Fluid sensor fixture for dynamic fluid testing

• US 7,275,420 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Discenzo, Frederick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams; Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, RODNEY T
• Application Number:
  US11/389,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20060169033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 73/542.8, 732/90.R, 732/90.V, 732/90.B
• US Class Current: 73/54.28
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2035/1062 for testing the liquid while it is in the transfer device
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/2888 Lubricating oil characteristics, e.g. deterioration lubricating properties G01N33/30

Abstract

A system that facilitates measurement, analysis, and automatic maintenance of fluid comprises a fluid, and a casing that includes a plurality of apertures is immersed in the fluid. The apertures are opened to permit the fluid to enter the casing and closed to confine a sample of the fluid within the casing. A sensing element within the casing measures at least one parameter of the sample of fluid confined within the casing.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates automatic maintenance of a fluid, comprising:

a casing that is immersed in a fluid inside a machine, the casing comprising a plurality of apertures that are opened to permit the fluid to enter the casing, and closed to confine a sample of the fluid within the casing;

a multi-element sensing device having more than one sensing element within the casing that provides real-time in situ measurements of at least one property of the sample of the fluid confined within the casing.

2. The system of claim 1, the property is at least one of an oxidation level, a temperature, a viscosity, a pH, a TAN, a SAN, an oxidation potential, an oxidation reduction potential, an amount of H₂O, an amount of acidity, an amount of conductivity, a ferrous contamination, an additive state, an additive depletion, and a chemical contaminant.

3. The system of claim 1, the casing is immersed in the fluid inside at least one of a fluid flow line, a fluid reservoir, a pump, a valve, and a filter.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one screen associated with at least one aperture to prevent contaminants to enter the casing.

5. The system of claim 1, the machine is at least one of a rotating machinery, a bearing, a gearbox, a non-rotating machinery, an aircraft, a land-based system, a space-based system, and a marine system.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator to facilitate at least one of opening and closing of the aperture.

7. The system of claim 6, the actuator is at least one of a piezo-actuator, an electromagnetic actuator, and a device motion structure.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heating/cooling component that modifies a temperature of the fluid real-time in situ within the casing.

9. The system of claim 8, the temperature modification is utilized to provide at least one of a predictive maintenance of the fluid and a preventative maintenance of the fluid.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a flushing mechanism that forces a portion of tested fluid out of the casing and forces a portion of untested fluid into the casing.

11. The system of claim 10, the flushing mechanism is at least one of a suitable micro-fluidic device, a miniature pump, a micro-pump, an electrostatic piston diaphragm, an electromagnetic piston diaphragm, a pump, a compressed valve.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a piezoelectric material that provides at least one of the following:

a measurement of an amount of vibration; and

a source of power to the multi-element sensing device having more than one sensing element.

13. The system of claim 12, the piezoelectric material is at least one of the following a material that outputs sufficient voltage upon being distorted, a crystal of tourmaline, a quarts, a topaz, a cane sugar, a Rochelle salt, a quartz analogue crystals, ALPO₄, GaPO₄, a ceramic, a ceramic with perovskite, a tungsten-bronze structure, BaTiO₃, KNbO₃, LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃, BiFeO₃, Na_xWO₃, Ba₂NaNb₅O₁₅, Pb₂KNb₅O₁₅, a polymer polyvinlidene fluoride, and (—

CH₂—

CF₂—

)_n.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising the casing is a probe tip that contains one or more multi-element sensing devices which measure a property of the fluid.

15. A method that facilitates automatic testing of a fluid, comprising:

immersing a casing within a fluid within a machine, wherein the casing comprises a plurality of apertures that can be opened and closed, and the fluid is within one of a flow line and a reservoir;

opening the apertures to enable a sample of fluid to enter the casing;

closing the apertures to confine the sample of fluid within the casing; and

measuring at least one property of the sample of fluid utilizing a multi-element sensing device having at least one sensing element to provide real-time in situ measurements.

16. The method of claim 15, the property is at least one of an oxidation level, a temperature, a viscosity, a pH, a TAN, a SAN, an oxidation potential, an oxidation reduction potential, an amount of H₂O, an amount of acidity, an amount of conductivity, a ferrous contamination, an additive state, an additive depletion, and a chemical contaminant.

17. The method of claim 15, the machine is at least one of a rotating machinery, a bearing, a gearbox, a non-rotating machinery, an aircraft, a land-based system, a space-based system, and a marine system.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising modifying a temperature of the fluid real-time in situ within the casing.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising forcing a portion of tested fluid out of the casing and forcing a portion of untested fluid into the casing.

20. A system that facilitates testing fluid within machinery, comprising:

means for confining a sample of fluid within a casing;

means for providing in situ measurements of at least one property of the sample of fluid; and

means for flushing the sample of fluid from the casing.