Electrically-conductive particle detector

Abstract

Abstract A PARTICLE DETECTOR SYSTEM FOR USE IN DETECTING WEAR OF A PART CONSISTING OF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL IN CONTACT WITH A FLUID IN A FLUID CIRCULATING SYSTEM, WHEREIN THERE IS PROVIDED A FIRST ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE ELEMENT AND A PLURALITY OF SECOND ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE ELEMENTS SPACED AND ELECTRICALLY INSULATED FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THE FIRST ELEMENT TO FORM GAPS. PARTICLE COLLECTING SURFACES ARE PROVIDED IN THE GAPS, AND MEANS ARE PROVIDED FOR PROMOTING THE DEPOSITION OF THE PARTICLES BETWEEN THE ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE PART ON THE SURFACES TO FORM AN ACCUMULATED DEPOSIT OF ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE PARTICLES OR CHIPS IN THE GAP, WHEREBY THE DEPOSIT MAY INCRESSE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE GAP WILL BE BRIDGED BY THE DEPOSITS. IN ONE EMBODIMENT, THE MEANS INCLUDES A MAGNET EXPOSED AT THE SURFACE IN THE GAP. IN OTHER EMBODIMENTS, A WELL SUMP MAY BE PROVIDED FOR ENHANCING THE DEPOSITION OF CHIPS OR PARTICLES ON THE SURFACS INSTEAD OF THE MAGNET. FURTHER, A CYLINDERICAL SCREEN FILTER CAN BE PROVIDED BETWEEN THE INLET AND OUTLET OF THE OIL SUMP FOR ENHANCING THE DOPOSITION OF PARTICLES IN THE SURFACES OF THE GAPS. STILL FURTHER, THESE MEANS CAN COMPRISE BAFFLES CRITICALLY LOCATED FOR ENHANCING THE DEPOSITION OF THE PARTICLES FROM TYHE OIL ONTO THE DETECTOR. AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUALLY DETECTING THE BRIDGING OF PRESELECTED GAPS BY THE PARTICLES. A PLURALITY OF DETECTORS CAN BE USED IN A SYSTEM WHEREIN A MASTER DETECTOR IS LOCATED IN A COMMON FLUID DUCT, WHILE SUBSIDARY DETECTORS ARE LOCATED IN BRANCH DUCTS, WHEREBY THE MASTER DETECTOR CAN ACTIVATE THE DETECTORS IN THE BRANCH DUCTS, ONCE A PRESELECTED NUMBER OF GAPS IN THE MASTER DETECTOR HAVE BEEN BRIDGED.

Inventors

• 👤 John N Smith

Bibliographic Details