Method and apparatus for detecting oil aerosol
AssigneeDomnick Hunter Filters Limited
InventorsIan Sinclair, James I. T. Stenhouse
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Abstract
A method of detecting oil aerosol in an air flow. The contaminated air is passed between an electrode (11) and an electrically conductive catalyst (14), and an electrical discharge therebetween causes electrostatic precipitation of oil on to the catalyst. Air flow and discharge are stopped, and the catalyst is heated with the air substantially stagnant until the catalytic combustion temperature of the oil is reached. The heat generation due to such combustion is sensed and used to produce an output signal indicative of the quantity of deposited oil.
Claims12
A method of detecting oil aerosol in an air flow, the method comprising passing the air flow through a space between an electrode and an electrically conductive catalyst, causing electrical discharge between the electrode and the catalyst so as electrostatically to precipitate oil from the air flow on to the catalyst, terminating the discharge, stopping the air flow, heating the catalyst in substantially stagnant air, to a temperature at which catalytic combustion of the precipitated oil occurs, and sensing heat generation due to said catalytic combustion to produce an output signal indicative thereof.
Apparatus for detecting oil aerosol in an air flow, the apparatus comprising a vessel having inlet and outlet ports for the air flow, an electrode within the vessel, an electrically conductive catalyst within the vessel and spaced from the electrode to form a space through which the air flow passes, the catalyst being capable of causing catalytic combustion of oil, means for causing an electrical discharge between the electrode and the catalyst to cause electrostatic precipitation of oil on to the catalyst, means for heating the catalyst to a temperature at which catalytic combustion of the precipitated oil occurs, means for sensing heat generation due to said catalytic combustion to produce an output signal indicative thereof, and control means operative in sequence to commence said air flow, commence the electrical discharge, stop the elctrical discharge, stop the air flow, commence heating of the catalyst and effect said sensing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.