Method and apparatus for monitoring oil degradation
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil comprising;
- first sensing means for producing an exponential output in response to oil temperature and the time the oil is subjected to the temperature, second sensing means for producing an additive output reflecting the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a predetermined temperature, and summing means for producing a summation of said outputs.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil, particularly crankcase oil. A first sensor includes creep material positioned under constant stress in thermal contact with the oil to act as an analogue computer as it changes its length in response to temperature and the time at that temperature to register the degradation of oil due to the oil'"'"'s oxidation. In addition, a second sensor registers the contamination of the oil by adding the number of times the oil is heated but not heated to a high enough predetermined temperature to disperse the water, acids and sludge which contaminate the oil. When the combination of these outputs reach a predetermined limit, a signal is provided.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil comprising;
- first sensing means for producing an exponential output in response to oil temperature and the time the oil is subjected to the temperature, second sensing means for producing an additive output reflecting the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a predetermined temperature, and summing means for producing a summation of said outputs.
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2. An apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil comprising;
- first sensing means for changing in physical dimension in response to oil temperature and the time at that temperature to provide an exponential output indicating the degradation of the oil due to the oxidation of the oil, second sensing means for producing an additive output reflecting the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a high enough predetermined temperature to disperse the water, acids and sludge which contaminate the oil, and summing means for producing a sum of said outputs.
- View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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21. An apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil comprising;
- first sensing means for sensing the degradation of oil in accordance with the equation ##EQU6## wherein D is the degradation of the oil due to oxidation, T max is the highest temperature of the oil, T min is the lowest temperature of the oil, n is the oxidation constant determined by the properties of the oil, t is the time the oil is at a given temperature, e is the base of natural logarithms, E is the activation energy in oxidizing the oil measured in calories per mole, R is the gas constant, and T is the oil temperature, and support means for supporting said first sensing means.
- View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. An apparatus for monitoring a material undergoing a thermally activated process defined by the function t.sup.. e-K/T wherein t is time in seconds, e is the base of natural logarithms, K is a constant including the activation energy of the process measured in calories per mole;
- said apparatus comprising;
support means, creep means supported by said support means and having a rate of change in physical dimension which follows the equation ##EQU8## when subjected to a constant force wherein dl/dt equals the rate of change in physical dimension, c is a constant determined by the physical dimensions of said creep means and the magnitude of the constant force, e is the base of natural logarithms, U is the activation energy required for said creep means to change in physical dimension, R is the gas constant, T is temperature, and wherein U/R is substantially equal to K. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
- said apparatus comprising;
- 29. An apparatus for monitoring a material undergoing a thermally activated process which follows an exponential curve involving temperature and time comprising, creep means for changing in physical dimension exponentially in response to heat energy when subjected to a constant stress, and force means for placing said creep means under a constant stress.
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31. An apparatus for monitoring the degradation of oil comprising;
- sensing means for mechanically producing an additive output movement reflecting the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a predetermined temperature, and signal means for producing a signal when said output movement reaches a predetermined amount.
- View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of monitoring the degradation of oil comprising the steps of;
- sensing oil temperature and the time period the oil is subjected to the temperature for producing an exponential output, sensing the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a predetermined temperature for producing an additive output, and summing said outputs for producing a summation thereof.
- View Dependent Claims (37)
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38. A method of monitoring the degradation of oil comprising the steps of;
- sensing the oxidation of the oil with a material which changes physically to produce an exponential output in response to oil temperature and the time at that temperature, sensing the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching the high enough predetermined temperature to disperse the water, acids and sludge therein which contaminate the oil for producing an additive output reflecting the number, and summing the outputs for producing a summation thereof.
- View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of monitoring the degradation of oil due to oxidation in accordance with the formula ##EQU9## wherein D1 is the degradation of the oil due to oxidation, T max is the highest temperature of the oil, T min is the lowest temperature of the oil, n is the oxidation constant determined by the properties of the oil, t is the time the oil is at a given temperature, e is the base of natural logarithms, E is the activation energy in oxidizing the oil measured in calories per mole, R is the gas constant, and T is the oil temperature, said method including the steps of exposing the oil to an electrochemically active material which creeps when under constant stress at a rate which follows the equation ##EQU10## wherein dl/dt equals the change in physical dimension per unit of time, c is a constant reflecting the physical dimensions of said material in combination with the magnitude of the constant stress, e is the base of natural logarithms, U is a constant representing the activation energy needed to cause the material to change in physical dimension and substantially equals E;
- and sensing a predetermined change in the physical dimension of the material.
- View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of monitoring the change in thermosetting resin material undergoing a thermally activated process in accordance with the formula ##EQU11## wherein D1 is the change in the material, T max is the highest temperature of the material, T min is the lowest temperature of the material, n is a constant determined by the properties of the material, t is the time the material is at a given temperature, e is the base of natural logarithms, E is the activation energy in changing the material measured in calories per mole, R is the gas constant, and T is the material temperature, said method including the steps of exposing the material to an electrochemically active creep material which creeps when under constant stress at a rate which follows the equation ##EQU12## wherein dl/dt equals the change in physical dimension per unit of time, c is a constant reflecting the physical dimensions of said creep material in combination with the magnitude of the constant stress, e is the base of natural logarithms, U is a constant representing the activation energy needed to cause the creep material to change in physical dimension and substantially equals E;
- and sensing a predetermined change in the physical dimension of the creep material.
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45. A method of monitoring the change in a material undergoing a thermally activated process which follows an exponential curve involving temperature and time with a creep material which changes in physical dimension exponentially in response to heat energy when subjected to a constant force, said method comprising the steps of;
- placing the creep material in thermal contact with the monitored material, and placing the creep material under a constant force.
- View Dependent Claims (46)
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47. A method of monitoring the degradation of oil comprising the steps of;
- mechanically sensing the number of occurrences the oil is heated without reaching a predetermined temperature for providing an additive output movement, and producing a signal when said output movement reaches a predetermined amount.
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48. A method of monitoring the degradation of oil comprising the steps of;
- moving a first member relative to a second member in a first direction each time the oil is heated, moving the first member in the opposite direction when the oil is no longer being heated, moving the second member in the opposite direction with the first member when the oil fails to reach a predetermined temperature and failing to move the second member with the first member when the oil exceeds the predetermined temperature.
- View Dependent Claims (49)
Specification