# US 2023/0054919 A1 · Method and system for sizing a chip in engine fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0054919 A1 - Document ID: US20230054919A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/404,057 - Filed: 2021-08-17 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-17 - Assignees: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. - Applicants: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp. - Inventors: Issam AL-KHAIRY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230054919A1 ## CPC - G01B 7/02: for measuring length, width or thickness (G01B7/004, G01B7/12 take precedence) - G01N 27/07: Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor - F01M 11/10: Indicating devices; Other safety devices - F16N 29/00: Special means in lubricating arrangements or systems providing for the indication or detection of undesired conditions; Use of devices responsive to conditions in lubricating arrangements or systems - G01N 15/0606: {by collecting particles on a support} - G01N 33/2858: {Metal particles} - H03K 17/95: using a magnetic detector - F16H 57/0405: {Monitoring quality of lubricant or hydraulic fluids} - F16N 2200/04: Detecting debris, chips, swarfs - F16N 2210/02: Turbines - F16N 2210/08: Aircraft - G01N 2015/0053: {in liquids, e.g. trouble} - G01N 2015/0681: {Purposely modifying particles, e.g. humidifying for growing} - G01N 2015/1029: {Particle size} - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - 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) - F01M: LUBRICATING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; LUBRICATING INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; CRANKCASE VENTILATING - F16N: LUBRICATING - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - F16H: GEARING ## Abstract Methods and systems of estimating a size of a chip in engine fluid of an engine are provided. One method comprises detecting the chip at a magnetic chip detector immersed in the engine fluid, burning the chip by Joule heating using a single delivery of electric current through the chip via the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector, determining an amount of energy consumed to burn the chip, and estimating the size of the chip based on the amount of energy consumed to burn the chip. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of estimating a size of a chip in engine fluid of an engine, the method comprising: detecting the chip at a magnetic chip detector immersed in the engine fluid, the chip providing electric communication between a first terminal and a second terminal of the magnetic chip detector; after detecting the chip, burning the chip by Joule heating using a single delivery of electric current through the chip via the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector; determining an amount of energy consumed to burn the chip in the single delivery of electric current; and estimating the size of the chip based on the amount of energy consumed to burn the chip. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, comprising automatically initiating the burning of the chip by Joule heating after detecting the chip at the magnetic chip detector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as defined in claim 2, wherein detecting the chip at the magnetic chip detector includes detecting, between the first and second terminals, an electric resistance at or below a resistance threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein detecting the chip at the magnetic chip detector includes detecting a short-circuit condition between the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, comprising terminating the single delivery of electric current when an electric resistance between the first and second terminals reaches or exceeds a resistance threshold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, comprising terminating the single delivery of electric current upon an occurrence of an open-circuit condition between the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein: the chip is a first chip; the method is repeated with a second chip; and the method includes constructing a data record including a count of the first and second chips burned by Joule heating. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, wherein: the chip is a first chip; the method is repeated with a second chip; and the method includes constructing a data record including respective identifications and associated amounts of energy consumed to burn the first and second chips burned by Joule heating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, comprising, after estimating the size of the chip, initiating a maintenance activity for the engine based on the size of the chip. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as defined in claim 1, comprising: after estimating the size of the chip, selecting a maintenance activity for the engine based on the size of the chip; and performing the maintenance activity. ### Claim 11 A method of detecting and sizing a chip in lubrication fluid of an engine, the method comprising: detecting a presence of one or more particles at a magnetic chip detector immersed in the lubrication fluid, the one or more particles providing electric communication between a first terminal and a second terminal of the magnetic chip detector; after detecting the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector, causing disintegration of the one or more particles by Joule heating by continuously driving electric current through the one or more particles via the first and second terminals for a uninterrupted duration; determining an amount of energy consumed to cause disintegration of the one or more particles by Joule heating; when the amount of energy is smaller than a prescribed energy value, determining that the one or more particles are fuzz; and when the amount of energy is greater than the prescribed energy value: determining that the one or more particles are a chip; and estimating a size of the chip based on the amount of energy consumed to cause disintegration of the chip. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as defined in claim 11, comprising automatically initiating the disintegration of the one or more particles by Joule heating after detecting the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method as defined in claim 12, wherein detecting the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector includes detecting, between the first and second terminals, an electric resistance at or below a first resistance threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method as defined in claim 13, comprising, upon ceasing to detect the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector, ceasing to drive the electric current through the one or more particles. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method as defined in claim 14, comprising, after estimating the size of the chip, selecting a maintenance activity for the engine based on the size of the chip. ### Claim 16 A system for detecting and sizing a chip in lubrication fluid of an engine, the system comprising: a magnetic chip detector immersible in a lubrication fluid of the engine, the chip detector including a first terminal and a second terminal spaced apart from the first terminal; an electric power source connectable to the magnetic chip detector to apply a voltage between the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector; one or more data processors; and non-transitory machine-readable memory storing instructions executable by the one or more data processors and configured to cause the one or more data processors to: detect a presence of one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector immersed in the lubrication fluid based on a sensed resistance between the first and second terminals of the chip detector; after detecting the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector, cause burning of the one or more particles by Joule heating using a single delivery of electric current through the one or more particles via the first and second terminals of the magnetic chip detector; determine an amount of energy consumed to burn the one or more particles in the single delivery of electric current; when the amount of energy consumed to burn the one or more particles is indicative of the one or more particles being a chip, estimate a size of the chip based on the amount of energy consumed to burn the one or more particles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to automatically initiate the burning of the one or more particles by Joule heating after detecting the presence of the one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system as defined in claim 16, wherein detecting the chip at the magnetic chip detector includes detecting, between the first and second terminals, an electric resistance at or below a resistance threshold. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to terminate the single delivery of electric current when the presence of one or more particles at the magnetic chip detector is no longer detected. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to, after estimating the size of the chip, select a maintenance activity for the engine based on the size of the chip.