IP Library Granted Patent US 11,913,897
Granted Patent B2
US 11,913,897 · App. 17/155,590 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Fluid property sensor and fluid particle sensor

Inventors: Patrick Emokpae (Devon, CA); David Rutledge (Edmonton, CA); Richard Helfmann (Calgary, CA); Terry Greeniaus (Edmonton, CA); Chris Holt (Edmonton, CA); Mohammad Abdolrazzaghi (Edmonton, CA); Brad Hesson (Sherwood Park, CA); Richard Hull (Calmar, CA); Kenny Xu (Calmar, CA); Arunkumar Sundaram (Edmonton, CA)
Assignee: FluidInsight Ltd.
G01N27/227G01N27/028G01N30/02G01N2030/025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,913,897
App. No.
17/155,590
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for sensing fluids. A fluid sensor is configured to analyze a fluid utilizing impedance spectroscopy. Capacitive impedance of fluids is sensed and measured. Inductive impedance of suspended particles in fluids is measured. An electrochemical fingerprint of the properties of the fluid or of the particles within the fluid is generated. Fluid analytics data is generated from sensor signal data of the fluids under test. Trainable artificial intelligence algorithms are used to generate fluid analytics data.

Claims (29)

1. A fluid sensor, comprising:

a microcontroller;

a sensing unit communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, the sensing unit including a driving element and a sensing element, the sensing unit further comprising:

a housing;

an elongated resistance temperature detector having a longitudinal axis and extending within a central bore of the housing;

a plurality of elongated electrode pins arranged axially parallel to and radially surrounding the resistance temperature detector, each electrode pin having a longitudinal axis and extending within a corresponding peripheral bore of the housing; and

a plurality of electrode plates mounted on the electrode pins and oriented orthogonally thereto, the plates being spaced apart at regular intervals in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the resistance temperature detector;

wherein the microcontroller generates a signal to excite the driving element of the sensing unit and receives a signal from the sensing element of the sensor so as to perform a measurement of a complex impedance of a fluid;

wherein the sensing unit is adapted to perform the measurement, the measurement being an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) sweep of the fluid; and

wherein a property of the fluid is determined based on the measurement, the property being an electrochemical fingerprint of the fluid, based on impedance exhibited due to a capacitance of the fluid, collected over the EIS sweep.

2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein:

the plurality of electrode pins comprises a first set of pins and a second set of pins;

the plurality of electrode plates comprises a first set of plates and a second set of plates;

the first set of pins is coupled to the first set of plates;

the second set of pins is coupled to the second set of plates; and

the first set of plates and the second set of plates are disposed in an alternating arrangement in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the resistance temperature detector, such that any two immediately adjacent plates belong to different sets of plates.

3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the first set of pins and the first set of plates are the sensing element and the second set of pins and the second set of plates are the driving element.

4. A fluid sensor, comprising:

a microcontroller;

a sensing unit communicatively coupled to the microcontroller, the sensing unit including a driving element and a sensing element, the sensing unit further comprising:

a fluid conduit;

a first bobbin surrounding the fluid conduit and at least one first coil disposed on the outer surface of the first bobbin;

a second bobbin surrounding the at least one first bobbin, and at least one second coil disposed on the outer surface of the second bobbin;

a magnetic shield surrounding the second bobbin; and

a bobbin assembly sleeve enclosing the magnetic shield, first bobbin, and second bobbin;

wherein the microcontroller generates a signal to excite the driving element of the sensing unit and receives a signal from the sensing element of the sensor so as to perform a measurement of a complex impedance of a fluid;

wherein the sensing unit is adapted to perform the measurement, the measurement being a magnetic induction spectroscopy (MIS) sweep of the fluid; and

wherein a property of the fluid is determined based on the measurement, the property being an electromagnetic induction fingerprint of the fluid, based on impedance exhibited due to inductance of particles in the fluid, collected over the MIS sweep.

5. The sensor of claim 4 , wherein the at least one first coil is the sensing element and the at least one second coil is the driving element.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2021
From: EMOKPAE, PATRICK; RUTLEDGE, DAVID; HELFMANN, RICHARD; GREENIAUS, TERRY; HOLT, CHRIS; ABDOLRAZZAGHI, MOHAMMAD; HESSON, BRAD; HULL, RICHARD; XU, KENNY; SUNDARAM, ARUNKUMAR
To: FLUIDINSIGHT LTD.
Reel/Frame 055032/0212 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62965298 · Jan 24, 2020
Related Publication 20210231597A1 · Jul 29, 2021