Optical fluid contamination and change monitor
First Claim
1. Apparatus for testing a sample of fluid material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on light comprising a sealed chamber for containing therein a fluid sample to be tested and having inlet and outlet openings thereto for the fluid sample to be tested;
- a light source mounted exteriorly of said chamber, means responsive to light for producing a signal mounted exteriorly of said chamber;
first optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said light source;
second optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said light responsive means, a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis within said chamber;
said rotor having at least two through passages, each extending between the chamber ends of said optical fiber means in spaced-apart positions of said rotor;
a reference material in one or more of said passages, and means in other of said passages for holding a sample material;
second light responsive means;
third optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said second light responsive means and having an off-axis orientation with respect to said first and second optical passages in said rotor providing respective light paths for each of said through passages with said third optical fiber means.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optical oil monitor that measures particle contamination in oil by passing light through an oil sample and picking up the light that is scattered at 90° by the particle contaminaton and measures chemical breakdown by the attenuation of the light passing substantially straight through the oil with a second sensor. Alternately a sample and a reference are passed between the light responsive sensors for error correction and calibration so that each sensor will have an output signal alternating between a sample signal and a reference signal. A control signal of the same frequency is provided in combination with a plurality of gates to separate the sample and reference signals. The attenuation reference signal is compared to a standard signal to produce an error output for regulating the intensity of the light source to compensate for power source fluctuations, lamp characteristic changes, window soiling and the like. The scattering reference signal is used to adjust the gain on the scattering sample signal amplifier to obtain the desired output from the sample circuit peak detector. The sample and reference are housed within a rotor provided with vanes so that it may be driven as a pump by a motor or be driven by fluid flow as a turbine. When the rotor acts as a turbine, the frequency of the light responsive sensors will be correlated to the fluid flow so that an appropriate frequency responsive gauge is provided in circuit to monitor the fluid flow. Also, a malfunction light will signal the absence of a reference attenuation signal.
17 Citations
28 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for testing a sample of fluid material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on light comprising a sealed chamber for containing therein a fluid sample to be tested and having inlet and outlet openings thereto for the fluid sample to be tested;
- a light source mounted exteriorly of said chamber, means responsive to light for producing a signal mounted exteriorly of said chamber;
first optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said light source;
second optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said light responsive means, a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis within said chamber;
said rotor having at least two through passages, each extending between the chamber ends of said optical fiber means in spaced-apart positions of said rotor;
a reference material in one or more of said passages, and means in other of said passages for holding a sample material;
second light responsive means;
third optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said second light responsive means and having an off-axis orientation with respect to said first and second optical passages in said rotor providing respective light paths for each of said through passages with said third optical fiber means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
- a light source mounted exteriorly of said chamber, means responsive to light for producing a signal mounted exteriorly of said chamber;
-
7. Apparatus for testing a sample of fluid material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on radiant energy comprising means for holding a sample fluid material;
- separate means for holding a reference material having known radiant energy affecting characteristics;
a single radiant energy source;
means for passing a single radiant energy beam from said source alternately through each of said means for holding to alternately pass the radiant energy beam through sample and reference material;
single attenuated radiant energy responsive means for intercepting the attenuated radiant energy after it has passed through said means for holding a sample material and after it has passed through said means for holding a reference material to produce an attenuation electrical output comprised of correspondingly alternating sample and reference attenuation electrical signals in response to the radiant energy intercepted by said attenuated radiant energy responsive means including a single radiant energy to electrical energy transducer receiving the attenuated radiant energy from only one direction common to sample and reference radiant energy; and
single scattered radiant energy responsive means mounted with respect to said holding means and said means for passing radiant energy so that it receives the radiant energy scattered by said materials to produce a single scattered electrical output correspondingly alternating between sample and reference scattered electrical signals, and including a single radiant energy to electrical energy transducer receiving the scattered radiant energy from only one direction common to sample and reference radiant energy. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
- separate means for holding a reference material having known radiant energy affecting characteristics;
-
22. Apparatus for testing a sample of material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on light, comprising means for holding a sample material;
- separate means for holding a reference material having known light affecting characteristics;
means for passing light separately through each of said means for holding to pass through held material and a reference material and including only a single light source;
a single light responsive means for intercepting the light after it has passed through said holding means for holding a sample material and after it has passed through said means for holding a reference material to produce sample and reference signals in response to the light intercepted;
all of said holding means being rigidly interconnected equidistant from an axis as a holding unit, and said means for passing light and said light responsive means being rigidly interconnected as a light unit;
said holding unit being rotatably mounted about the axis with respect to said light unit to selectively align only one of said means for holding with the light at one time;
a motor having an independent power source and being drivingly connected for rotating said holding unit about the axis; and
a plurality of pump blades mounted on said holding unit for rotation therewith to pump fluid through said means for holding a sample material during rotation of said holding unit.
- separate means for holding a reference material having known light affecting characteristics;
-
23. Apparatus for testing a sample of material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on light comprising means for holding a sample material;
- separate means for holding a reference material having known light affecting characteristics;
means for passing light separately through each of said means for holding to pass through held material and a reference material and including only a single light source;
a single light responsive means for intercepting the light after it has passed through said means for holding a sample material and after it has passed through said means for holding a reference material to produce sample and reference signals in response to the light intercepted;
said holding means being rigidly interconnected equidistant from an axis as a holding unit, and said means for passing light and said light responsive means being rigidly interconnected as a light unit;
said holding unit being rotatable about the axis with respect to said light unit to selectively align only one of said means for holding with said light at one time; and
means for passing a stream of fluid sample through said means for holding a sample material and past said holding unit; and
a plurality of turbine vane means mounted on said holding unit for rotation therewith within the fluid sample stream for driving the holding unit about the axis. - View Dependent Claims (24)
- separate means for holding a reference material having known light affecting characteristics;
-
25. Apparatus for testing a sample of material to determine at least one characteristic correlated to the effect the material has on light comprising a sealed chamber containing therein a fluid sample to be tested;
- a light source mounted exteriorly of said chamber;
means responsive to light for producing a signal mounted exteriorly of said sealed chamber, first optical fiber means extending from said light source into said chamber;
second optical fiber means extending from within said chamber to said light responsive means;
a rotor mounted for rotation about an axis within said chamber;
said rotor having at least two through passages, each extending between the chamber ends of said optical fiber means in spaced-apart positions of said rotor;
a reference material in one of said passages, and means in other of said passages for holding a sample material;
said chamber comprising a first tubluar wall having said rotor mounted therein for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of symmetry of said tubular wall, and having said optical fibers extending therethrough, and being opened at opposed ends for respectively receiving and discharging fluid sample material. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
- a light source mounted exteriorly of said chamber;
-
28. Apparatus for optically monitoring the condition of a moving stream of fluid, comprising means for holding at least a moving portion of the fluid stream;
- means for holding an at least partially light transmitting reference material;
light source means;
light responsive transducer means for converting received light into correlated electrical signal output;
light path means alternately forming a first light path between said light source means, said reference material holding means and said light responsive transducer means, and a second light path between said light source means, said moving fluid portion holding means and said light responsive transducer means; and
said light path means including a light path portion for each of said paths mounted for free rotation about an axis generally aligned with the direction of flow for the moving fluid stream, and turbine means for rotatably driving said light path portion about said axis, including a plurality of turbine blades in the fluid stream mounted on said light path portion about said axis.
- means for holding an at least partially light transmitting reference material;
Specification