Method and apparatus for monitoring water flow in a marine engine cooling water system and a bilge water pumping system
OwnerMichael L. Barnett, Larry G. Braderinventors
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Abstract
A new method and apparatus for monitoring cooling water flow in a marine engine cooling water system to determine the functional status, and efficiency, of a marine engine cooling system and also monitoring bilge water flow in a bilge water pumping system to determine the functional status, and efficiency, of the bilge water pumping system.
Claims16
A method for remotely and instantaneously monitoring a cooling water flow rate in a marine engine cooling system comprising the steps of:
- a) sensing an instantaneously variable rate of flow of cooling water using a sensor located in a cooling water intake pipe of a marine engine;
- b) providing a primary signal to establish an instantaneously sensed cooling water flow rate;
- c) transducing the primary signal to provide a secondary flow rate signal proportionally variable with respect to the primary signal;
- and
- d) translating the secondary signal to provide a tertiary, operator-detectable flow rate signal, proportionally variable in relation to the primary signal to provide an instantaneous indication of the instantaneously variable rate of flow, whereby an operator of the marine engine can monitor the tertiary signal and thereby remotely, instantaneously monitor the cooling water flow rate in the marine engine cooling system.
An apparatus for remotely and instantaneously monitoring a cooling water flow rate in a marine engine cooling system comprising:
- a) a flow sensor located in a cooling water intake pipe of a marine engine for sensing an instantaneously variable cooling water flow rate in the cooling water intake pipe;
- b) means for generating a primary signal to establish an instantaneously sensed cooling water flow rate;
- c) transducing means for transducing the primary signal to provide a secondary flow rate signal proportionally variable in relation to the primary signal;
- and
- d) translation means for translating the secondary signal to provide a tertiary, operator-detectable flow rate signal, proportionally variable in relation to the primary signal to provide an instantaneous indication of the instantaneously variable rate of flow, whereby an operator of the marine engine can monitor the tertiary signal and thereby remotely, instantaneously monitor the cooling water flow rate in the marine engine cooling system.
A method for remotely and instantaneously monitoring a bilge water flow rate in a bilge water pumping system comprising the steps of:
- a) sensing an instantaneously variable rate of flow of bilge water in a bilge water intake pipe of a marine vessel and providing a primary signal to establish an instantaneously sensed bilge water flow rate;
- b) transducing the primary signal to provide a secondary flow rate signal proportionally variable with respect to the primary signal;
- and
- c) translating the secondary signal to provide a tertiary, operator-detectable flow rate signal, proportionally variable in relation to the primary signal to provide an instantaneous indication of the instantaneously variable rate of flow, whereby an operator of the bilge water pumping system can monitor the tertiary signal and thereby remotely instantaneously monitor the bilge water flow rate in the bilge water pumping system.
An apparatus for remotely and instantaneously monitoring a bilge water flow rate in a bilge water pumping system comprising:
- a) a flow sensor for sensing an instantaneously variable bilge water flow rate in a bilge water outflow pipe of a marine vessel;
- b) means for generating a primary signal to establish an instantaneously sensed bilge water flow rate;
- c) a transducer for transducing the primary signal to provide a secondary flow rate signal proportionally variable in relation to the primary signal;
- and
- d) a translation means for translating the secondary signal to provide a tertiary, operator-detectable flow rate signal, proportionally variable with respect to the primary signal to provide an instantaneous indication of the instantaneously variable rate of flow, whereby an operator of the marine vessel can monitor the tertiary signal and thereby remotely, instantaneously monitor the bilge water flow rate in the bilge water pumping system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.