Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method for measuring the thermal conductivity of a fluid, comprising steps of: disposing a heating sensor (101), adapted not only to generate heat but also to measure its own temperature, in a pipe (102) wherein a clearance defined between the inner wall of the pipe and the outer wall of the heating sensor is dimensioned so that the measurement can be substantially free from any influence of convective heat transfer due to convection caused by heat generation from the heat sensor; measuring the temperature of the fluid; measuring the temperature of the heating sensor; determining a differential temperature therebetween in the steady state; and determining the thermal conductivity of the fluid based on a correlation between the said differential temperature and the thermal conductivity.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method according to claim 1, further including steps of: determining the differential temperature by utilizing a plurality of clearances; determining the coefficient of correlation between the thermal conductivity and the differential temperature; and determining the clearance to be used between the inner wall of the pipe and the outer wall of the heating sensor within sufficiently high and practically useful range of the said coefficient of correlation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the coefficients of correlation used are 0.995 or higher.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the clearance is dimensioned at less than 0.8 mm and the diameter of the heating sensor is less than 3.5 mm.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
50 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the clearance between the inner wall of the pipe and the outer wall of the heating sensor is maintained by a movable or attached spacer means, held at an appropriate distance from the outer surface of the heating sensor.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
38 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the temperature of the heating sensor is a surface temperature of the heating sensor or an average temperature of the heating element contained in the heating sensor.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
28 words
A method according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the temperature of the fluid to be measured in the measuring pipe is controlled by thermostatic means.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
142 words
A method for measuring the thermal conductivity of fluid, comprising steps of; disposing a heating sensor, adapted not only to generate heat but also to measure its own temperature and temperature of a fluid, in a pipe wherein a clearance defined between the inner wall of the pipe and the outer wall of the heating sensor is dimensioned so that the measurement can be substantially free from any influence of convective heat transfer due to convection caused by heat generation from the heat sensor; measuring the temperature of the fluid and the temperature of the heating sensor itself, respectively; determining a differential temperature therebetween, wherein a correlation established between a heating value of the heating sensor with a heat generation controlled so as to maintain said differential temperature at a constant level is utilized to obtain the thermal conductivity of the fluid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus for measuring the thermal conductivity of a fluid, the apparatus comprising a heating sensor (101), disposed within a measuring line (102) arranged to be closed so that the fluid being measured cannot flow for a predetermined period, and adapted not only to generate heat but also to measure its own temperature, and thermostatic means enclosing or covering partially or entirely the measuring line.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus for measuring the thermal conductivity of a fluid, said apparatus comprising a heating sensor (122) adapted not only to generate heat but also to measure its own temperature and a movable spacer (131) adapted to maintain a predetermined clearance with respect to outer surface of the heating sensor.