System, method, and apparatus for detecting air in a fluid line using active rectification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023393096-A1
Application number	US-202318235914-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 21, 2023
Priority date	Dec 18, 2012
Publication date	Dec 7, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A circuit for detecting air, a related system, and a related method are provided. The circuit for detecting air includes a receiver connection and an air-detection circuit. The receiver connection is configured to provide a receiver signal. The air-detection circuit is in operative communication with the receiver connection to process the receiver signal to generate a processed signal corresponding to detected air. The air-detection circuit includes one or more active-rectifying elements configured to actively rectify the receiver signal to provide the processed signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of detecting air, the method comprising:
transmitting ultrasonic energy; receiving the ultrasonic energy; transducing the received ultrasonic energy into a receiver signal; actively rectifying the receiver signal to provide a processed signal by inverting the receiver to provide an inverted receiver signal; determining whether the processed signal is less than a predetermined threshold; inverting the receiver signal to provide an inverted receiver signal; switching between the receiver signal and the inverted receiver signal in accordance with a first switching signal to provide a first switch output; and integrating the first switch output to provide a first integrated output for a predetermined number of cycles.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
switching between the receiver signal and the inverted receiver signal in accordance with a second switching signal to provide a second switch output.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
integrating the second switch output to provide a second integrated output for a predetermined number of cycles.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
calculating a magnitude using the first and second integrated outputs.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the magnitude defines the processed signal.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
activating a first switching network configured to switch between the receiver signal and an inverted receiver signal to provide a first switching network signal.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
switching between the receiver signal and the inverted receiver signal in accordance with a first switching signal to provide a first switching network signal.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
integrating the first switching network to provide a first integrated output.

9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal further comprises:
activating a second switching network configured to switch between the receiver signal and an inverted receiver signal to provide a second switching network signal.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal further comprises:
switching between the receiver signal and the inverted receiver signal in accordance with a second switching signal to provide the second switching network signal.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second switching signal is about 90 degrees out of phase with the first switching signal.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal further comprises:
integrating the second switching network signal to provide a second integrated output.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
filtering the first switch output to provide a first filtered output.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
filtering the second switch output to provide a second filtered output.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal comprises:
filtering the first switch output to provide a first filtered output; and filtering the second switch output to provide a second filtered output.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the act of actively rectifying the receiver signal further comprises:
generating a processed signal using the first filtered output and the second filtered output.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the processed signal is a square root of a squared of the first filter output summed with a square of the second filtered output.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
determining a presence of an air bubble within a fluid tube when the processed signal is below a predetermined threshold.

19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
estimating a volume of the air bubble.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the estimation of the volume of the bubble is based on a flow rate of fluid within the tube and a period of time that the processed signal is below the predetermined threshold.

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Wilt Michael J
• Sachs Jason M

Classifications

• G01N29/02 Primary

  Analysing fluids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14 {; constructional or flow details for analysing fluids G01N29/222; optoacoustic fluid cells G01N29/2425}) · CPC title

• G01N29/032 Primary

  by measuring attenuation of acoustic waves · CPC title

• G01N29/4427

  with stored values, e.g. threshold values · CPC title

• G01N2291/02433

  Gases in liquids, e.g. bubbles, foams · CPC title

• G01N2291/102

  one emitter, one receiver · CPC title