Gear flow meter with out of product sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016258790-A1
Application number	US-201514637586-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 4, 2015
Priority date	Mar 4, 2015
Publication date	Sep 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed toward methods and systems including a flow meter. The flow meter can include one or more sensors and be capable of detecting parameters of the fluid flowing therethrough. One or more sensors can include capacitive sensors having a plurality of electrodes and configured to detect capacitive properties of a fluid flowing through the flow meter. Detected changes in detected properties of the fluid can be evidence of important changes in the fluid, such as an out of product event or a contamination of the fluid.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a flow meter comprising
(i) a housing defining a chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet wherein at least a portion of the housing is substantially transparent to a first wavelength of light; and
(ii) a first rotating element within the chamber configured to rotate as fluid travels through the housing, wherein the first rotating element comprises a detectable area which reflects light of the first wavelength differently than portions of the first rotating element that are not the detectable areas;
an optical assembly comprising an optical emitter configured to emit light of at least the first wavelength into the chamber via the transparent portion of the housing and an optical detector configured to detect light of at least the first wavelength reflected from inside the chamber; and a capacitive sensor positioned proximate the housing, the capacitive sensor comprising a first electrode, a second electrode, and a first insulator separating the first and second electrodes.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises at least a first sidewall, and wherein the capacitive sensor is substantially flush with the first sidewall of the housing.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged concentrically such that the first electrode is surrounded by the first insulator and the first insulator is surrounded by the second electrode.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the capacitive sensor is positioned on a capacitive sensor board external to and abutting the first sidewall of the housing.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the area spanned by the capacitive sensor is approximately equal to the size of the first sidewall.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the housing that is substantially transparent to the first wavelength of light is positioned on the first sidewall of the housing.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the substantially transparent portion of the first sidewall comprises sapphire.

8 . The system of claim 6 , where the capacitive sensor comprises at least one hole in any of the first electrode, the second electrode, or the insulator, the at least one hole positioned such that when the first rotating element is rotated within the chamber, the position of the detectable area of the first rotating element coincides with the position of the hole in the capacitive sensor during a portion of the rotation.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the optical emitter and optical detector are positioned in the at least one hole in the capacitive sensor such that the optical emitter, optical detector, and first and second electrodes are substantially flush with the first sidewall of the housing.

10 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising a controller configured to
receive a detection signal from the first non-contact sensor representative of the rotational position of the first rotating component; determine, from the detection signal, at least one of a volume or flow rate of fluid passing through the flow meter; apply an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes of the first capacitive sensor; determine the capacitance between the first and second electrodes; and based on the determined capacitance, detect the presence of a product flowing through the housing.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the capacitive sensor is positioned on a first side of the capacitive sensor board, the first side of the capacitive sensor board facing the first sidewall of the housing; and wherein
the capacitive sensor board comprises a second side, opposite the first, and a ground layer and a powered layer each positioned between the first and second sides of the capacitive sensor board.

12 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising electronic circuitry for interfacing with at least one of the capacitive sensor or the optical assembly.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the controller is positioned on the second side of the capacitive sensor board.

14 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising a reference capacitive sensor positioned on the capacitive sensor board and configured to detect a reference capacitance.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the reference capacitive sensor is positioned on the second side of the capacitive sensor board.

16 . A method for detecting an out of product event in a metered fluid flow process comprising:
placing a flow meter in the fluid flow path, the flow meter comprising
a housing having wherein at least a portion of the housing is transparent to a first wavelength of light;
a first rotating element positioned in the housing;
a capacitive sensor comprising a first electrode, a second electrode coplanar with the first electrode, and an insulator separating the first and second electrodes; and
an optical assembly comprising an optical emitter configured to emit light at the first wavelength and an optical detector configured to detect light at the first wavelength;
emitting light from the optical emitter into the housing; detecting light reflected light from within the housing with the optical detector; determining at least one flow property of fluid flowing through the flow meter based on the detected reflected light; applying an electrical potential between the first and second electrodes; analyzing a first capacitance between the first and second electrodes over time; and detecting an out of product event based on the analysis of the first capacitance.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the flow meter further comprises a second capacitive sensor, the second capacitive sensor comprising third and fourth electrodes, and the method further comprises:
analyzing a second capacitance between the third and fourth electrodes; and comparing the first capacitance to the second capacitance; and wherein detecting an out of product event based on the analysis of the first capacitance comprises observing a change in the comparison between the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining the derivative of the first capacitance over time.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein detecting an out of product event comprises determining if the derivative of the first capacitance meets one or more predetermined criteria.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising generating an alert when an out of product event is detected.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Tokhtuev Eugene
• Owen Christopher J
• Skirda Anatoly
• Schilling Paul Simon
• Slobodyan Viktor

Classifications

• G01F1/08 Primary

  Adjusting, correcting or compensating means therefor · CPC title

• G01F1/065

  with radiation as transfer means to the indicating device, e.g. light transmission · CPC title

• G01F3/10 Primary

  Geared or lobed impeller meters · CPC title

• G01F22/00

  Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G01N27/226

  Construction of measuring vessels; Electrodes therefor · CPC title