APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AND/OR MONITORING A PROCESS VARIABLE

• US 20100141285A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 06/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Endress GmbH & Co. KG.
• Original Assignee: Endress GmbH & Co. KG.
• Inventors: Wernet, Armin, Dieterle, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/754.220
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/00 Measuring or testing processes involving enzymes, nucleic acids or microorganisms measuring or testing apparatus with condition measuring or sensing means, e.g. colony counters, C12M1/34; Compositions therefor; Processes of preparing such compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 2304/00 Chemical means of detecting microorganisms hydrolase substrates C12Q2334/00, peptidase substrates C12Q2337/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/24 by measuring variations of resistance of resistors due to contact with conductor fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/26 by measuring variations of capacity or inductance of capacitors or inductors arising from the presence of liquid or fluent solid material in the electric or electromagnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/00 Features of devices classified in G01N21/00

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium (1). The apparatus includes at least one probe unit (3) and at least one electronics unit (4), which supplies the probe unit (3) with an electrical, exciter signal and which receives from the probe unit an electrical, measurement signal. The invention includes, that the probe unit (3) has at least one inner electrode (5) and at least one outer electrode (6) surrounding the inner electrode.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring at least one process variable of a medium, comprising:

at least one probe unit; and

at least one electronics unit, which supplies said at least one probe unit with an electrical, exciter signal and which receives from said at least one probe unit an electrical, measurement signal, wherein;

said probe unit has at least one inner electrode and at least one outer electrode surrounding the inner electrode.

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

said inner electrode and said outer electrode are insulated electrically relative to one another and relative to the medium.

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

said inner electrode is embodied to be rod shaped or cable shaped.

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

said outer electrode is embodied, at least sectionally, to be tubular.

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

said probe unit has at least two outer electrodes, said outer electrodes having equal wall thickness.

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

said outer electrode is embodied in such a manner, that it coaxially surrounds said inner electrode.

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

said at least one electronics unit is embodied in such a manner, that it supplies said inner electrode or said outer electrode with the exciter signal.

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

said at least one electronics unit is embodied in such a manner, that it supplies said inner electrode or said outer electrode in a predeterminable sequence with the exciter signal.

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

at least two outer electrodes are provided; and

said at least one electronics unit is embodied in such a manner, that it supplies said inner electrode and said outer electrodes alternately with the exciter signal.

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

said at least one electronics unit is embodied in such a manner, that it receives and evaluates the measurement signals associated with the individual supplyings of said inner electrode and said outer electrodes with the exciter signal.

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

said exciter signal is an alternating voltage.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein:

said at least one electronics unit is embodied in such a manner, that it produces the exciter signal with the same frequency or different frequencies.