Impulse line blockage detector systems and methods
First Claim
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1. A system for detecting a blockage of at least one impulse line of a differential pressure sensor, said system comprising:
- an absolute pressure sensor coupled to said at least one impulse line;
a processor coupled to said absolute pressure sensor to acquire data therefrom, said processor determining a noise value as a function of said data; and
a comparator coupled to said processor to receive said noise value and compare it to a noise threshold, said comparator indicating said blockage of said at least one impulse line if said comparison fails.
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Abstract
A differential pressure sensor is attached to a process via a high and a low pressure impulse line. An absolute pressure sensor is also attached to each impulse line. To determine if an impulse line is blocked, a noise signal is acquired from the corresponding absolute pressure sensor. A variance of the noise signal is determined and compared to a threshold. If the variance is less than the threshold, an impulse line blockage is indicated.
120 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for detecting a blockage of at least one impulse line of a differential pressure sensor, said system comprising:
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an absolute pressure sensor coupled to said at least one impulse line; a processor coupled to said absolute pressure sensor to acquire data therefrom, said processor determining a noise value as a function of said data; and a comparator coupled to said processor to receive said noise value and compare it to a noise threshold, said comparator indicating said blockage of said at least one impulse line if said comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An impulse line blockage detection system comprising:
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a differential pressure sensor coupled to a high pressure impulse line and a low pressure impulse line; a first absolute pressure sensor coupled to said high pressure impulse line; a second absolute pressure sensor coupled to said low pressure impulse line; a processor coupled to said first absolute pressure sensor and said second absolute pressure sensor to acquire data therefrom, said processor extracting measured noise from said data and determining a noise value for each of said first absolute pressure sensor and said second absolute pressure sensor; and a comparator coupled to said processor to receive said noise values and compare them to noise thresholds for each of said first absolute pressure sensor and said second absolute pressure sensor, said comparator indicating a blockage of at least one of said high pressure impulse line and said low pressure impulse line if either comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A pressure sensor-transmitter having impulse line blockage detection comprising:
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a differential pressure sensor coupled to a first impulse line and a second impulse line, said differential pressure sensor being integral with a first sensor chip; an absolute pressure sensor coupled to said first impulse line, said absolute pressure sensor being integral with said first sensor chip; a processor coupled to said absolute pressure sensor and said differential pressure sensor to acquire data therefrom; means for combining data from said absolute pressure sensor and said differential pressure sensor to determine absolute pressure data for said second impulse line; means for determining a first noise value for said first impulse line from said data from said absolute pressure sensor; means for determining a second noise value for said second impulse line from said absolute pressure data for said second impulse line; and means for comparing each of said noise values to a noise threshold for each of said first impulse line and said second impulse line, said means for comparing indicating a blockage of at least one of said first impulse line and said second impulse line if either comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A system for detecting a blockage of an impulse line of an absolute pressure sensor, said system comprising:
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a processor coupled to said absolute pressure sensor to acquire noise data therefrom, said processor determining a noise value as a function of said data; and a comparator coupled to said processor to receive said noise value and compare it to a noise threshold, said comparator indicating said blockage of said impulse line if said comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for detecting a blockage of at least one impulse line of a differential pressure sensor, one of said at least one impulse line having an absolute pressure sensor coupled thereto, said method comprising:
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acquiring data from said absolute pressure sensor; determining a noise value as a function of said data; comparing said noise value to a noise threshold; and indicating said blockage of said at least one impulse line if said comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A blockage detection method for detecting blockages in at least one of a high pressure impulse line and a low pressure impulse line, each coupled to a differential pressure sensor, said high pressure impulse line being coupled to a first absolute pressure sensor and said low pressure impulse line being coupled to a second absolute pressure sensor, said method comprising:
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acquiring data from said first absolute pressure sensor and said second absolute pressure sensor extracting measured noise from said data and determining a noise value for each of said first absolute pressure sensor and said second absolute pressure sensor; comparing each noise value to a separate threshold; and indicating a blockage of at least one of said high pressure impulse line and said low pressure impulse line if either comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. An blockage detection method for a pressure sensor comprising:
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acquiring data from said pressure sensor, said pressure sensor include a differential pressure sensor coupled to a first impulse line and a second impulse line, said pressure sensor further including an absolute pressure sensor coupled to said first impulse line, said differential pressure sensor and said absolute pressure sensor being integral with a same chip; combining data from said absolute pressure sensor and said differential pressure sensor to determine absolute pressure data for said second impulse line; determining a first noise value for said first impulse line from said data from said absolute pressure sensor; determining a second noise value for said second impulse line from said absolute pressure data for said second impulse line; and comparing each of said noise values to a separate noise threshold, said comparing indicating a blockage of at least one of said first impulse line and said second impulse line if either comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (23)
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24. A method for detecting a blockage of an impulse line of an absolute pressure sensor, said method comprising:
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acquiring noise data from said absolute pressure sensor; determining a noise value as a function of said data; comparing said noise value to a noise threshold; and indicating said blockage of said impulse line if said comparison fails. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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Specification