System and method for repeatable fluid measurements

A system for determining at least one property of a fluid for assessing a suitability of the fluid for use in a second system, the first system comprising:

• a housing for receiving the fluid;
• at least one measuring surface located in the housing and configured for contacting the fluid;
• a signal generating device associated with the at least one measuring surface for generating signals related to the at least one property of the fluid;
• a processor operably connected to the signal generating device for receiving signals therefrom and determining the at least one property of the fluid;
• an ultrasonic transducer connected to a wall of the housing, the ultrasonic transducer being operably connected to the processor for both monitoring the transducer and controlling operation of the transducer based on the monitoring, with a high frequency voltage waveform applied to the transducer that in turn vibrates the housing wall and produces micro cavitation bubbles in the fluid directed toward the at least one measuring surface to thereby remove undesirable material from the at least one measuring surface upon collapse of the bubbles;
• and
• wherein the ultrasonic transducer operates at a first resonant frequency and a second resonant frequency different from the first resonant frequency under an applied load, the processor being operable to 1) drive the transducer with voltage wave forms at driving frequencies, and 2) monitor the transducer to determine when the transducer reaches at least one of first and second resonant frequencies to thereby drive the transducer with a driving frequency commensurate with the at least one first and second resonant frequencies for effective cleaning of the at least one measuring surface.

A system for determining at least one property of a fluid, the system comprising:

• a housing for receiving the fluid to be measured;
• at least one measuring surface located in the housing and configured for contacting the fluid to be measured;
• a signal generating device associated with the at least one measuring surface for generating signals related to the at least one property of the fluid;
• a cleaning device operably associated with the housing, the cleaning device generating waves that are transmitted through the fluid to be measured and to the at least one measuring surface to thereby remove undesired material from the at least one measuring surface;
• and
• an optical component located in the housing and including the at least one measuring surface to thereby define a first measuring surface, and wherein the signal generating device comprises an optical sensor module having a predetermined number of pixels positioned for receiving at least reflected radiant energy from the first measuring surface to thereby determine the at least one property of the fluid.

A system for determining at least one property of a fluid, the system comprising:

• a housing for receiving the fluid to be measured;
• at least one measuring surface located in the housing and configured for contacting the fluid to be measured;
• a signal generating device associated with the at least one measuring surface for generating signals related to the at least one property of the fluid;
• a cleaning device operably associated with the housing, the cleaning device generating waves that are transmitted through the fluid to be measured and to the at least one measuring surface to thereby remove undesired material from the at least one measuring surface;
• and
• an optical component located in the housing and including the at least one measuring surface to thereby define a first measuring surface, and wherein the signal generating device comprises an optical sensor positioned for receiving at least reflected radiant energy from the first measuring surface to thereby determine the at least one property of the fluid.

A method for cleaning a measuring surface associated with a first system for determining at least one property of a fluid to thereby assesses a suitability of using the fluid in a second system different from the first system, the method comprising:

• providing the first system with a housing within which the measuring surface is located and a signal generating device associated with the measuring surface for generating signals related to the at least one property of the fluid;
• flowing the fluid across the measuring surface to thereby measure the at least one fluid property in conjunction with the signal generating device;
• cleaning the measuring surface by generating high frequency pressure waves with a transducer to produce micro cavitation bubbles that are transmitted through the flowing fluid and toward the measuring surface to thereby remove undesirable material from the measuring surface and clean the measuring surface when in contact with the fluid;
• wherein the fluid is:
• 1) normally used in the second system;
• 2) measured via the at least one measuring surface and the signal generating device of the first system for determining the at least one property of the fluid and thus a suitability of the fluid for use in the second system;
• and 3) used as a cleaning fluid by the transducer in the first system to clean the measuring surface to accurately determine the at least one property of the fluid.