Pressure Monitor Optimizaiton Of Fluid Path Utilization

A method of monitoring pressure in a fluid system comprised of at least one fluid path section having a first end and a second end and at least one controllable pressure source connected to said first end of at least one fluid path section and responsive to a pressure command signal to create a source pressure in said at least one fluid path section, said method comprising:

• providing a device comprising:
• a pressure monitor for placement in communication with a fluid in said fluid system, said pressure monitor generating a signal representative of a measured pressure;
• a control means for receiving said signal representative of said measured pressure and for sending signals to said fluid system;
• providing said control means with a library having entries comprising sets of command signals and sets of normal pressure values;
• comparing said measured pressures to said normal pressure values;
• reporting differences that exceed a preset threshold;
• placing said pressure monitor in communication with a fluid in said at least one fluid path section;
• issuing a pressure command signal from said control means to one of said controllable pressure sources to generate said source pressure in said at least one fluid path section;
• and
• comparing said measured pressure to said normal pressure values and reporting differences that exceed a preset threshold to identify errors in said fluid system.

A method of determining viscosity of a fluid in a calibrated fluid system having a viscosity calibration factor, said fluid system comprising a controllable pressure source responsive to a pressure command signal to create a source pressure on said fluid, at least one fluid path section having an open end and a second end, and said controllable pressure source connected to said second end of said at least one fluid path section, said method comprising:

• providing a device comprising:
• a pressure monitor for placement in communication with a fluid in said fluid system, said pressure monitor generating a signal representative of a measured pressure;
• a control means for receiving said signal representative of said measured pressure and for sending signals to said fluid system;
• providing said control means with a library having entries comprising sets of command signals and sets of normal pressure values;
• comparing said measured pressures to said normal pressure values;
• reporting differences that exceed a preset threshold;
• placing said pressure monitor in communication with said fluid in said at least one fluid path section at a known position on said fluid path section;
• issuing a pressure command signal from said control means to said controllable pressure source to create said source pressure, said source pressure causing said fluid to flow;
• and
• calculating a viscosity of said fluid using said measured pressure and said viscosity calibration factor.