Foam detector apparatus and method
AssigneeFauske and Associates, Inc.
InventorHans K. Fauske
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A foam detector apparatus has a detector probe for detecting the presence of foam in a test sample, with the probe held above the test sample surface and indicating foaming when foam rises from the test sample surface and contacts the detector probe. The probe has a low thermal mass measuring surface for detecting contact with foam, with the measuring surface heated to a temperature above the tempering temperature of the test sample. When the liquid portion of the foam contacts the heated measuring surface, the temperature of the low thermal mass surface quickly drops to the tempering temperature of the sample, thereby indicating foam.
Claims12
A foam detector apparatus for detecting the foaminess of a sample, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a test sample container for containing the test sample;
- b) heater means for heating the test sample in said sample container, said test sample having a tempering temperature;
- c) temperature measurement means for measuring the test sample temperature;
- and
- d) foam detector means for detecting the presence of foaming in the test sample, said foam detector means comprising a detector probe placed above the sample surface, said detector probe having a measuring surface comprised of a low thermal mass material, a heater means for heating said measuring surface to a temperature above the test sample tempering temperature and a temperature measuring means for substantially continuously measuring the temperature of said measuring surface, wherein said detector probe indicates the presence of foam when said foam contacts said measuring surface, thereby cooling said measuring surface.
A foam detector apparatus for detecting the presence of foam from a test sample, the test sample having a tempering temperature, the apparatus comprising:
- a) a test sample container, sample heater means for heating the test sample, sample temperature measurement means for substantially continuously measuring the sample temperature;
- b) a foam detector probe, said detector probe having a measuring surface comprised of glass, having probe heater means for heating said measuring surface to a temperature above the sample tempering temperature, having probe temperature measuring means for measuring the temperature of said probe measuring surface, whereby said foam detector indicates the presence of foam when foam contacts said measuring surface and thereby cools said measuring surface.
A method for detecting the presence of foam in a test sample contained in a test sample container, the test sample having a surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) heating the test sample in the test sample container, said test sample having a tempering temperature;
- b) measuring the temperature of the test sample in the test sample container;
- and
- c) detecting the presence of foaming in the test sample with foam detector means, said foam detector means comprising a detector probe held above the sample and having a measuring surface, the presence of foaming in the test sample being detected by
- i) heating said detector measuring surface to a temperature above the test sample tempering temperature, and
- ii) measuring said detector measuring surface temperature, whereby said detector will indicate contact with foam from the test sample when contact with the foam causes said detector measuring surface temperature to cool to a temperature near to the tempering temperature.
A method for detecting the presence of foam in a test sample contained in a test sample container, the test sample having a surface and having a tempering temperature;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- a) heating the test sample;
- substantially continuously measuring the temperature of the test sample in the sample container;
- b) placing a foam detector probe above the test sample surface, said detector probe having a measuring surface comprised of low thermal mass material, said probe having heater means for heating said measuring surface, having temperature measurement means for substantially continuously measuring said measuring surface temperature;
- c) heating said probe measuring surface to a temperature substantially above the test sample tempering temperature with said heater means, substantially continuously measuring said probe measuring surface temperature with said probe surface temperature measuring means;
- and
- d) detecting foam from the sample with said foam detector probe when the foam contacts said probe measuring surface and thereby causes said measuring surface temperature to cool to a temperature near the test sample tempering temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.