Analysis device for detecting solid particles in a lubricant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12210010-B2
Application number	US-202117995838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2021
Priority date	Apr 8, 2020
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

Analysis device for detecting solid particles in suspension in a lubricant, the analysis device comprising one or more ferromagnetic solid particle sensors, one or more other sensors able to detect non-ferromagnetic solid particles, and one or more magnets. The ferromagnetic solid particle sensors are offset in a direction perpendicular to a main direction of flow of the lubricant in relation to the other sensors, and the magnets are arranged so as to attract ferromagnetic solid particles towards the sensors of ferromagnetic solid particles by drawing them away from the other sensors.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An analysis device for detecting solid particles in suspension in a lubricant, the analysis device comprising:
one or more ferromagnetic solid particle sensors, one or more other sensors able to detect non-ferromagnetic solid particles, these other sensors being offset in a direction perpendicular to a main direction of flow of the lubricant in relation to the ferromagnetic solid particle sensors, and one or more magnets arranged so as to attract the ferromagnetic solid particles towards the ferromagnetic solid particle sensors by drawing them away from the other sensors.

2. The analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the ferromagnetic solid particle sensors is directional and oriented to detect ferromagnetic solid particles in a direction perpendicular to the main direction of flow of the lubricant.

3. The analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein each of the other sensors is directional and oriented to detect non-ferromagnetic solid particles in a direction parallel to the main direction of flow of the lubricant.

4. The analysis device according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more grids arranged crosswise to the main direction of flow of the lubricant, to separate per size the solid particles in suspension in the lubricant.

5. The analysis device according to claim 4 , wherein each of said other sensors is arranged to detect non-ferromagnetic solid particles on each of the grids.

6. The analysis device according to claim 4 , wherein the grids comprise at least one first grid and a second grid arranged downstream of the first grid in the main direction of flow of the lubricant, the second grid being finer than the first grid so as to separate solid particles of smaller size.

7. The analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic solid particle sensors are inductive sensors.

8. The analysis device according to claim 7 , wherein each ferromagnetic solid particle sensor comprises a winding oriented in a direction perpendicular to the main direction of flow of the lubricant.

9. The analysis device according to claim 1 , wherein the other sensors are optical and/or acoustic sensors.

10. The analysis device according to claim 9 , wherein each of said other sensors is configured to detect a wavelength and/or light intensity reflected by non-ferromagnetic solid particles.

11. A lubricant monitoring system comprising:
an analysis device according to claim 1 ,
one or more inlet connections each connectable to a lubricant circuit to allow the entry of lubricant from the lubricant circuit into the analysis device,
one or more outlet connections each connectable to the lubricant circuit so as to allow return of the lubricant through the analysis device towards the lubricant circuit.

12. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 11 , wherein the inlet connections and outlet connections are releasably connectable to the lubricant circuit.

13. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 11 , comprising several of said inlet connections and a selective inlet valve to place said inlet connections selectively in fluid communication with the analysis devices.

14. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 13 , wherein the selective inlet valve comprises a rotative valve body.

15. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 13 , comprising several of said outlet connections and a selective outlet valve to place said outlet connections selectively in fluid communication with the analysis device.

16. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 15 , wherein the selective inlet valve and selective outlet valve are coupled together.

17. The lubricant monitoring system according to claim 11 , comprising a communication device connected to the analysis device.

Assignees

• Safran Aircraft Engines

Inventors

• Coupard Josselin Xavier
• Garnier Alméric Pierre Louis
• Demaison François Maurice Marcel
• Liotte Franck Serge Jacques

Classifications

• G01N2015/0053

  in liquids, e.g. trouble · CPC title

• G01N2001/205

  using a valve · CPC title

• G01N2001/1025

  Liquid suspensions; Slurries; Mud; Sludge · CPC title

• G01N15/0656

  using electric, e.g. electrostatic methods or magnetic methods (by investigating individual particles G01N15/1031, G01N15/12) · CPC title

• G01N1/2035

  by deviating part of a fluid stream, e.g. by drawing-off or tapping · CPC title