# US 2016/0116451 A1 · Electrical Apparatus Oil Sampler and Conditioner for Solid State Sensors > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0116451 A1 - Document ID: US20160116451A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/985,527 - Filed: 2015-12-31 - Published: 2016-04-28 - Earliest claimed: 2011-01-23 - Assignees: Serveron Corporation - Applicants: Serveron Corporation - Inventors: Steven Mahoney; Thomas Waters - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160116451A1 ## CPC - G01N 33/2841: {Gas in oils, e.g. hydrogen in insulating oils} - G01N 33/0016: {by regulating a physical variable, e.g. pressure or temperature} - 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) ## 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for thermally conditioning oil withdrawn from an electrical asset so that the oil may be analyzed, comprising: a manifold having a chamber; an inlet defining an oil pathway from the electrical asset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 in the chamber, the gas sensor adapted for direct exposure to oil 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 for the gas sensor so that gas sensor is operated substantially isothermally. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the gas sensor is further defined by a cartridge having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port and solid state circuitry within the cartridge. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the solid state circuity is directly exposed to oil within the cartridge. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein oil flows into the cartridge through the inlet port and out of the cartridge through the outlet port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the gas sensor is a metal oxide semiconductor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the substantially isothermal environment is maintained in a substantially isothermal condition independently of oil flowing in the chamber. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising a thermal transfer block in communication with the first thermoelectric cooler, and wherein the manifold and the thermal transfer block are mounted to a support and thermally isolated therefrom. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the manifold includes a first heater in communication with the manifold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the manifold includes a second heater in communication with the manifold, wherein the first and second heaters are arranged in proximity to the chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the first and second heaters are resistive heaters that are received in openings formed in an outer surface of the manifold on opposite sides of the chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1 in which the manifold and the first thermoelectric cooler comprise a first thermal conditioning zone, the apparatus further including a second thermal conditioning zone that is thermally isolated from the first thermal conditioning zone, the second thermal conditioning zone comprising: a control circuit board for controlling the gas sensor; a second thermoelectric cooler; a thermal transfer block in thermal communication with the second thermoelectric cooler; and a plate in thermal communication with the second thermoelectric cooler and the control circuit board. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11 including a housing for enclosing the first and second thermal conditioning zones and insulation in the housing to thermally isolate the first thermal conditioning zone from the second thermal conditioning zone. ### Claim 13 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; 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; 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. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13 in which the second thermoelectric cooler is adapted for heating the sensor control circuit board. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus according to claim 14 including a metal plate adjacent to and in thermal contact with the sensor control circuit board and wherein the second thermal electric cooler is in thermal contact with the metal plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13 further including first and second heaters received in openings formed in an outer surface of the manifold on opposite sides of the chamber. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the first thermal conditioning zone is operable for maintaining an isothermal environment around the sensor assembly ### Claim 18 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; b) with a controller, controlling the temperature of the oil until the oil reaches a pre-determined temperature; c) operating a second thermal conditioning zone to heat and/or cool the controller; and d) analyzing the oil with the gas sensor. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18 including the step of stopping the flow of oil in the chamber when the gas sensor is analyzing the oil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19 including the step of controlling the temperature of the oil in the chamber with at least one resistive heater.