Methods and systems for monitoring loading of an air filter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9983114-B2
Application number	US-201514714026-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 15, 2015
Priority date	May 15, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems for estimating the loading of an air filter are disclosed herein. The method includes receiving upstream mass air flow data indicative of a mass air flow on an upstream side of an air filter (i.e., the “dirty side of the filter”), receiving downstream air pressure data indicative of an air pressure on a downstream side of the air filter (i.e., the “clean side of the filter”), and receiving downstream temperature data indicative of a temperature on the downstream side of the air filter. The method also includes determining a differential pressure (ΔP) across the air filter indicative of a loading of the air filter based on the upstream mass air flow data, the downstream air pressure data, and the downstream temperature data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
receiving upstream mass air flow data indicative of a mass air flow on an upstream side of an air filter;
receiving downstream air pressure data indicative of an air pressure on a downstream side of the air filter;
receiving downstream temperature data indicative of a temperature on the downstream side of the air filter;
determining a differential pressure (ΔP) across the air filter indicative of a loading of the air filter based on the upstream mass air flow data, the downstream air pressure data, and the downstream temperature data;
comparing the determined differential pressure with a reference value; and
determining a status of the air filter based on the comparison, and providing an output indicating the status of the air filter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status is healthy responsive to the differential pressure being less than the reference value.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the status is at least one of replace and check responsive to the differential pressure greater than or equal to the reference value.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the status is replace if the differential pressure is greater than the reference value by a first amount, wherein the status is check if the differential pressure is greater than the reference value by a second amount, wherein the first amount is greater than the second amount.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein differential pressure includes at least one of a laminar pressure loss and a turbulent pressure loss.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein differential pressure is a rated flow differential pressure, and wherein said determining differential pressure follows a formula:

Δ
⁢

⁢
P

=

P
amb

-

P
sensor

=

1
ρ

⁢

(

C
1

⁢
M

+

C
2

⁢

M
2

)

,

wherein P amb is an air pressure on the upstream side of the air filter;
wherein P sensor is the air pressure on the downstream side of the air filter;
wherein C 1 is a coefficient representing a laminar pressure loss across the air filter;
wherein C 2 is a coefficient representing a turbulent pressure loss across the air filter;
wherein M is a rated flow representing a designed operating flow; and
wherein ρ is an air density of the downstream side of the air filter determined by:

ρ
=

P
sensor

RT

,

wherein T is the temperature on the downstream side of the air filter; and
wherein R is a gas constant.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the air pressure on the upstream side (P amb ) and the coefficients (C 1 and C 2 ) are determined by applying a least squares method to a plurality of upstream mass air flows, a plurality of downstream air pressures, and a plurality of downstream temperatures.

8. A system, comprising:
an air filter; and
a processing system communicably coupled to the air filter, the processing system structured to:
receive upstream mass air flow data indicative of a mass air flow on an upstream side of an air filter;
receive downstream air pressure data indicative of an air pressure on a downstream side of the air filter;
receive downstream temperature data indicative of a temperature on the downstream side of the air filter;
determine a differential pressure (ΔP) across the air filter indicative of a loading of the air filter based on the upstream mass air flow data, the downstream air pressure data, and the downstream temperature data;
compare the determined differential pressure with a reference value;
determine a status of the air filter based on the comparison, the status providing an indication of how the air filter is operating; and
provide an output indicating the status of the air filter.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the status is healthy responsive to the differential pressure being less than the reference value.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the status is at least one of replace and check responsive to the differential pressure greater than or equal to the reference value.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the status is replace if the differential pressure is greater than the reference value by a first amount, wherein the status is check if the differential pressure is greater than the reference value by a second amount, wherein the first amount is greater than the second amount.

12. An apparatus, comprising:
an upstream mass air flow module structured to receive upstream mass air flow data indicative of a mass air flow on an upstream side of an air filter;
a downstream air pressure module structured to receive downstream air pressure data indicative of an air pressure on a downstream side of the air filter;
a downstream temperature module structured to receive downstream temperature data indicative of a temperature on the downstream side of the air filter;
a differential pressure module structured to determine a differential pressure (ΔP) across the air filter indicative of a loading of the air filter based on the upstream mass air flow data, the downstream air pressure data, and the downstream temperature data; and
an indication module structured to compare the determined differential pressure with a reference value to determine a status of the air filter based on the comparison, the status providing an indication of how the air filter is operating, and providing an output indicating the status of the air filter.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the status includes one of healthy, replace, and check based on the comparison between the determined differential pressure and the reference value, wherein the status is healthy responsive to the differential pressure being less than the reference value, and wherein the status is at least one of replace and check responsive to the differential pressure greater than or equal to the reference value.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein differentia

Assignees

• Cummins Inc

Inventors

• Henderson Gregory H
• Lesmana Andry
• Niehus W Patrick
• Pama Alex

Classifications

• F02M35/09

  Clogging indicators {; Diagnosis or testing of air cleaners (sensors therefore F02M35/10373)} · CPC title

• B01D46/0086

  Filter condition indicators · CPC title

• G01L13/00

  Devices or apparatus for measuring differences of two or more fluid pressure values · CPC title

• G01N15/0826 Primary

  and measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. permeation rate or pressure change · CPC title

• G01N2015/084

  Testing filters · CPC title