Airflow sensor with dust reduction

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9612146-B2
Application number	US-201414175546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2014
Priority date	Feb 7, 2014
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

A sensor housing includes an inlet flow port, an outlet flow port, a flow sensing region, and a flow channel extending between the inlet flow port, the flow sensing region and the outlet flow port. The flow channel defines a flow path between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region that is contorted in three-dimensions. The three-dimensional contorted flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region may include a particle collection region that is configured to decelerate a fluid and collect particles that are released from the fluid. The deceleration of the fluid flow and/or one or more changes in the direction of fluid flow along the contorted three-dimensional flow path may cause dust and/or other particulate matter to be released from the fluid prior to reaching a sensor in the sensing region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow sensor housing, comprising:
an inlet flow port;
an outlet flow port;
a flow sensing region;
a flow channel extending between the inlet flow port, the flow sensing region and the outlet flow port, the flow channel defining a flow path between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region that is contorted in three-dimensions, wherein the flow path includes a first flow channel region configured to receive a fluid from the inlet flow port along a first axis; and
wherein the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region includes a particle collection region that is configured to decelerate the fluid and collect particles that are released from the fluid, wherein the particle collection region comprises at least one of a greater volume or a greater cross-sectional area than the remainder of the flow path, wherein the particle collection region is configured to receive the fluid from the first flow channel region through a first opening aligned perpendicular to a second axis, and wherein the flow path is configured to include a second flow channel region between the particle collection region and the flow sensing region that is configured to receive the fluid from the particle collection region through a second opening aligned perpendicular to a third axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel to an X-axis and a Y-axis of an X-Y-Z coordinate system, and wherein the third axis has a component that is parallel to the Z-axis of the X-Y-Z coordinate system.

2. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 further comprising a flow sensor in the flow sensing region for sensing a measure related to a fluid flow rate of the fluid flowing in the flow sensing region.

3. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional spiral shape.

4. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional corkscrew shape.

5. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional twisted shape.

6. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein the flow channel further defines a flow path between the flow sensing region and the outlet flow port that is also contorted in three-dimensions.

7. The flow sensor housing of claim 6 , wherein the flow path between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region and the flow path between the flow sensing region and the outlet flow port are contorted into a common three-dimensional shape.

8. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the flow channel between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region comprises a contoured three-dimensional path.

9. The flow sensor housing of claim 8 , further comprising walls of the flow sensor housing, wherein the contoured three-dimensional path is defined by the walls, and wherein at least some of the walls are curved to help reduce turbulence in the fluid entering the flow sensing region.

10. The flow sensor housing of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the flow channel upstream of the flow sensing region comprises a fin, wherein the fin is configured to laminarize the flow of the fluid in the flow sensing region.

11. A method of sensing flow rate of a fluid that has one or more particles in the fluid, the method comprising:
directing the fluid between an inlet flow port of a housing and a flow sensing region of the housing, wherein the fluid is directed along a flow path that is contorted in three-dimensions between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region, wherein the flow path comprises a particle collection region, wherein the flow path receives the fluid from the inlet flow port along a first axis and directs the fluid into the particle collection region through a first opening aligned perpendicular to a second axis;
decelerating the fluid along the flow path that is contorted in three-dimensions in the particle collection region,
releasing at least a portion of the one or more particles in the fluid in response to decelerating the fluid;
collecting at least the portion of the one or more particles that are released in the particle collection region;
directing the fluid from the particle collection region to the flow sensing region through an opening aligned perpendicular to a third axis, wherein the first axis and the second axis are parallel to an X-axis and a Y-axis of an X-Y-Z coordinate system, and wherein the third axis has a component that is parallel to the Z-axis of the X-Y-Z coordinate system; and
sensing the flow rate of the fluid in the flow sensing region.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional spiral shape.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional corkscrew shape.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least part of the flow path between the inlet flow port and a flow sensing region is contorted into a three-dimensional twisted shape.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
directing the fluid from the flow sensing region to a second particle collection region;
decelerating the fluid and collecting particles that are released in the second particle collection region; and
directing the fluid from the second particle collection region to an outlet flow port.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein directing the fluid from the particle collection region to the flow sensing region comprises passing the fluid from the particle collection region through the second opening, wherein the second opening has a cross-sectional area that is less than the cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the flow path in the particle collection region.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the flow path between the inlet flow port and the flow sensing region comprises a contoured three-dimensional path.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the contoured three-dimensional path is defined by walls of the housing.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
reducing turbulence in the fluid using the contoured three-dimensional path as the fluid is directed from the particle collection region to the flow sensing region.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fluid path further comprises a fin disposed upstream of the flow sensing region, wherein the method further comprises:
laminarizing the flow of the fluid using the fin as the fluid is directed from the particle collection region to the flow sensing region.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc
• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Speldrich Jamie
• Sorenson Richard C
• Milley Andrew J

Classifications

• G01F15/125 Primary

  Filters · CPC title

• G01F15/14

  Casings, e.g. of special material · CPC title