US 2016/0258790 A1Published application

Gear flow meter with out of product sensor

AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.

InventorsEugene Tokhtuev, Christopher J. Owen, Anatoly Skirda, Paul Simon Schilling, Viktor Slobodyan

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Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward methods and systems including a flow meter. The flow meter can include one or more sensors and be capable of detecting parameters of the fluid flowing therethrough. One or more sensors can include capacitive sensors having a plurality of electrodes and configured to detect capacitive properties of a fluid flowing through the flow meter. Detected changes in detected properties of the fluid can be evidence of important changes in the fluid, such as an out of product event or a contamination of the fluid.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a flow meter comprising
(i) a housing defining a chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transparent to a first wavelength of light;
and
(ii) a first rotating element within the chamber configured to rotate as fluid travels through the housing, wherein the first rotating element comprises a detectable area which reflects light of the first wavelength differently than portions of the first rotating element that are not the detectable areas;
an optical assembly comprising an optical emitter configured to emit light of at least the first wavelength into the chamber via the transparent portion of the housing and an optical detector configured to detect light of at least the first wavelength reflected from inside the chamber;
and
a capacitive sensor positioned proximate the housing, the capacitive sensor comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first insulator separating the first and second electrodes.

4 more elements

A method for detecting an out of product event in a metered fluid flow process comprising:

placing a flow meter in the fluid flow path, the flow meter comprising
a housing having wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent to a first wavelength of light;
a first rotating element positioned in the housing;
a capacitive sensor comprising a first electrode, a second electrode coplanar with the first electrode, and an insulator separating the first and second electrodes;
and
an optical assembly comprising an optical emitter configured to emit light at the first wavelength and an optical detector configured to detect light at the first wavelength;
emitting light from the optical emitter into the housing;
detecting light reflected light from within the housing with the optical detector;
determining at least one flow property of fluid flowing through the flow meter based on the detected reflected light;
applying an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes;
analyzing a first capacitance between the first and second electrodes over time;
and
detecting an out of product event based on the analysis of the first capacitance.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/637,586Filed 4 Mar 2015
Published: 8 Sep 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G01F 1/08
Using rotating vanes with tangential admission: adjusting, correcting or compensating means therefor
G01F 1/065
Using rotating vanes with tangential admission: with radiation as transfer means to the indicating device, e.g. light transmission
G01F 3/10
Comprising members rotating in a fluid-tight or substantially fluid-tight manner in a housing: geared or lobed impeller meters
G01F 22/00
Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material

Family

US 9,835,482 B2Related patent
US 2016/0258790 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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