# US 8,770,047 B2 · Apparatus and method for particle analysis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,770,047 B2 - Document ID: US8770047B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/386,952 - Filed: 2009-07-27 - Published: 2012-05-17 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-07-27 - Assignees: The Thailand Research Fund; King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok - Applicants: Surapol Raadnui - Inventors: Surapol Raadnui - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770047B2 ## CPC - B01D 21/262: {by using a centrifuge} - G01N 3/56: Investigating resistance to wear or abrasion - G01N 15/0272: {with screening; with classification by filtering (B01D takes precedence)} - B01D 2221/10: Separation devices for use in medical, pharmaceutical or laboratory applications, e.g. separating amalgam from dental treatment residues - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A method for wear analysis. The method includes introducing a lubricant sample into a tube. The lubricant sample includes debris, wear, or other particles of different sizes. The tube includes a number of filter patches, each of a predetermined pore size. The method further includes centrifuging the tube for displacing the lubricant sample, and the wear particles thereof, along a length of the tube. The filter patches impede passage of wear particles of a size larger than their pore size therethrough, thereby separating the wear particles according to the sizes of the wear particles. The tube is attached to a handler of a centrifuge for centrifugation by the centrifuge. Multiple tubes can be attached to multiple handlers of the centrifuge for simultaneous centrifugation by the centrifuge. Centrifugation tubes (or tubes) are also provided by the present disclosure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for wear analysis comprising: introducing a lubricant sample extracted from a machine and carrying suspended particles associated with machine wear into an elongate receptacle, wherein the receptacle comprises: a plurality of tubes pairwise detachably fastened to each other in an end-to-end fashion to jointly define a continuous channel within the receptacle, wherein an uppermost tube is configured to receive the lubricant sample; and a plurality of filter patches, each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches disposed between pairwise fastened tubes and each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches having a predetermined pore size; centrifuging the receptacle for displacing the lubricant sample along a length of the channel; and inhibiting passage of at least a portion of the suspended particles through the plurality of filter patches, wherein the at least a portion of the suspended particles includes particles having sizes larger than the predetermined pore size of each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches, and wherein pairwise fastened tubes are separable for removing or replacing the filter patch disposed therebetween. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the number of filter patches in the plurality of filter patches is adjustable by regulating the number of pairwise fastened tubes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are fastened by way of a threaded-fastening mechanism. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein a bottom-most tube includes a base sealed with a drain plug. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined pore size of each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches is between 2.5 and 25 micrometers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined pore size of each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches is between 800 and 1200 micrometers. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, further comprising: removing at least one filter patch; carrying particles from the lubricant sample trapped thereon from the receptacle; and examining the filter patch for determining at least one of quantity and morphology of particles trapped thereon, wherein the determination of the at least one of quantity and morphology of particles trapped on the filter patch facilitates measurement of wear of the machine system. ### Claim 8 A method for wear analysis comprising: introducing a plurality of machine lubricant samples, each of which carries suspended particles associated machine wear, into a corresponding plurality of elongate receptacles, each receptacle within the plurality of receptacles comprising: a plurality of tubes pairwise detachably fastened to each other in an end-to-end fashion to jointly define a continuous channel within the receptacle, wherein an uppermost tube is configured to receive the lubricant sample; and a plurality of filter patches, each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches disposed between pairwise fastened tubes and each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches having a predetermined pore size; centrifuging the plurality of receptacles simultaneously for displacing the lubricant sample within each receptacle along a length of the channel of each receptacle, trapping lubricant sample particles on at least one filter patch within the plurality of filter patches of each receptacle; removing the plurality of filter patches from each receptacle by way of detaching pairwise fastened tubes from each other; and subjecting at least one filter patch removed from each receptacle and upon which lubricant sample particles are trapped to a set of thermal, optical, or chemical tests to characterize the lubricant sample particles trapped thereby. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as in claim 1, wherein a filter patch positioned closest to the uppermost tube has a larger pore size relative to each filter patch positioned further away from the uppermost tube. ### Claim 10 A system for wear analysis comprising: a plurality of tubes pairwise detachably fastened to each other in an end-to-end fashion to jointly define an elongate receptacle having a continuous channel therewithin, wherein an uppermost tube of the plurality of tubes is configured to receive a lubricant sample which is extracted from a machine and which carries suspended particles associated with machine wear; and a plurality filter patches carried by the receptacle, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches is disposed between pairwise fastened tubes for retaining at least portion of the suspended particles upon being subjected to centrifugal force, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are separable for removing or replacing a filter patch disposed therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, wherein the number of filter patches within the plurality of filter patches is adjustable by regulating the number of pairwise fastened tubes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are fastened by way of a threaded fastening mechanism. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, wherein a filter patch positioned closest to the uppermost tube has larger pore size relative to each filter patch positioned further away from the uppermost tube. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches has a pore size between 2.5 and 25 micrometers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches has a pore size between 800 and 1200 micrometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system as in claim 10, further comprising an optical apparatus for examining at least one of the of filter patches within the plurality of filter patches to determine quantity, size, and/or morphology of the portion of wear particles trapped thereon. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a centrifuge for centrifuging the receptacle to displace the lubricant sample along a length of the channel. ### Claim 18 A system for wear analysis comprising: a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle comprising: a plurality of tubes pairwise detachably fastened to each other in an end-to-end fashion to jointly define an elongate receptacle having a continuous channel therewithin, wherein an uppermost tube of the plurality of tubes is configured to receive a lubricant sample which is extracted from a machine and which carries suspended particles associated with machine wear; and a plurality filter patches carried by the receptacle, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches is disposed between pairwise fastened tubes for retaining at least a portion of the suspended particles upon being subjected to centrifugal force, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are separable for removing or replacing a filter patch disposed therebetween; and a centrifuge for simultaneously centrifuging the plurality of receptacles to displace a lubricant sample within each receptacle along the length of the channel of each receptacle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 2) The method as in claim 2, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are fastened by way of a threaded-fastening mechanism. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The method as in claim 2, wherein a bottom-most tube includes a base sealed with a drain plug. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) The method as in claim 2, wherein a filter patch positioned closest to the uppermost tube has a larger pore size relative to each filter patch positioned further away from the uppermost tube. ### Claim 22 (depends on 11) The system as in claim 11, wherein pairwise fastened tubes are fastened by way of a threaded fastening mechanism. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The system as in claim 11, wherein a filter patch positioned closest to the uppermost tube has larger pore size relative to each filter patch positioned further away from the uppermost tube. ### Claim 24 (depends on 11) The system as in claim 11, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches has a pore size between 2.5 and 25 micrometers. ### Claim 25 (depends on 11) The system as in claim 11, wherein each filter patch within the plurality of filter patches has a pore size between 800 and 1200 micrometers.