# US 2020/0400508 A1 · Self-Heating Thermal Dispersion Sensor System

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- Number: US 2020/0400508 A1
- Document ID: US20200400508A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/911,032
- Filed: 2020-06-24
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-24
- Assignees: Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation
- Applicants: Analysis and Measurement Services Corporation
- Inventors: Alexander Hashem Hashemian; Shawn Nathan Tyler; Adam Sterling Deatherage
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200400508A1

## CPC

- G01K 7/20: in a specially-adapted circuit, e.g. bridge circuit
- G01F 1/684: Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow
- G01F 1/69: of resistive type
- G01F 1/6965: {comprising means to store calibration data for flow signal calculation or correction}
- G01F 23/22: by measuring physical variables, other than linear dimensions, pressure or weight, dependent on the level to be measured, e.g. by difference of heat transfer of steam or water (involving the use of floats G01F23/30)
- G01F 23/246: {thermal devices}
- G01F 25/10: of flowmeters
- G01K 1/024: for remote indication
- G01K 1/14: Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
- G01K 13/02: for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A sensor system including a sensor probe configured to house one or more coils of resistive electrical wire, an electrical circuit configured to energize each coil so as generate heat within the sensor probe and receive output signals from each coil, the sensor probe comprising a heat transfer material designed to facilitate heat transfer between the sensor probe and a surrounding medium surrounding the sensor probe, and a processing unit configured to measure the output signals from each coil to determine changes in level, temperature, and/or flow rate of the surrounding medium based on changes in the output signals.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A thermal dispersion sensor, comprising:
a sensor probe configured to house one or more coils of resistive electrical wire;
an electrical circuit configured to energize each coil so as generate heat within the sensor probe and receive output signals from each coil, the sensor probe comprising a heat transfer material designed to facilitate heat transfer between the sensor probe and a surrounding medium surrounding the sensor probe; and
a processing unit configured to measure the output signals from each coil to determine changes in level, temperature, and/or flow rate of the surrounding medium based on changes in the output signals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit is an electrical bridge circuit configured to connect to leadwires of each coil so as to provide an adjustable, continuous supply of electrical current to heat the resistive electrical wire of the sensor probe, the electrical bridge circuit being configured to measure output voltage signals corresponding to process parameters such as level, temperature, and/or flow rate via an LCSR test method

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a data acquisition device configured to receive the output signals from the electrical circuit, the data acquisition unit being configured to process the output signals using noise analysis to verify sensor performance and identify anomalies in the sensor or process, to analyze the output signals over time to generate sensor data for comparison to baseline data to verify sensor calibration, to store and display the sensor data locally and/or remotely in real-time, and to transmit the data via wired and/or wireless transmission to a host network or control system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The sensor of claim 1, further comprising an electrical test system configured to connect to leadwires of each coil to test the resistive electrical wire in situ using one or more of LCR, IR, TDR, and FDR measurements, to store test result data, to compare present test result data to baseline or historical data to identify trends in the test data, to display the electrical test data locally and/or remotely in real-time, and to transmit the electrical test data via wired and/or wireless transmission to a host network or control system.