Protecting an optical particle sensor from particulate desposits by thermophoresis
US10363514B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 2016 |
| Grant date | Jul 30, 2019 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 25, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2021/155
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides a sensor device which comprises an input flow channel (10) for receiving a gas flow with entrained matter to be sensed. A thermophoretic arrangement (14a, 14b) is used to induce a thermophoretic particle movement from a first, warmer, region (16) of the input flow channel to a second, cooler, region (18) of the input flow channel (10). A sensor (24) comprises a particle sensor component at or downstream of the first region (16) of the input flow channel (10). The invention provides the benefit of pre-filtering (e.g. removal of most suspended solids/liquids) without the need for a physical filter that can become blocked.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.