# US 12,215,994 B2 · Devices for detecting material deposits in fluid flow conduits > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,215,994 B2 - Document ID: US12215994B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/479,880 - Filed: 2021-09-20 - Published: 2022-03-24 - Granted: 2025-02-04 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-18 - Assignees: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Applicants: Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company - Inventors: John Lilleland; Grant Brewer; Li Zheng; Terry Madson; Sanhong Zhang; Miranda Pizzella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215994B2 ## CPC - G01F 1/88: with differential-pressure measurement to determine the volume flow - G01N 17/008: {Monitoring fouling} - G01N 25/18: by investigating thermal conductivity (by calorimetry G01N25/20; by measuring change of resistance of an electrically-heated body G01N27/18) - G01K 13/024: of moving gases - G01K 13/026: {of moving liquids} - G01N 25/00: Investigating or analyzing materials by the use of thermal means (G01N3/00 - G01N23/00 take precedence) - G01N 25/72: Investigating presence of flaws - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00) ## Abstract A sensor for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit includes a body and an array of pairs of temperature sensors disposed within the body, where each pair of temperature sensors is spaced a distance apart along a primary flow direction of the fluid flow conduit. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit, the sensor comprising: a body; and an array of pairs of temperature sensors electrically coupled to each other and disposed within the body, each pair of temperature sensors spaced a distance apart along a primary flow direction of the fluid flow conduit, wherein the array of pairs of temperature sensors are arranged in multiple rows and columns, and wherein the rows of the array of pairs of temperature sensors are stacked in a radial direction of the fluid flow conduit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a heater secured to an exterior portion of the body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor according to claim 2 further comprising an insulation member disposed over the heater. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The sensor according to claim 2, wherein the heater defines a geometry matching a geometry of the exterior portion of the body. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body defines an interior portion with a geometric profile matching an exterior geometry of the conduit. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body is a material selected from the group consisting of Aluminum Nitride (AlN) and Boron Nitride. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the array of pairs of temperature sensors are selected from the group consisting of thermocouples, RTDs, thermistors, and an integrated circuit temperature transducer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1, wherein the body defines a plurality of interior apertures, and a temperature sensor of each of the pairs of temperature sensors is disposed within an interior aperture of the plurality of interior apertures. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The sensor according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of interior apertures is disposed at an interior portion of the body. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The sensor according to claim 8, wherein the interior apertures extend longitudinally, along the primary flow direction. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The sensor according to claim 8, wherein the interior apertures extend transversely, normal to the primary flow direction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The sensor according to claim 11, wherein at least some of the temperature sensors are spring-loaded within the interior apertures. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a heat sink secured to an exterior portion of the body. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The sensor according to claim 1 further comprising a mounting device adapted to secure the body to the conduit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The sensor according to claim 14, wherein the mounting device is one of a bracket assembly and a band clamp assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) A system for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit, the system comprising: the sensor according to claim 1; a mounting means for securing the sensor to the fluid flow conduit; a computing device configured to determine temperatures from the array of pairs of temperature sensors, monitor differences in thermal response of the array of pairs of temperature sensors over time, and determine a presence of material deposits based on the differences in thermal response; and a clog indication means. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16 further comprising: a heater disposed proximate the sensor; and a controller in communication with the heater, wherein the controller activates the heater to generate auxiliary heat for active detection of the material deposits. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein the computing device is configured to provide pulsed power to the array of pairs of temperature sensors, thereby generating heat for active detection of the material deposits. ### Claim 19 A sensor for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit, the sensor comprising: a body; an array of pairs of temperature sensors electrically coupled to each other and disposed within the body, each pair of temperature sensors spaced a distance apart along a primary flow direction of the fluid flow conduit; and a heater secured to an exterior portion of the body, wherein the array of pairs of temperature sensors are arranged in multiple rows and columns, wherein the rows of the array of pairs of temperature sensors are stacked in a radial direction of the fluid flow conduit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The sensor according to claim 19, further comprising a mounting device adapted to secure the body to the conduit. ### Claim 21 A method of detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit, the method comprising: detecting temperatures from an array of pairs of temperature sensors electrically coupled to each other and disposed proximate the fluid flow conduit; monitoring differences in temperatures of the array of pairs of temperature sensors over time; and determining a presence of material deposits based on the differences in temperature, wherein the array of pairs of temperature sensors are arranged in multiple rows and columns, and wherein the rows of the array of pairs of temperature sensors are stacked in a radial direction of the fluid flow conduit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21 further comprising actively applying heat proximate the array of pairs of temperature sensors. ### Claim 23 A sensor for detecting material deposits in a fluid flow conduit, the sensor comprising: a body; and an array of pairs of temperature sensors electrically coupled to each other and disposed within the body, each pair of temperature sensors spaced a distance apart along a primary flow direction of the fluid flow conduit, wherein the array of pairs of temperature sensors comprises rows stacked in a radial direction of the fluid flow conduit. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The sensor according to claim 23 further comprising a heater secured to an exterior portion of the body. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The sensor according to claim 24 further comprising an insulation member disposed over the heater. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The sensor according to claim 24, wherein the heater defines a geometry matching a geometry of the exterior portion of the body. ### Claim 27 (depends on 23) The sensor according to claim 23 wherein the rows are spaced apart from each other in the radial direction of the fluid flow conduit.