# US 2023/0053386 A1 · Scale detection systems and methods for aircraft beverage makers > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0053386 A1 - Document ID: US20230053386A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/409,581 - Filed: 2021-08-23 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-23 - Assignees: B/E Aerospace, Inc. - Applicants: B/E Aerospace, Inc. - Inventors: Byron Devlin; Derek J. Taylor; Jeb Stewart - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053386A1 ## CPC - A47J 31/52: Alarm-clock-controlled mechanisms for coffee- or tea-making apparatus {; Timers for coffee- or tea-making apparatus; Electronic control devices for coffee- or tea-making apparatus} - A47J 31/58: Safety devices - A47J 31/5253: {of temperature} - A47J 31/56: having water-level controls; having temperature controls - A47J 31/542: {Continuous-flow heaters} - A47J 31/60: Cleaning devices - G05D 23/24: the sensing element having a resistance varying with temperature, e.g. a thermistor - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A beverage maker may comprise a heating system, a temperature sensor operably coupled the heating system, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive a series of measured temperature signals from the temperature sensor, calculate a change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals, and calculate an efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature. The controller may further estimate a scale buildup based on the efficiency of the heating system, and store at least one of the estimated scale buildup or the efficiency of the heating system in a heating system performance database. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A beverage maker, comprising a heating system; a temperature sensor operably coupled to the heating system; a controller configured to receive measured temperature signals from the temperature sensor; and a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for that, in response to execution by the controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the controller, a series of measured temperature signals from the temperature sensor; calculating, by the controller, a change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals; calculating, by the controller, an efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature; estimating, by the controller, a scale buildup based on the efficiency of the heating system; and storing, by the controller, at least one of the estimated scale buildup or the efficiency of the heating system in a heating system performance database. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The beverage maker of claim 1, wherein calculating, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature comprises: determining, by the controller, an expected change in temperature using a system thermal model; and comparing, by the controller, the change in temperature to the expected change in temperature. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The beverage maker of claim 2, wherein calculating, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature further comprises: accessing, by the controller, previous heating system performance data stored in the heating system performance database; and comparing, by the controller, the change in temperature to the previous heating system performance data stored. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The beverage maker of claim 3, further comprising a display device operably coupled to the controller, wherein the operations further comprise commanding, by the controller, the display device to display the estimated scale buildup. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The beverage maker of claim 3, further comprising a display device operably coupled to the controller, wherein the operations further comprise: determining, by the controller, an estimated service life of the heating system; and commanding, by the controller, the display device to display the estimated service life. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The beverage maker of claim 3, further comprising a display device operably coupled to the controller, wherein the operations further comprise: determining, by the controller, if the estimated scale buildup is impacting a performance of the beverage maker; and commanding, by the controller, the display device to display a maintenance required alert, if the estimated scale buildup is impacting the performance of the beverage maker. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The beverage maker of claim 6, wherein determining, by the controller, if the estimated scale buildup is impacting the performance of the beverage maker comprises comparing, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system to a threshold efficiency. ### Claim 8 (depends on 3) The beverage maker of claim 3, further comprising a flow rate sensor operably coupled to the heating system, the flow rate sensor being configured to measure a rate of flow of fluid through the heating system, wherein the controller is configured to receive a flow rate measurement signal from the flow rate sensor and calculate the efficiency of the heating system using the flow rate measurement signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The beverage maker of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to receive energy input data, and wherein the controller calculates the efficiency of the heating system using the energy input data. ### Claim 10 An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for detecting and monitoring scale buildup in a beverage maker and that, in response to execution by a controller, cause the controller to perform operations comprising: receiving, by the controller, a series of measured temperature signals from a temperature sensor operably coupled to a heating system of the beverage maker; determining, by the controller, a change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals; calculating, by the controller, an efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature; estimating, by the controller, a scale buildup based on the efficiency of the heating system; and storing, by the controller, at least one of the estimated scale buildup or the efficiency of the heating system in a heating system performance database. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The article of claim 10, wherein calculating, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature further comprises: accessing, by the controller, previous heating system performance data stored in the heating system performance database; and comparing, by the controller, the change in temperature to the previous heating system performance data stored. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein calculating, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature comprises: determining, by the controller, an expected change in temperature using a system thermal model; and comparing, by the controller, the change in temperature to the expected change in temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise commanding, by the controller, a display device to display the estimated scale buildup. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The article claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise: determining, by the controller, an estimated service life of the heating system; and commanding, by the controller, a display device to display the estimated service life. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The article of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise commanding, by the controller, the display device to display a maintenance required alert if the efficiency of the heating system is less than a threshold efficiency. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The article of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise: determining, by the controller, a descaling operation has been performed; and deleting, by the controller, the previous heating system performance data from the heating system performance database. ### Claim 17 A method for detecting and monitoring scale buildup in a beverage maker, comprising: receiving, by a controller, a series of measured temperature signals from a temperature sensor operably coupled to a heating system of the beverage maker; determining, by the controller, a change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals; calculating, by the controller, an efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature; estimating, by the controller, a scale buildup based on the efficiency of the heating system; and storing, by the controller, at least one of the estimated scale buildup or the efficiency of the heating system in a heating system performance database. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein calculating, by the controller, the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature further comprises: accessing, by the controller, previous heating system performance data stored in the heating system performance database; determining, by the controller, an expected change in temperature using a system thermal model; and comparing, by the controller, the change in temperature to the expected change in temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, further comprising: determining, by the controller, a descaling operation has been performed; and deleting, by the controller, the previous heating system performance data from the heating system performance database. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: receiving, by the controller, a flow rate measurement signal from a flow rate sensor configured to measure a flow rate of a heat exchanger fluid through the heating system; receiving, by the controller, energy input data; and determining, by the controller, the change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals, the flow rate measurement signal, and the energy input data. ### Claim 21 A scale detection and monitoring system, comprising: a heating system; a temperature sensor operably coupled to the heating system; and a controller in communication with the temperature sensor, wherein the controller is configured to receive a series of measured temperature signals from the temperature sensor and determine a change in temperature using the series of measured temperature signals, and wherein the controller is configured to calculate an efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature and estimate a scale buildup based on the efficiency of the heating system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The scale detection and monitoring system of claim 21, wherein the heating system comprises an inline heat exchanger, the inline heat exchanger including: a heating element; a thermally conductive heating block located about the heating element; and a conduit thermally coupled to the heating element via the thermally conductive heating block, wherein the temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the thermally conductive heating block. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The scale detection and monitoring system of claim 21, further comprising a flow rate sensor configured to measure a rate of fluid flow through the heating system, wherein the controller is configured to receive a measured flow rate signal from the flow rate sensor. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The scale detection and monitoring system of claim 23, wherein the controller is configured to calculate the efficiency of the heating system based on the change in temperature and the measured flow rate signal.