Fluid contaminant detection device
AssigneeArgo-Tech Corporation Costa Mesa
InventorsBruce Ross Minott, Tak-Yiu Wong, Timothy Allen Dalton
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A contaminant detector disposed within a base fluid for detecting the presence of a contaminating fluid includes a conductive core, a conductive sensor probe extending from the core in non-conductive relation, and a circuit board within the core. The circuit board is electrically connected to the sensor probe and electrically insulated from the core. Electrical power applied to the core creates a closed field loop for measuring the localized capacitance of the base fluid. When sufficient contaminating fluid exists in the base fluid to change the localized capacitance, an alarm is sounded to indicate the presence of the contaminating fluid.
Claims27
A process for detecting the presence of a contaminating fluid in a base fluid, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a contaminant detector having a conductive core, a sensor probe extending from the core in non-conductive relation, and a circuit board electrically coupled to the sensor probe, in a tank containing the base fluid;
- applying electrical power to the circuit board;
- creating an electrical charge in the sensor probe and an opposite electrical charge in the core to create a closed field loop through the base fluid;
- measuring localized capacitance of the base fluid in proximity to the sensor probe and the core;
- and
- producing an alarm signal in response to a change in the measured localized capacitance to indicate the presence of the contaminating fluid in the base fluid above a pre-set threshold.
The process of 3, wherein the measuring step includes the step of measuring the capacitance of the base fluid in proximity to the sensor probe and the housing.
A process for detecting the presence of water in a base fluid of fuel, comprising the steps of:
- positioning a contaminant detector having a conductive core, a conductive housing in which the core is slidingly disposed in conductive relation, a sensor probe extending from the core in non-conductive relation, and a circuit board electrically coupled to the sensor probe, in a tank containing the fuel;
- applying electrical power to the circuit board;
- creating an electrical charge in the sensor probe and an opposite electrical charge in the housing to create a closed field loop through the fuel;
- measuring localized capacitance of the fuel in proximity to the sensor probe and the housing;
- and
- producing an alarm signal in response to a change in the measured localized capacitance to indicate the presence of the water in the fuel above a pre-set threshold.
A contaminant detector disposed within a base fluid for detecting the presence of a contaminating fluid, comprising:
- a conductive housing;
- a conductive core slidingly disposed within the housing in conductive relation;
- a conductive sensor probe extending from the core in non-conductive relation;
- means for charging the sensor probe and providing an opposite electrical charge to the core and housing to create a closed field loop through the base fluid;
- means for measuring localized capacitance of the base fluid in proximity to the sensor probe and the housing;
- and
- means for producing an alarm signal in response to a change in the measured localized capacitance to indicate the presence of the contaminating fluid in the base fluid above a pre-set threshold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.