Air bubble sensing systems and related signal processing
Inventors
Moravec, Davis B. • Cronin, Michael J. • Miller, Danny W. • Goltzman, Chad M. • Yoder, Mikayla A. • Hauser, Bradly G.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12352697-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-08
Expiration Date
Abstract
Embodiments herein relate to systems for detecting air bubbles in fluids. In an embodiment, a fluid system aeration detector is included having an optical air bubble sensor. The optical air bubble sensor can include a light source, a light detector, and a sensor controller. The sensor controller can be in signal communication with the light detector and can be configured to detect air bubbles based on the signals received from the light detector. The sensor controller can further be configured to estimate an amount of aeration of a fluid based on the detected air bubbles. Other embodiments are also included herein.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to an optical air bubble sensor used in a fluid system aeration detector. The optical air bubble sensor includes a light source, a light detector, and a sensor controller in signal communication with the light detector. The sensor controller detects air bubbles based on signals received from the light detector and estimates an amount of aeration of a fluid based on the detected air bubbles.
A central feature is that the sensor controller distinguishes between air bubbles and water droplets in a fluid based on at least one of peak magnitude and peak width. The signal processing for discrimination uses peak characteristics such as peak magnitude and peak width, including a ratio of peak magnitude to peak width, and relates these features to reflection behavior prior to an absorbance peak and associated refraction and scattering peaks.
The disclosed system is integrated with fluid-system sensing contexts to connect detected air bubbles to system conditions. The document describes estimating a restriction level of a liquid filter upstream based on detected air bubbles, and it relates aeration to restriction and pressure sensing through the optical detection and aeration estimation. The signal-based aeration detection is deployed in a fluid channel or flow cell, including configurations under vacuum pressure and sampling channel arrangements, with examples tied to filter restriction conditions.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims. Across these claims, the inventive features center on optical air-bubble detection with bubble-vs-droplet discrimination using peak magnitude and/or peak width, followed by translating detected air bubbles into an aeration estimate or, in a related system, into a filter restriction level estimate.
Optical air-bubble detection with aeration estimation and peak-based discrimination
A fluid system aeration detector comprising an optical air bubble sensor with a light source, a light detector, and a sensor controller in signal communication with the light detector, where the sensor controller detects air bubbles based on signals from the light detector, estimates an amount of aeration based on detected air bubbles, and distinguishes between air bubbles and water droplets based on at least one of peak magnitude and peak width.
Method of detecting fluid system aeration with peak-based discrimination and aeration estimation
A method of detecting fluid system aeration comprising detecting air bubbles based on signals received from a light detector; distinguishing between air bubbles and water droplets in a fluid based on at least one of peak magnitude and peak width; and estimating an amount of aeration of a fluid based on the detected air bubbles.
Filter restriction sensing using optical air-bubble detection with peak-based discrimination
A filter restriction sensing system comprising an optical air bubble sensor with a light source, a light detector, and a sensor controller in signal communication with the light detector, where the sensor controller evaluates signals, detects air bubbles based on the signals, generates an estimate of a restriction level of a liquid filter upstream based on the detected air bubbles, and distinguishes between air bubbles and water droplets in a fluid based on at least one of peak magnitude and peak width.
Overall claim coverage uses optical detection of air bubbles, discrimination between air bubbles and water droplets using peak magnitude and/or peak width, and then uses the detected air bubbles to estimate either fluid aeration or a restriction level of a liquid filter upstream.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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