System, method, and device for sensing pressure of a fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9360384-B2
Application number	US-201414181309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 14, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Jun 7, 2016
Grant date	Jun 7, 2016

Abstract

A pressure sensor for sensing a pressure of a fluid includes a Bourdon tube that has a helical segment and an anvil. A portion of the anvil is positioned within the helical segment. The sensor also includes a dielectric material positioned between the portion of the anvil and the helical segment. The anvil, the dielectric material, and the helical segment form a variable capacitor. A capacitance of the variable capacitor changes based on a pressure applied to the Bourdon tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressure sensor, comprising:
a Bourdon tube having a helical segment;
an anvil, wherein a portion of the anvil is positioned within the helical segment;
a dielectric material positioned between the portion of the anvil and the helical segment, wherein the anvil, the dielectric material, and the helical segment form a variable capacitor and wherein a capacitance of the variable capacitor changes based on a pressure applied to the Bourdon tube.

2. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the helical segment is configured to have a dimensional change in response to a change in the pressure applied to the Bourdon tube and wherein the capacitance changes in response to the dimensional change.

3. The pressure sensor of claim 2 , wherein the dimensional change of the helical segment includes a radial change of the portion of the helical tube.

4. The pressure sensor of claim 3 , wherein the portion of the helical segment is configured to radially expand in response to an increase in the pressure applied to the Bourdon tube and wherein the portion of the helical segment is configured to radially shrink in response to a reduction in the pressure applied to the Bourdon tube.

5. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pressure is applied to the Bourdon tube through an open end of the Bourdon tube and wherein a closed end of the Bourdon tube is proximal to the helical segment.

6. The pressure sensor of claim 5 , further comprising a pressure interface configured to interface with a fluid exerting the pressure, wherein the open end of the Bourdon tube is fixedly attached to the pressure interface.

7. The pressure sensor of claim 6 , wherein the pressure interface includes a compartment configured to hold an isolation fluid separated from the fluid by a separator, wherein the open end of the Bourdon tube is exposed to the isolation fluid, and wherein the separator is configured to transfer the pressure from the fluid to the isolation fluid.

8. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , further comprising an insulator attached to the anvil, the insulator configured to electrically isolate the anvil from an electrical ground.

9. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric material is disposed on the portion of the anvil.

10. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pressure applied to the Bourdon tube ranges from 0 pounds per square inch (PSI) to 20,000 PSI.

11. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is configured to operate in an environment having a temperature exceeding 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

12. The pressure sensor of claim 1 , wherein the anvil and the Bourdon tube are made of inconel.

13. A system for measuring a pressure of a fluid, the system comprising:
a resonator having a first terminal and a second terminal;
a signal source configured to provide a signal to the resonator via the first terminal of the resonator;
a receiver configured to receive the signal from the resonator; and
a pressure sensor electrically coupled to the second terminal of the resonator and to the receiver, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the signal via the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor comprising:
a Bourdon tube having a helical segment;
an anvil, wherein a portion of the anvil is positioned within the helical segment;
a dielectric material positioned between the portion of the anvil and the helical segment.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the anvil, the dielectric material, and the helical segment form a variable capacitor, wherein a capacitance of the variable capacitor changes based on a pressure applied to the Bourdon tube.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the anvil and the second terminal of the resonator are coupled by a first electrical connector and wherein the Bourdon tube and the receiver are coupled by a second electrical connector.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the resonator is a crystal resonator and wherein the signal source is configured to vary a frequency of the signal.

17. A method for measuring a pressure of a fluid, the method comprising:
providing a signal to a resonator;
receiving the signal through the resonator and a pressure sensor electrically coupled to the resonator;
processing the signal to determine the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor based on a frequency of the signal, wherein the pressure sensor comprises:
a Bourdon tube having a helical segment;
an anvil, wherein a portion of the anvil is positioned within the helical segment;

and
a dielectric material positioned between the portion of the anvil and the helical segment.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the anvil, the dielectric material, and the helical segment form a variable capacitor, wherein a capacitance of the variable capacitor changes based on a pressure applied to the Bourdon tube.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising varying a frequency of the signal provided to the resonator.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the resonator is a crystal resonator and wherein processing the signal includes determining a voltage level of the signal after receiving the signal through the resonator and the pressure sensor.

Assignees

• Beck David William
• Chevron Usa Inc

Inventors

• Beck David William

Classifications

• G01L9/08

  by making use of piezoelectric devices {, i.e. electric circuits therefor} · CPC title

• G01L7/04 Primary

  in the form of flexible, deformable tubes, e.g. Bourdon gauges · CPC title

• G01L9/003

  using variations in capacitance · CPC title