Sensors for detecting leaks
First Claim
1. A sensor for detecting the presence of a particular fluid, comprising:
- a first fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a source of illumination and a second end;
a second fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a detector of illumination and a second end;
said second end of said second fiber optic being disposed in a particular efficient light-transmitting relationship with said second end of said first fiber optic in the absence of said particular fluid; and
means for moving said second ends of said first and second fiber optics with respect to one another so as to alter said particular efficient light-transmitting relationship responsive to the presence of the particular fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sensor for detecting leakage of a particular fluid into an area to be monitored, such as an interstitial space of a double-walled tank or pipeline, comprises first and second fiber optics. A first end of the first fiber optic is disposed to a source of light and a first end of the second fiber optic is disposed to a detector of light. The second ends of the fiber optics are axially aligned with one another. Under normal circumstances light is transmitted from the source to the first fiber optic across the gap into the second fiber optic, and is detected by the detector. The fiber optics are arranged such that when the sensor is exposed to a material to be monitored, effective light-transmission between the second ends of the fiber optics is prevented, preventing light from being transmitted from the source to the detector. This provides a simple and fool-proof method of detecting leakage of the fluid to be monitored into the area to be monitored.
95 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A sensor for detecting the presence of a particular fluid, comprising:
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a first fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a source of illumination and a second end; a second fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a detector of illumination and a second end; said second end of said second fiber optic being disposed in a particular efficient light-transmitting relationship with said second end of said first fiber optic in the absence of said particular fluid; and means for moving said second ends of said first and second fiber optics with respect to one another so as to alter said particular efficient light-transmitting relationship responsive to the presence of the particular fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A sensor for detecting the presence of a particular fluid, comprising:
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a first fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a source of illumination, and a second end adapted to be juxtaposed to a detector of illumination; and cutter means to cut said fiber optic responsive to exposure to said particular fluid, wherein said cutter means comprises a releasably latched cutter biased to cut said fiber optic and a latch normally preventing said cutting, said latch being of a material deteriorating in the presence of said particular fluid. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A method of detecting a leak of a particular fluid from a vessel into a space, comprising the steps of:
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disposing a continuous fiber optic in said space, said fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a source of illumination and a second end adapted to be juxtaposed to a detector of illumination; disposing one or more cutters adapted to cut said fiber optic in response to exposure to said particular fluid in operative relation to said fiber optic; and periodically monitoring the light-transmissive characteristics of said fiber optic, to determine whether said fiber optic has been cut by one or more of said cutters responsive to exposure of said one or more of said cutters to said fluid. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of detecting the presence of a particular fluid in a space, comprising the steps of disposing second ends of first and second fiber optics in said space, said first fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a light source, and said second fiber optic having a first end adapted to be juxtaposed to a light detector;
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maintaining said second ends of said first and second fiber optics in axially-aligned light-transmitting relation to one another in absence of said particular fluid; providing bias means for altering said axially-aligned light-transmitting relation responsive to exposure of said means for altering said fluid; providing means for maintaining said second ends of said first and second fiber optics in said axially-aligned light-transmitting relation in absence of said particular fluid; and periodically monitoring the efficiency of transmission of light between said first and second fiber optics, to determine whether said means for altering has been exposed to said fluid. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification