Heat flux sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317295-B2
Application number	US-201615282760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Sep 30, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A heat flow sensor configured to provide an indication of temperature relative to a process fluid is provided. The sensor comprises a first resistance temperature detector (RTD) element and a second RTD element spaced within a sheath from the first RTD element. The sensor also includes a set of leads comprising a first subset and a second subset, wherein the first subset is coupled to the first RTD element and the second subset is coupled to the second RTD element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat flow sensor configured to provide an indication of temperature relative to a process fluid, the heat flow sensor comprising:
a first resistance temperature detector (RTD) element;
a second RTD element spaced within a sheath from the first RTD element; and
a set of leads comprising a first subset and a second subset, wherein the first subset is coupled to the first RTD element and the second subset is coupled to the second RTD element; and
wherein the first RTD element and second RTD element face opposite directions.

2. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein a processor is configured to estimate the temperature of the process fluid based on signals from the first and second RTD elements.

3. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first RTD element comprises a forward facing RTD element.

4. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first RTD element comprises a reverse bore RTD element.

5. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first subset of leads comprises a first lead and a second lead, the second subset of leads comprises a third lead and a fourth lead.

6. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the set of leads comprises six leads.

7. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first and second RTD elements are positioned within a sensor capsule.

8. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first subset and the second subset are physically coupled.

9. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is positioned to contact an outer surface of a conduit of the process fluid.

10. The heat flow sensor of claim 9 , wherein the first RTD element is a forward facing RTD element that is positioned toward the outer surface of the conduit.

11. The heat flow sensor of claim 1 , wherein the second RTD element is spaced from the first RTD element by mineral insulation.

12. The heat flow sensor of claim 11 , wherein the mineral insulation comprises a first mineral insulation layer and a second mineral insulation layer.

13. The heat flow sensor of claim 12 , wherein one of the first and second RTD elements is positioned substantially within the first mineral insulation layer.

14. The heat flow sensor of claim 12 , wherein one of the first and second RTD elements is positioned such that it spans an interface between the first mineral insulation layer and the second mineral insulation layer.

15. A heat flow sensor comprising:
a first resistance-based temperature sensing element coupled to a first lead and a second lead;
a second resistance-based temperature sensing element coupled to a third lead and a fourth lead;
a physical coupling between the second lead and the third lead; and
wherein the first resistance-based temperature sensing element is configured to operate as a first three-lead resistance detection system, the second resistance-based temperature sensing element is configured to operate as a second three-lead resistance detection system, and wherein the first and second three-lead resistance detection system are configured to independently detect a resistance.

16. The heat flow sensor of claim 15 , wherein the first and second resistance-based temperature sensing elements comprise resistance temperature detector (RTD) elements.

17. The heat flow sensor of claim 15 , wherein the first and second resistance-based temperature sensing elements are substantially surrounded by a mineral insulation.

18. The heat flow sensor of claim 15 , wherein the physical coupling comprises a short.

19. The heat flow sensor of claim 15 , wherein the first resistance-based temperature sensing element comprises a forward facing RTD element.

20. The heat flow sensor of claim 19 , wherein the resistance-based temperature second sensing element comprises a reverse bore sensing element.

Assignees

• Rosemount Inc

Inventors

• Rud Jason H
• Kassen Allen John

Classifications

• G01K7/427

  Temperature calculation based on spatial modeling, e.g. spatial inter- or extrapolation · CPC title

• G01K7/16 Primary

  using resistive elements · CPC title

• G01K1/16

  Special arrangements for conducting heat from the object to the sensitive element · CPC title

• G01K13/02

  for measuring temperature of moving fluids or granular materials capable of flow · CPC title

• G01K3/14

  in respect of space · CPC title