Field instrument temperature apparatus and related methods
AssigneeFisher Controls International LLC
InventorMark Byer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Example field instrument temperature apparatus and methods for affecting or regulating a temperature of a field instrument are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a vortex tube having an inlet to receive a fluid, a first outlet to dispense a first portion of the fluid at a first temperature and a second outlet to dispense a second portion of the fluid at a second temperature, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature. The example apparatus also includes a first passageway fluidly coupled to the first outlet to direct the first portion of the fluid to an electronic device in a process control system to affect a temperature of the device.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a vortex tube comprising:
- an inlet to receive a fluid;
- a first outlet to dispense a first portion of the fluid at a first temperature;
- and
- a second outlet to dispense a second portion of the fluid at a second temperature,
- the second temperature to being greater than the first temperature;
- and
- a first passageway fluidly coupled to the first outlet to direct the first portion of the fluid to an electronic device disposed within a housing in a process control system to affect a temperature of the electronic device in the housing.
An apparatus comprising a vortex tube comprising:
- an inlet to receive a fluid;
- a first outlet to dispense a first portion of the fluid at a first temperature;
- and
- a second outlet to dispense a second portion of the fluid at a second temperature,
- the second temperature being greater than the first temperature;
- a first passageway fluidly coupled to the first outlet to direct the first portion of the fluid to an electronic device disposed in a housing in a process control system to affect a temperature of the electronic device;
- and
- a first switching valve disposed in the first passageway, the first switching valve to direct the first portion of the fluid to the housing or to the atmosphere.
An apparatus comprising:
- a housing to contain an electronic device of a process control system;
- a vortex tube that is to divert a first portion of a fluid to a first outlet of the vortex tube and a second portion of the fluid to a second outlet of the vortex tube;
- and
- a first passageway to fluidly couple the first outlet to the housing to supply the first portion of the fluid to an internal cavity of the housing;
- and
- a second passageway to fluidly couple the second outlet to the housing to supply the second portion of the fluid to the internal cavity of the housing.
A method comprising:
- measuring a first temperature proximate a field instrument in a process control system;
- comparing the first temperature to a first threshold;
- and
- operating a vortex tube to supply fluid at a second temperature to the field instrument when the first temperature is above the first threshold, the second temperature lower than the first temperature, the vortex tube comprising an inlet that is to receive the fluid, a first outlet that is to dispense a first portion of the fluid at the second temperature, and a second outlet that is to dispense a second portion of the fluid at a third temperature, the third temperature higher than the second temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.