Sensor assembly
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorsChloe J. Palmer, Ian M. Bunce
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor assembly is shown for sensing a crossing of the critical point in a system utilising a working fluid in a transcritical cycle passing through the critical point. A first broadband acoustic sensor is located upstream of a component and a second broadband acoustic sensor is located downstream of the component, each of which are arranged to detect high-frequency and low-frequency sounds caused by the crossing of the critical point. A flow regulation device regulates flow of working fluid through the component in response to the output of one or both of the first broadband acoustic sensor and the second broadband acoustic sensor, thereby adjusting the location of the crossing of the critical point.
Claims17
A sensor assembly for sensing a crossing of the critical point by a working fluid in a transcritical cycle, the sensor assembly comprising:
- a component through which the working fluid flows, and, within a predetermined region of which the crossing of the critical point of the working fluid is desired to occur;
- a first conduit upstream of the component for conveying the working fluid to the component;
- a second conduit downstream of the component for conveying the working fluid away from the component;
- a first broadband acoustic sensor upstream of the component and a second broadband acoustic sensor downstream of the component, each of which are arranged to detect high-frequency sounds and low-frequency sounds caused by the crossing of the critical point;
- and
- a flow regulation device configured to regulate flow of the working fluid through the component in response to the output of one or more of the first broadband acoustic sensor and the second broadband acoustic sensor, thereby adjusting the location of the crossing of the critical point.
A system configured to utilise a working fluid in a transcritical cycle passing through the critical point, wherein the system includes a sensor assembly comprising:
- a component through which the working fluid flows, and, within a predetermined region of which the crossing of the critical point of the working fluid is desired to occur;
- a first conduit upstream of the component for conveying the working fluid to the component;
- a second conduit downstream of the component for conveying the working fluid away from the component;
- a first broadband acoustic sensor upstream of the component and a second broadband acoustic sensor downstream of the component, each of which are arranged to detect high-frequency and low-frequency sounds caused by the crossing of the critical point;
- and
- a flow regulation device configured to regulate flow of the working fluid through the component in response to the output of one or more of the first broadband acoustic sensor and the second broadband acoustic sensor, thereby adjusting the location of the crossing of the critical point.
A method of controlling a system utilising a working fluid in a transcritical cycle passing through the critical point, the method comprising:
- selecting a predetermined region within a component, within which the crossing of the critical point is desired to occur;
- detecting high-frequency sounds and low-frequency sounds, the generation of which high-frequency sounds and low-frequency sounds being caused by the crossing of the critical point;
- regulating flow of the working fluid through the component in response to a location at which the high-frequency and low-frequency sounds were detected, thereby adjusting the location of the crossing of the critical point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.