# US 9,752,946 B2 · Cooling for industrial process variable transmitters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,946 B2 - Document ID: US9752946B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/493,679 - Filed: 2014-09-23 - Published: 2016-03-24 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-09-23 - Assignees: Rosemount Inc. - Applicants: Rosemount Inc. - Inventors: Michael James Hoffman; Paul Ryan Fadell; Fred C. Sittler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752946B2 ## CPC - G01L 19/04: Means for compensating for effects of changes of temperature {, i.e. other than electric compensation} - F16L 23/006: {Attachments} - F25B 21/02: using Peltier effect; using Nernst-Ettinghausen effect - G01L 19/0046: {using isolation membranes (G01L13/026 and G01L19/0645 take precedence)} - G01L 19/0092: {Pressure sensor associated with other sensors, e.g. for measuring acceleration or temperature (G01L9/025, G01L9/045, G01L9/065, G01L9/085, G01L9/105, G01L9/125, G01L19/02, G01L19/04 take precedence; measuring two or more variable G01D21/02; temperature sensors with pressure compensation G01K1/26)} - G01L 19/0681: {Protection against excessive heat} - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ## Abstract A pressure transmitter assembly for measuring a process pressure of an industrial process includes a pressure sensor configured to sense the process pressure. A process coupling couples the pressure sensor to the industrial process. In one example configuration, a phase change material carried in the process coupling is configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to the process variable sensor by changing phase in response to heat from the industrial process. In another example configuration, a thermocouple electric cooling element is coupled to the process coupling and configured to conduct heat away from the coupling in response to an applied electric current. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pressure transmitter assembly for measuring a process pressure of an industrial process, comprising: a pressure sensor configured to sense the process pressure; a process coupling configured to couple the pressure sensor to the industrial process; and a phase change material carried in the process coupling configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to a process variable sensor by changing phase in response to heat from the industrial process; wherein the process coupling includes an isolation diaphragm coupled to a capillary tube to thereby couple a process pressure applied to the isolation diaphragm to the pressure sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 1, including a thermoelectric cooling element coupled to the process coupling configured to conduct heat away from the coupling in response to an applied electric current. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 1, including a heat sink coupled to the process coupling. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 3, wherein the heat sink comprises a plurality of fins. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 3, including a thermoelectric cooling element coupled to the heat sink. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 1, wherein the phase change material is carried in a tube. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 6, wherein the tube runs parallel with a length of the process coupling. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 6, wherein the tube extends between a process end and a pressure sensor end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 8, wherein the phase change material is heated proximate the process end. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 9, wherein the phase change material is cooled proximate the pressure sensor end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 8, wherein the phase change material circulates between the process end and the pressure sensor end. ### Claim 12 (depends on 2) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 2, including a driver circuit configured to provide power to the thermoelectric cooling element. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 2, including a temperature sensor proximate the thermoelectric cooling element. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 13, including a driver circuit configured to apply a current to the thermoelectric cooling element in response to a sensed temperature by the temperature sensor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 5) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 5, wherein heating of the phase change material causes the phase change material to change state and move from the process end to the pressure sensor end. ### Claim 16 A pressure transmitter assembly for measuring a process pressure of an industrial process, comprising: a pressure sensor configured to sense the process pressure; a process coupling configured to couple the pressure sensor to the industrial process; and a thermocouple electric cooling element coupled to the process coupling configured to conduct heat away from the coupling in response to an applied electric signal; wherein the process coupling includes an isolation diaphragm coupled to a capillary tube to thereby couple a process pressure applied to the isolation diaphragm to the pressure sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 16, including a phase change material carried in the process coupling configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to the process variable sensor by changing phase in response to heat from the industrial process. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 16, including a heat sink coupled to the process coupling. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 17, wherein the phase change material is carried in a tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 19, wherein the tube extends between a process end and a pressure sensor end. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 20, wherein the phase change material circulates between the process end and the pressure sensor end. ### Claim 22 (depends on 16) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 16, including a driver circuit configured to provide power to the thermoelectric cooling element. ### Claim 23 (depends on 16) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 16, including a temperature sensor proximate the thermoelectric cooling element. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The pressure transmitter assembly of claim 23, including a driver circuit configured to apply the signal to the thermoelectric cooling element in response to a sensed temperature by the temperature sensor. ### Claim 25 A process coupling for coupling a process variable transmitter to a process fluid of an industrial process comprising: an elongate housing having a flange configured to couple the process fluid and an opposed transmitter coupling configured to couple to the process variable transmitter; a capillary in the elongate housing which conveys a process pressure at the flange to the transmitter coupling; a tube carried by the elongate housing which extends in a direction between the flange and the process variable transmitter coupling; and a phase change material carried in the tube configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to the process variable transmitter. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The process coupling of claim 25 including a thermoelectric cooling element configured to conduct heat away from the process coupling in response to an applied electric signal. ### Claim 27 A process coupling for coupling a process variable transmitter to a process fluid of an industrial process comprising: an elongate housing having a flange configured to couple the process fluid and an opposed transmitter coupling configured to couple to the process variable transmitter; a capillary in the elongate housing which conveys a process pressure at the flange to the transmitter coupling; a thermoelectric cooling element configured to conduct heat away from the process coupling in response to an applied electric signal. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The process coupling of claim 27 including: a tube carried by the elongate housing which extends in a direction between the flange and the process variable transmitter coupling; and a phase change material carried in the tube configured to reduce heat transfer from the industrial process to the process variable transmitter.