System for monitoring sealing wear
AssigneeReliance Electric Technologies, LLC
InventorFrederick M. Discenzo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for determining at least one condition of a seal including an optical fiber for transmitting light from a light source. The optical fiber is embedded in the seal and operatively coupled to an interferometric system. The interferometric system is operatively coupled to a processor. The interferometric system provides the processor with information relating to wear of the optical fiber, and the processor determines wear of the seal, rate of wear and remaining useful life of the seal based on the information relating to wear of the optical fiber.
Claims34
A system for determining at least one condition of a mechanical seal, comprising:
- at least one optical fiber embedded in the mechanical seal, the at least one optical fiber transmits light from a light source;
- and
- an interferometric system operatively coupled to the optical fiber and a processor,
- the interferometric system provides the processor with information relating to at least one condition of the mechanical seal, and the processor determines a rate of wear of the seal based on the information.
A system for determining at least one condition of a seal, comprising:
- a light source for generating a beam of light;
- at least one optical waveguide at least part of which is embedded in a seal, at least one optical fiber having first and second ends, the first end receiving the beam of light, the second end being flush with a contacting surface of the seal;
- and
- a measuring system operatively coupled to the optical fiber;
- wherein the optical fiber provides the measuring system with information relating to the at least one condition of the seal.
A system for controlling pressure of a seal against a contact surface, comprising:
- at least one optical fiber embedded in a seal, the at least one optical fiber being adapted to transmit light from a light source;
- a measuring system operatively coupled to the optical fiber, the optical fiber providing the measuring system with information relating to at least one condition of the seal;
- and
- at least one piezoelectric device embedded in the seal, the at least one piezoelectric device being operatively coupled to a variable voltage source;
- wherein the measuring system varies the voltage of the voltage source based on the information relating to the at least one condition of the seal causing the at least one piezoelectric device to flex and vary the seal pressure against the contact surface.
A fluid pressure control system, comprising:
- a seal disposed between a first chamber and a second chamber;
- at least one optical fiber embedded in the seal, the at least one optical fiber being adapted to transmit light from a light source;
- a measuring system operatively coupled to the optical fiber, the optical fiber providing the measuring system with pressure information relating to at least one of the first chamber and the second chamber;
- and
- a piezoelectric device embedded along a substantial portion of the seal, the at least one piezoelectric device being operatively coupled to a variable voltage source;
- wherein the measuring system varies the voltage of the voltage source based on the pressure information causing the at least one piezoelectric device to flex and vary the fluid pressure within at least one of the first and the second chamber.
A system for determining at least one condition of a seal, comprising:
- at least one optical fiber embedded in a seal, the at least one optical fiber being adapted to transmit light from a light source;
- an interferometric system operatively coupled to the optical fiber and a processor, the interferometric system comprising optics and a detector, the light source transmitting light from the light source to the at least one fiber which is reflected from the optics to the detector;
- an actuator coupled to the processor and the optics wherein the processor controls the actuator to adjust the optics based on at least one condition of the seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.