Air intake screen debris sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11156192-B2
Application number	US-201916375803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2019
Priority date	Apr 4, 2019
Publication date	Oct 26, 2021
Grant date	Oct 26, 2021

Abstract

An air intake screen debris cleaning system may include an intake screen through which air is drawn in a first direction for cooling, a reverse airflow generation system to create a reverse airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction to clear debris from the intake screen, a sensor to sense debris that is collected on the intake screen and a controller to activate the reverse airflow generation system based upon signals from the sensor. In one implementation, the sensor comprises an emitter to emit a sensor beam that extends along a face of the air intake screen and which does not intersect or pass through the air intake screen prior to being sensed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An air intake screen debris monitoring and cleaning system comprising:
an intake screen through which air is drawn in a first direction for cooling, wherein the intake screen comprises a series of parallel channels forming an outermost air intake face of the intake screen;
a reverse airflow generation system to create a reverse airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction to clear debris from the intake screen;
a sensor to sense debris that is collected on the intake screen; and
a controller to activate the reverse airflow generation system based upon signals from the sensor,
wherein the intake screen extends in a first plane and wherein the sensor comprises an emitter and a detector to detect electromagnetic radiation in a second plane parallel to the first plane, wherein the emitter is to emit a sensor beam within and along one of the channels without intersecting the outermost air intake face of the intake screen and wherein the detector is to detect the sensor beam.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reverse airflow generation system comprises a fan supported to direct air in the second direction and wherein the emitter is to direct the sensor beam along the air intake screen in a third direction perpendicular to the second direction.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a first sensing component providing the emitter and a second sensing component spaced from the first sensing element along the intake screen within the second plane, the second sensing component comprising the detector.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a first sensing component comprising the emitter and the detector and a second sensing component spaced from the first sensing component along the intake screen within the second plane, the second sensing component comprising a reflector supported to direct electromagnetic radiation emitted by the emitter back towards the detector.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises:
a reflector directly mounted upon the intake screen.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor to sense a pressure change resulting from debris accumulation on the intake screen.

7. An air intake system comprising:
an air intake screen through which air is drawn, the air intake screen having an outermost air intake face;
a sensor comprising an emitter and a detector, the emitter being supported to emit a sensor beam along the outermost air intake face without intersecting the outermost air intake face of the air intake screen prior to the sensor beam being sensed, the sensor to output signals indicating accumulation of debris on the intake screen, wherein the sensor is directly and fixedly mounted upon the outermost air intake face and carried by the intake screen.

8. The air intake system of claim 7 , wherein the air intake screen comprises a series of parallel channels forming the outermost air intake face of the air intake screen, wherein the emitter is supported to emit the sensor beam within and along one of the channels.

9. The air intake system of claim 8 , wherein the sensor comprises:
a first sensor component comprising the emitter; and
a second sensor component spaced from the first sensor component, the second sensor component comprising one of the detector and a reflector, wherein at least one of the first sensor component and the second sensor component is directly mounted to the intake screen within and on a surface of said one of the channels.

10. The air intake system of claim 7 further comprising a fan having a reversible pitch to selectively direct airflow in opposite directions along an axis through the air intake screen and wherein the sensor beam extends perpendicular to the axis.

11. The air intake system of claim 10 further comprising a controller to activate the fan based upon signals from the sensor.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the intake screen comprises a plurality of elongate channels, wherein the sensor comprises a first emitter and detector pair within a first one of the plurality of elongate channels and wherein the system further comprises:
a second sensor comprising a second emitter and detector pair within a second one of the plurality of elongate channels.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor has a first sensing zone across a first portion of the outermost air intake face of the intake screen and wherein the system further comprises:
a second sensor having a second sensing zone across a second portion of the outermost air intake face of the intake screen.

14. The system of claim 7 further comprising:
a reverse airflow generation system to create a reverse airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction to clear debris from the intake screen; and
a controller to activate the reverse airflow generation system based upon signals from the sensor.

15. An air intake screen debris monitoring and cleaning system comprising:
an intake screen through which air is drawn in a first direction for cooling;
a reverse airflow generation system to create a reverse airflow in a second direction opposite the first direction to clear debris from the intake screen;
a sensor to sense debris that is collected on the intake screen, wherein the sensor has a first sensing zone across a first portion of an air intake face of the intake screen;
a second sensor having a second sensing zone across a second portion of the air intake face of the intake screen; and
a controller to activate the reverse airflow generation system based upon signals from the sensor, wherein the intake screen extends in a first plane and wherein the sensor comprises an emitter and a detector to detect electromagnetic radiation in a second plane parallel to the first plane.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the intake screen comprises an elongate channel and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are located within the elongate channel.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first sensor comprises a first emitter-detector pair and wherein the second sensor comprises a second emitter-detector pair.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a third sensor having a third sensing zone across a third portion of the air intake face of the intake screen, the third sensing zone being staggered with respect to the first sensing zone and the second sensing zone.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first sensing zone extends from the sensor in a third direction along the air intake face of the air intake screen and wherein the second sensing zone extends from the second sensor in a fourth direction opposite the third direction along the air intake face of the air intake screen.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the sensor and the second sensor are arranged back-to-back between opposite ends of the intake screen.

Assignees

• Deere & Co

Inventors

• Clark Scott N
• Jacobs Nikolas J

Classifications

• B01D46/72 Primary

  with backwash arms, shoes or nozzles · CPC title

• B01D46/70

  by acting counter-currently on the filtering surface, e.g. by flushing on the non-cake side of the filter · CPC title

• B01D46/10

  Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces · CPC title

• B01D46/0086 Primary

  Filter condition indicators · CPC title

• B01D2279/60

  for the intake of internal combustion engines or turbines · CPC title