Patent · US Expired

Bubble detector and method of evaluation or calibration thereof

US6843099B2 · kind B2 · utility

28Cited by
12References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 2003
Grant dateJan 18, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2291/02466
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A bubble detector utilizes an ultrasonic transducer to sample bubbles as they pass the transducer. The envelope of the return signal is analyzed to determine the volume of each sampled bubble. If the total volume of bubbles sampled within a certain period of time exceeds a desired maximum volume, the bubble detector may initiate a system shut down. A bubble detector can be evaluated or calibrated by introducing bubbles into a conduit, detecting the bubbles introduced into the conduit using visual inspection or a bubble detector of known resolution and comparing the results with the examination of a bubble detector under evaluation.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.