System and method for detecting coil faults

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020072893-A1
Application number	US-201916557656-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Aug 31, 2018
Publication date	Mar 5, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system and method for detecting the location of coil open and coil short faults. The method includes obtaining an instantaneous admittance signature of each solenoid coil, sending out a periodic test signal to each valve, obtaining a new admittance signature; and calculating the coil-open and coil-short faults.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for monitoring the admittance value of at least one coil in a solenoid-controlled valve, comprising:
generating a test supply voltage by a power supply and supplying the voltage to at least one of the coils; measuring an instantaneous current signature of at least one of the coils by a current sensing circuit; disconnecting the test supply voltage to the at least one of the coils; and calculating the admittance value of at least one of the coils by a processing circuit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising measuring the instantaneous current signature after a predetermined period of time.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined period of time is from about 0.1 millisecond to about 2 milliseconds.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the admittance value is determined as the ratio of the instantaneous current signature to the test supply voltage of the at least one coil.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the test supply voltage is low enough as to not move a spool of the solenoid-controlled valve.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a time between generating the test supply voltage is at least 0.01 milliseconds.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the admittance value of at least one coil occurs at least every 30 seconds.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the admittance value is temperature independent.

9 . The method of claim 2 , comprising disconnecting the test supply voltage to the at least one of the coils after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a health of the coil based on the admittance value.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein determining the health of the coil comprises determining the likelihood of a coil failure, a short circuit, or an open circuit in the at least one coil.

12 . A system for monitoring the admittance value of at least one coil in a solenoid-controlled valve assembly comprising:
a solenoid operated valve comprising at least one coil; a power supply providing a test supply voltage; a current sensing circuit for measuring an instantaneous current signature of the at least one coil upon actuating the solenoid operated valve; a power supply switching circuit for selectively connecting and disconnecting the test supply voltage from the at least one coil; and a processing circuit coupled to the power supply, the current sensing circuit, and the power supply switching circuit, wherein the processing circuit is configured to determine an admittance value, the admittance value determined as the ratio of the instantaneous current signature to the test supply voltage of the at least one coil.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuit is a microprocessor based controller.

14 . The system of claim 12 , comprising measuring the instantaneous current signature after a predetermined period of time.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the predetermined period of time is from about 0.1 millisecond to about 2 milliseconds.

16 . The system of claim 12 further comprising an interface configured to display the admittance value.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the test supply voltage is low enough as to not move a spool of the solenoid-controlled valve.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein a time between generating the test supply voltage is at least 0.01 milliseconds.

19 . The system of claim 12 , wherein measuring the admittance value of at least one coil occurs at least every 30 seconds.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein calculating the admittance value is temperature independent.

21 . The system of claim 12 , comprising disconnecting the test supply voltage to the at least one of the coils after the predetermined period of time has elapsed.

22 . The system of claim 12 , further comprising determining a health of the coil based on the admittance value.

23 . The system of claim 22 , wherein determining the health of the coil comprises determining the likelihood of a coil failure, a short circuit, or an open circuit in the at least one coil.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Madane Mayura Arun
• Surase Nilesh
• Tr Arjun
• Kank Amogh

Classifications

• H01F7/1844 Primary

  Monitoring or fail-safe circuits (for relays H01H47/002) · CPC title

• H01F7/081

  Magnetic constructions · CPC title

• F16K37/0041

  for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01R31/72 Primary

  Testing of electric windings (testing of transformers G01R31/62) · CPC title

• F16K31/0675

  Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor · CPC title