Electrical apparatus oil sampler and conditioner for solid state sensors
AssigneeServeron Corporation
InventorsSteven Mahoney, Thomas Waters
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gas monitoring apparatus and system that provides for reliable and accurate monitoring of gaseous hydrogen and other compounds in dielectric oil. The apparatus provides an environment for and is used in conjunction with metal oxide semiconductor sensors. Thermal conditioning zones for oil provide an environment in which variations in oil temperature and ambient temperature are eliminated to insure that analytical data are not affected by these environmental conditions.
Claims20
Apparatus for thermally conditioning oil withdrawn from an electrical asset so that the oil may be analyzed, comprising:
- a manifold having a chamber;
- an inlet defining an oil pathway from the electrical asset into the chamber;
- a gas sensor housed in the chamber of the manifold, wherein the gas sensor is adapted for direct exposure to oil in the chamber and for detecting gas in the oil;
- an outlet defining an oil pathway from the chamber to the electrical asset;
- a first thermoelectric cooler in communication with the manifold for heating and cooling the manifold, wherein the first thermoelectric cooler is operable to create a substantially isothermal environment around the gas sensor so that the gas sensor is operated in a substantially isothermal environment.
Apparatus for thermally conditioning oil withdrawn from an electrical asset so that the oil may be analyzed, comprising:
- a first thermal conditioning zone comprising:
- a manifold having a chamber;
- a sensor assembly in the chamber, the sensor assembly adapted for sensing gas in the oil;
- a first thermoelectric cooler in thermal contact with the manifold;
- a heater board mounted to the manifold;
- and
- a first heat transfer block mounted to a support and in thermal contact with the first thermoelectric cooler;
- a second thermal conditioning zone thermally isolated from the first thermal conditioning zone and comprising:
- a sensor control circuit board;
- a second heat transfer block mounted to the support;
- a second thermoelectric cooler in thermal contact with the second heat transfer block;
- and
- a heat transfer bracket mounted to a surface of the second thermoelectric cooler;
- wherein the apparatus further includes:
- an oil inlet flow path from the electrical asset and into the chamber;
- and
- an oil outlet flow path from the chamber and to the electrical asset.
A method for thermally conditioning oil withdrawn from an electrical asset so that the oil may be analyzed, comprising the steps of:
- a) causing oil to flow from the electrical asset to a chamber in a first thermal conditioning zone and directly exposing a gas sensor in the chamber to the oil, wherein the first thermal conditioning zone includes a manifold having the chamber therein, a first heat transfer block, a first heater board, and a first thermoelectric cooler;
- b) with a controller, controlling the temperature of the oil in the chamber until the oil reaches a pre-determined temperature;
- c) operating a second thermal conditioning zone to heat and/or cool the controller, wherein the second thermal conditioning zone includes a second heat transfer block, a second thermoelectric cooler, and a heat transfer bracket;
- and
- d) analyzing the oil with the gas sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.