Remote monitor for steam traps

• US 7,246,036 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2004
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Armstrong International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Armstrong International Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheskaty, Rex, Grubka, Lawrence J., Horton, William R., Gaines, Michael H., Hellman, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiang; Chen Wen
• Application Number:
  US11/006,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20060118647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 236/93.R, 236/94, 137/1, 137/554, 137/557, 137/558, 738/658, 731/68, 702/45, 702/50, 702/51, 702/54, 702/182, 702/183
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: F16T 1/48 Monitoring arrangements for inspecting, e.g. flow of steam and steam condensate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/3028 With non-discriminating gas vent or liquid discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means

Abstract

An apparatus and method for monitoring the status of at least one steam trap includes at least one monitor including at least one sensor for sensing at least one process condition of the steam trap; at least one means for calculating an average of the at least one monitored process condition; and, at least one transmitter for transmitting at least one signal responsive to the averaged monitored process condition.

Claims

1. A remote monitoring system comprising:

a sensor device for sensing a process condition of a steam trap;

an electronic monitoring device operatively connected to the sensor device to receive data from the sensor device; and

a connector block including an inlet passage suitable for communication with an inlet port of a steam trap and including an outlet passage suitable for communication with an outlet port of a steam trap, the connector block connected to one of the sensor device and the electronic monitoring device.

2. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the sensor device includes an acoustic sensor.

3. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the sensor device includes a temperature sensor.

4. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the connector block defines a pocket extending inward from an outer surface for accepting the sensor device.

5. The remote monitoring system of claim 4 wherein the pocket terminates at a closed end.

6. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the connector block includes a coupling secured to a collar.

7. The remote monitoring system of claim 6 wherein one of the coupling and the collar defines a pocket extending inward from an outer surface for accepting the sensor device.

8. The remote monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the pocket terminates at a closed end.

9. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic monitoring device provides monitoring logic.

10. The remote monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the electronic monitoring device includes a programmable device capable of controlling the gathering, storage and dissemination of process condition data.