Non-Invasive System for Determining Fluid Characteristics Within a Fluid Vessel and Methods Thereof

A non-invasive method of determining a presence and a location of an obstruction to fluid flow within a vessel, the vessel comprising at least a portion that is non-conductive, the method comprising:

• providing a sensor system comprising:
• a single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor;
• a processor;
• and
• a computing system, the processor and the computing system being configured to run an analytical coil-loss model;
• positioning the single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor near an external surface of the vessel at the at least a portion of the vessel that is non-conductive;
• moving the single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor with respect to the vessel;
• generating a plurality of coil loss measurements utilizing the single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor;
• analyzing the plurality of coil loss measurements;
• and
• determining the presence and the location of the obstruction in the vessel due to a substantial change in a progression of the plurality of coil loss measurements.

A non-invasive method of determining a fluid conductivity gradient within a vessel, the vessel comprising at least a portion that is non-conductive, the method comprising:

• providing a sensor system comprising:
• a single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor;
• a processor;
• and
• a computing system, the processor and the computing system being configured to run an analytical coil-loss model;
• calibrating the sensor system to the vessel to provide a column calibration factor in the analytical coil-loss model, the column calibration factor being dependent upon a cross-sectional area of the vessel and a wall thickness of the vessel;
• positioning the single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor near an external surface of the vessel at the at least a portion of the vessel that is non-conductive;
• generating a plurality of coil loss measurements utilizing the single coil magnetic induction conductivity sensor as the fluid flows within the vessel;
• and
• converting the plurality of coil loss measurements to a plurality of conductivity values of the fluid within the non-conductive vessel to determine the fluid conductivity gradient within the vessel.

A non-invasive system configured for determining a fluid characteristic within a fluid in a vessel, the system comprising:

• a coil device comprising:
• a single coil configured to be energized to induce an eddy current;
• and
• a processor configured to determine a plurality of coil loss measurements in the single coil;
• and
• a computing system configured for receiving the plurality of coil loss measurements, the computing system comprising:
• a processor;
• a memory device;
• and
• a magnetic induction conductivity sensor module configured to implement an analytical coil-loss model, the analytical coil loss model being calibrated to provide a column calibration factor being dependent upon a cross-sectional area of the vessel and a wall thickness of the vessel, the analytical coil-loss model being configured to define a relationship between the plurality of coil loss measurements obtained by the single coil and a fluid conductivity based on the column calibration factor.