Ultrasonic system for detecting and quantifying of air bubbles/particles in a flowing liquid
US7661293B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 6, 2007 |
| Grant date | Feb 16, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 8, 2027 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/102
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system using ultrasonic energy for detecting and quantifying air bubbles and/or particles in a liquid flowing in a tube by a non-invasive and non-destructive technique has an ultrasonic sensor having piezoelectric transmitter and receiver elements placed opposing on the outside of the tube wall and energy in the ultrasonic frequency range is transmitted from the transmitter element to the receiver element. The received ultrasonic energy is amplified and detected and preferably split into a steady state (DC) component and a varying or transient (AC) component respectively indicative of the absence and the presence of an air bubble or a particle in the liquid. The two components of the signal are applied to an A/D converter whose output is supplied to a microprocessor which uses the digital data that corresponds to the presence of the varying transient component to indicate the presence of an air bubble and/or a particle and to measure its characteristics. The presence of the steady-state component indicates that the system is operating properly to providing a continuous self check against any system malfunction.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.