US 5,517,427 AGranted

On-site oil analyzer

AssigneeOn-Site Analysis, Inc.

InventorCarlton S. Joyce

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Abstract

The on-site analyzer (10) includes a housing (14). The housing (14) contains an infrared spectrometer (18) and an optical emission spectrometer (24) for testing a sample (12) of oil. A conduit (32) by operation of a pump (40) draws the sample (12) into the conduit (32), and controllably moves the sample (12) to an infrared spectrometer (18) for testing, and subsequently to an optical emission spectrometer (24) for testing. The pump (40) and spectrometers (18, 24) are controlled by a computer (50) for complete automation of testing. The computer (50) performs analysis and diagnosis of the test results from the spectrometers (18, 24) based on sets of known and standard information. The computer (50) may communicate with a central, remote computer (70). Remote computer (70) accumulates results from a plurality of on-site analyzers (10) to obtain trend and wear evaluations, and to update the standard information in each of the on-site analyzers (10).

Claims16

Dependent claims

An oil analysis system for analyzing the contents of oil, comprising:

a plurality of isolated and remote oil test assemblies (10) each including a liquid conduit (32) for transferring a sample of oil (12) therethrough and having a first end (34) for receiving said sample of oil and a second end (36) for disposing of said sample of oil, a pump (40) operatively connected to said liquid conduit (32) for drawing said sample of oil (12) into said first end (34) and transferring said sample of oil through said liquid conduit, an oil spectrometer (18, 24) connected to said liquid conduit for automatically testing contents of said sample of oil and generating test results data, and a computer controller (50) connected to said pump and said oil spectrometer for automatically controlling the transfer of said sample of oil from said first end to said oil spectrometer and a subsequent transfer of said sample of oil to said second end and for receiving and storing said test results data and associated identification information;
a plurality of modems (66, 71) for transferring said test results data with said associated identification information from said isolated and remote oil test assemblies (10);
a central computer (70) connected to each of said modems (66, 71) for receiving said test results data with said associated identification information from said isolated and remote oil test assemblies and for evaluating said test results data based upon said associated identification information to determine characteristics of said test results data.

An oil analysis system for analyzing the contents of oil, comprising:

a plurality of isolated and remote oil test assemblies (10) each including a liquid conduit (32) for transferring a sample of oil (12) therethrough and having a first end (34) for receiving said sample of oil and a second end (36) for disposing of said sample of oil, a pump (40) operatively connected to said liquid conduit (32) for drawing said sample of oil (12) into said first end (34) and transferring said sample of oil through said liquid conduit, an oil spectrometer (18, 24) connected to said liquid conduit for automatically testing contents of said sample of oil and generating test results data, and a computer controller (50) connected to said pump and said oil spectrometer for automatically controlling the transfer of said sample of oil from said first end to said oil spectrometer and a subsequent transfer of said sample of oil to said second end and for receiving and storing said test results data and associated identification information;
a modems (66, 71) for transferring said test results data with said associated identification information from said plurality of isolated and remote oil test assemblies (10) and for transferring associated characteristics of said samples of oil back to of isolated and remote oil test assemblies;
and
a central computer (70) connected to each of said modems (66, 71) for receiving said test results data with said associated identification information from said isolated and remote oil test assemblies, for evaluating said test results data based upon said associated identification information to determine said associated characteristics of said test results data and for sending said associated characteristics to said isolated and remote oil test assemblies.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.