Leak detector for electro-magnetic induction-type conductivity meter

• US 5,361,030 A
• Filed: 08/12/1992
• Issued: 11/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Original Assignee: Horiba Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Hiroo, Akiyama, Shigeyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Regan, Maura K.
• Application Number:
  US07/928,987
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 324/439, 324/445, 324/450, 324/204, 324/693, 324/724, 324/219, 324/220, 324/239, 340/604, 340/605, 174/11 R
• US Class Current: 324/445
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/204 by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils G01D5/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/023 where the material is placed in the field of a coil

Abstract

An improved detector assembly of an electro-magnetic conduction-type conductivity meter includes a plastic housing member having a liquid sample flow path extending therethrough. An excitation transformer is mounted in a cavity of the housing member along with the detection transformer for respectively inducing a current flow and detecting a current flow in the liquid sample flow path. A porous electrode is positioned adjacent one of the transformers and insulated by hydrophilic paper so that the entrance of any fluid within the cavity can be detected.

Claims

1. An improved detector assembly of an electro-magnetic induction-type conductivity meter comprising;

a housing member having a liquid sample flow path extending therethrough;

an excitation coil mounted in the housing member and extending about and separated from the liquid sample flow path;

a detection coil mounted in the housing member and extending about and separated from the liquid sample flow path;

means for providing a second liquid sample flow path that interconnects with the first liquid sample flow path both upstream and downstream of the respective coils, the second liquid sample flow path being adjacent the coils and substantially surrounding the coils, whereby the excitation coil enables an induction current to be generated in the liquid sample and the detection coil measures the induction current as representative of the liquid sample; and

means for detecting any entrance of the liquid sample into the housing member that would directly contact one of the coils.

2. The detector assembly of claim 1 wherein the means for detecting includes an electrode spaced from one of the coils.

3. The detector assembly of claim 2 wherein the means for detecting further includes an insulating porous paper positioned between the electrode one of the coils.

4. The detector assembly of claim 3 wherein the electrode is porous.

5. The detector assembly of claim 4 wherein the insulating paper is hydrophilic.

6. An improved detector assembly of an electro-magnetic induction-type conductivity meter which can be connected to a pipeline, comprising:

a two-piece molded housing member unitarily connected together and having a first liquid sample flow path extending therethrough including first and second male coupling projections for connection to a pipeline;

an excitation coil in the housing member and extending about the first liquid sample flow path;

a detection coil in the housing member and extending about the first liquid sample flow path;

means for providing a second liquid sample flow path extending through the housing member that interconnects with the first liquid sample flow path both upstream and downstream of the respective coils, the second liquid sample flow path including a first channel and a second channel that are approximately 180 degrees apart, the second liquid sample flow path being adjacent the coils, whereby the excitation coil enables an induction current to be generated in the liquid sample and the detection coil measures the induction current as representative of the liquid sample; and

means for detecting the presence of any liquid which enters into the housing member adjacent the respective coils.