Static Fluid Sensor in Communication with a Multi-Sensing Device and Method of Operating

• US 20140195172A1
• Filed: 01/04/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Luraco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Luraco, Inc.
• Inventors: Le, Kevin, Gaston, Bryce
• Application Number:
  US13/734,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20140195172A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/47
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/363 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 5/005 by measuring pressure or differential pressure, created by the use of flow constriction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00

Abstract

A system including a flow sensor coupled to a fluid line and operable to determine flow rate data of a fluid flowing through the fluid line and communicate the flow rate data of the fluid to a multi-sense device. The multi-sense device coupled to the fluid line and operable to monitor characteristics of the fluid flowing through a filter element. The multi-sense device including a microcontroller coupled to a first, second, and third sensors. The microcontroller executing instructions for determining a pressure differential across the filter element using the flow rate data from the flow sensor, the first pressure of the fluid from the first sensor, the second pressure of the fluid from the second sensor, and the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A flow sensor comprising:

a bore defined by a body of the flow sensor and extending through the flow sensor, the bore having a non-uniform cross-sectional shape;

an inlet portion coupled to a first hydraulic line portion and operable to deliver a hydraulic fluid into the bore;

an outlet portion coupled to a second hydraulic line portion and operable to deliver the hydraulic fluid away from the bore;

an inlet pressure sensor operable to monitor and detect an inlet pressure of the hydraulic fluid in a proximal portion of the bore;

a temperature sensor operable to monitor and detect a temperature of the hydraulic fluid in a middle portion of the bore;

an outlet pressure sensor operable to monitor and detect a outlet pressure of the hydraulic fluid in a distal portion of the bore; and

a microcontroller in communication with the inlet pressure sensor, temperature sensor, and outlet pressure sensor and operable to receive and process the inlet pressure, the temperature, and the outlet pressure to determine a flow rate of the hydraulic fluid.

2. The flow sensor of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the bore has a first cross-sectional shape and the middle portion of the bore has a second cross-sectional shape that is different than the first cross-sectional shape.

3. The flow sensor of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the bore has a first cross-sectional shape, the middle portion of the bore has a second cross-sectional shape, and the distal portion of the bore has the first cross-sectional shape, the first cross-sectional shape being different than the second cross-sectional shape.

4. The flow sensor of claim 1, further including an energy harvesting device that harvests one of heat, light, and/or vibration energy and converts it into electrical energy for powering the flow sensor.

5. The flow sensor of claim 1, wherein the microcontroller in determining the flow rate of the hydraulic fluid utilizes executable instructions including:

determining an inlet pressure compensated for temperature by using the flowing formula;

6. The flow sensor of claim 1, further including a data communication circuit coupled to the microcontroller and in communication with a communication line that is external to the flow sensor such that the microcontroller is operable to send the determined flow rate of the hydraulic fluid to another device coupled to the second hydraulic line portion via the communication line.

7. The flow sensor of claim 1, wherein the bore further includes a first transition portion positioned between the proximal portion and the middle portion such that the first transition portion tapers from the proximal portion to the middle portion, and

a second transition portion positioned between the distal portion and the middle portion such that the second transition portion tapers from the distal portion to the middle portion.

8. A system comprising:

a flow sensor coupled to a fluid line and operable to determine flow rate data of a fluid flowing through the fluid line and communicate the flow rate data of the fluid to a multi-sense device; and

the multi-sense device coupled to the fluid line and operable to monitor characteristics of the fluid flowing through a filter element, the multi-sense device including;

a first sensor operable to sense a first pressure of the fluid on a first side of the filter element;

a second sensor operable to sense a second pressure of the fluid on a second side of the filter element; and

a third sensor operable to sense a temperature of the fluid;

an indicator for indicating a condition of the filter element; and

a microcontroller coupled to the first, second, and third sensors, the microcontroller executing instructions for;

receiving the flow rate data from the flow sensor, the first pressure of the fluid from the first sensor, the second pressure of the fluid from the second sensor; and

the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor;

determining a pressure differential across the filter element using the flow rate data from the flow sensor, the first pressure of the fluid from the first sensor, the second pressure of the fluid from the second sensor, and the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor;

determining whether the temperature exceeds a temperature threshold;

if the temperature exceeds the temperature threshold, determining whether the determined pressure differential exceeds a pressure differential threshold; and

if the determined pressure differential exceed the pressure differential threshold, activating the indicator to indicate a change to the condition of the filter element.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the pressure differential across the filter element includes:

determining a total pressure of the fluid on the first side of the filter element by using the flow rate data from the flow sensor, the first pressure of the fluid from the first sensor, and the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor;

determining a total pressure of the fluid on the second side of the filter element by using the second pressure of the fluid from the second sensor and the temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor; and

determining the pressure differential across the filter element by comparing the total pressure of the fluid on the first side of the filter element to the total pressure of the fluid on the second side of the filter element.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising a communication line coupling the flow sensor and the multi-sense device, wherein the flow sensor communicates the flow rate data to the multi-sense device using the communication line.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the first side of the filter element is an inlet side of the filter element and the second side of the filter element is an outlet side of the filter element.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the activating the indicator to change the condition of the filter element includes changing the condition of the filter element to condemned.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the fluid is a hydraulic fluid.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein determining whether the temperature exceeds the temperature threshold includes determining whether the temperature exceeds a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold, and

wherein if the temperature exceeds the second temperature threshold, activating the indicator to indicate a change to a condition of the fluid.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the multi-sense device further includes a fourth sensor for sensing a quality of the fluid flowing through the filter element.

16. A method comprising:

receiving actual flow rate data representing an actual flow rate of a fluid flowing through a fluid system, wherein the actual flow rate data is generated by sensing the fluid flowing through the fluid system;

receiving a first sensed pressure of the fluid from an inlet pressure sensor, wherein the inlet pressure sensor is on an inlet side of a filter element;

receiving a second sensed pressure of the fluid from an outlet pressure sensor, wherein the outlet pressure sensor is on an outlet side of the filter element;

receiving a sensed temperature of the fluid from a temperature sensor;

determining a pressure differential across the filter element using the flow rate data, the first sensed pressure, the second sensed pressure, and the sensed temperature;

determining whether the sensed temperature exceeds a temperature threshold;

if the sensed temperature exceeds the temperature threshold, determining whether the determined pressure differential exceeds a pressure differential threshold; and

if the determined pressure differential exceed the pressure differential threshold, determining that the filter element is in a condemned condition.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the inlet pressure sensor, outlet pressure sensor, and the temperature sensor are components in a multi-sense device that is coupled to a fluid line of the fluid system, and

wherein the actual flow rate is determined by a flow sensor coupled to the fluid line upstream of the multi-sense device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising determining, by the flow sensor, the actual flow rate of the fluid flowing though the fluid system;

and

sending the actual flow rate data to the multi-sense device through a communication line.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the pressure differential across the filter element includes:

determining a total pressure of the fluid on the inlet side of the filter element by using the flow rate data representing the actual flow rate of the fluid flowing through the fluid system, the first sensed pressure of the fluid from the inlet sensor, and the sensed temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor;

determining a total pressure of the fluid on the outlet side of the filter element by using the second sensed pressure of the fluid from the outlet sensor and the sensed temperature of the fluid from the temperature sensor; and

determining the pressure differential across the filter element by comparing the total pressure of the fluid on the inlet side of the filter element to the total pressure of the fluid on the outlet side of the filter element.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining whether the sensed temperature exceeds another temperature threshold;

and

if the sensed temperature does exceed the another temperature threshold, determining that the fluid is in an abnormal condition.