if said measured property EP_T(M) of step “

g”

exhibits an initial anomaly, wherein said initial anomaly indicates extra deterioration of said oil than deterioration predicted by said predicted property EP_T(P).

19. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

g”

, further comprising the following steps;

m. determining a measured actual remaining usage of said oil as Δ

U_M=(U_S−

U_M), wherein said U_M is corresponding to said measured property EP_T(M);

n. defining a predicted actual remaining usage as Δ

U_p=U_S−

U_p for said oil, wherein said U_p correlates to said predicted property EP_T(P);

o. determining said normal deterioration of said oil which occurs in the absence of said water if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is similar to said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p, and confirming said measured actual remaining usage;

p. determining said abnormal deterioration fo said oil which occurs in the presence of said water if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is less than said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p; and

q. determining said top level of said oil which is reduced to said top level of said predetermined threshold amount of said oil if said measured actual remaining usage Δ

U_M is larger than said predicted actual remaining usage Δ

U_p.

20. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

g”

, further comprising a measured deterioration degree D_M for said oil having said property of EP_T(M) as;

D_M=[EP_T,N−

EP_T(M)]/[EP_T,N−

EP_T,S],

wherein D is normalized ranging from zero for said unused oil to one for said spent oil.

21. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

c”

, further comprising;

placing said sensor in said oil system wherein said capacitor is positioned aligning with said top level of the threshold amount of said oil in said oil system.

22. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

e”

, further comprising;

predicting said top level of the oil which is reduced to said top level of the threshold amount of the oil if said measured temperature compensated electrical property differs to said predicted property wherein said difference indicates less deterioration of the oil than deterioration determined by said predicted electrical property.

23. The method in accordance with claim 14 in step “

b”

, further comprising at least two said sensors, each of which comprises a respective capacitor that is immersed in said oil, said at least two sensors are placed at the respective at least two different locations of said oil system of said machine.

24. The method in accordance with claim 23, wherein a first of said at least two sensors is positioned in said oil system, wherein its said capacitor is aligned with a level adjacent but below an initial top oil level when a full amount of said oil is just newly disposed in said oil system, a second of said at least two sensors is installed wherein its said capacitor is positioned aligning with said top level of said threshold amount of said oil.

25. A method for detecting oil deterioration of an oil system of a machine including steps of applying a measurement sensor having a first capacitor immersed in an oil in use and a reference sensor having a second capacitor immersed in a reference oil;

measuring one of electrical properties of the respective first and second capacitors;

combining the electrical properties of the respective first and second capacitors to obtain a temperature compensated electrical property of the first capacitor which represents a temperature compensated electrical property of the oil in use;

establishing a predicted property file including a predicted property as compared with the measured property, establishing a measured remaining usage ratio which leads to a measured remaining usage of the oil in use, and defining a predicted remaining usage ratio for the oil which further leads to a predicted remaining usage for the oil in use, further comprising the steps of;

a. providing at least two measurement sensors, including a first of said at least two measurement sensors having a first capacitor immersed in said oil in use and a second of said at least two measurement sensors having a first capacitor immersed in said oil in use;

b. positioning said first and said second of said at least two measurement sensors in different locations of said oil system, therefore, each of said first capacitor of the respective said first and said second of said at least two measurement sensors obtaining the respective measured remaining usages of said oil located at the respective said locations of said oil system;

c. determining an even distribution of a normal oil deterioration of said oil which occurs in the absence of water in said oil system if the respective said measured remaining usages from the respective first and second of said at least two measurement sensors are similar to said predicted remaining usage, and confirming one of the respective said measured remaining usage as an actual remaining usage of said oil in said oil system; and

d. determining an uneven distribution of oil deterioration in said oil system if the respective said measured remaining usages form the respective said first and said second of said at least two measurement sensors are different from each other, as compared with said predicted remaining usage.