Abstract: This invention is directed toward the detection fluid infiltration into an underground pipe system, and more particularly is directed toward the qualitative and quantitative detection of liquid leaks into, and out of, underground sewer systems. The invention is particularly suited for detecting the infiltration of ground water into sewer systems such that the leaks can be precisely located as a precursor to time and cost efficient repairs. Fluid properties are measured with a probe at station locations which are preferably manholes. Any leaks in the system are first determined to a geographic location spanning two adjacent manholes. The locations of the leaks are further define to a very high geographic resolution by floating the probe from the upstream manhole toward the downstream manhole while continuously recording fluid property measurements at the surface of the earth. Results are preferably presented in the form of a survey map.

Abstract: A method for determining pressure in an operating Coriolis effect mass flowmeter. The Coriolis flowmeter flow tubes are vibrated in both a bending mode (as is normal for measuring mass flow rate) and in a twisting mode. The ratio of the fundamental frequencies at which the flow tubes vibrate in each of the two vibration modes is proportional to the pressure within the flow tubes. In the preferred embodiment, a sum/difference method initially isolates the superposed sinusoids representing the fundamental frequencies of the two vibrational modes. Fast conjugate gradient (FCG) digital filters are then used to rapidly estimate the fundamental frequencies in each of the two vibration modes. The estimated frequencies are then used by filter chains including digital notch and band pass filters as well as recursive maximum likelihood (RML) digital filter techniques to enhance the bending mode and twisting mode fundamental frequency estimates.

Abstract: A deep fat fryer system includes a vat for holding a quantity of cooking medium. A tube or conduit is disposed between a position in the vat corresponding to a lower desired level of cooking medium in the vat and a blower for creating a vacuum in the tube. A pressure sensitive switch is disposed for sensing differences in pressure between the inside of the conduit and the outside of the conduit. The pressure sensitive switch provides an electrically detectable indication of when the difference in pressure between the inside of the conduit and the outside of the conduit is in excess of a predetermined difference in pressure indicative of cooking medium covering the end of the tube disposed in the vat.

Abstract: Relative speeds of wheels are measured in different speed ranges when tires are properly inflated to learn offsets due to parameters not related to pressure. The offsets are used during leak monitoring to detect a wheel speed pattern which is abnormal due to pressure drops. During learning periods, monitoring for large pressure drops only is permitted using preliminary offset values. When learning is complete in a given speed range high sensitivity monitoring is invoked. Special sensitivity of large pressure drops shortly after vehicle start up allows a brief period of flat detection. A plurality of leak events for a given wheel are accumulated to signal a warning, with large pressure drops accumulating faster than small drops for progressive sensitivity and greater robustness.

Abstract: A process for determining the phase portion of a medium in open and closed pipes, especially for use in connection with a process for determining the volume flow, with the help of at least three condenser plates extending basically over the entire height of the pipe and with the help of a control and evaluation circuit, in which at least one of the condenser plates has an alternating voltage applied to it by the control and evaluation circuit and the current flowing between the condenser plate with the voltage appled to it and at least one other condenser plate is recorded by the control and evaluation circuit. The process is designed so that the current between at least two condenser plates is recorded by the control and evaluation circuit from two different groups of condenser plates separated by the vertical line of the pipe.

Abstract: A system for measuring fluid flow in a conduit having an abrupt bend. The system includes pressure transducers, one disposed in the conduit at the inside of the bend and one or more disposed in the conduit at the outside of the bend but spaced a distance therefrom. The pressure transducers measure the pressure of fluid in the conduit at the locations of the pressure transducers and this information is used by a computational device to calculate fluid flow rate in the conduit. For multi-phase fluid, the density of the fluid is measured by another pair of pressure transducers, one of which is located in the conduit elevationally above the other. The computation device then uses the density measurement along with the fluid pressure measurements, to calculate fluid flow.

Abstract: A self-verifying temperature sensor and method for measuring and verifying the true thermodynamic temperature of a system. The sensor is constructed of various combinations of the following temperature-dependent elements: thermoelements, resistive elements, capacitive elements and other inductive elements. In the preferred embodiment, the sensor is constructed of resistive element connected between four thermoelement wires. A fifth thermoelement wire is connected to the resistive element. The sensor produces a data signature from various voltage, resistance, inductance, and capacitance measurements. Measurement electronics collect and condition the data signature. A computer analyzes the data signature and provides the system operator with a verified sensor temperature, thus, allowing the system operator to recognize and account for drift or decalibration of the sensor.

Abstract: This invention relates to an instrument for measuring the degree of an internal chamfer and comprises a cylinder (5) which is moved axially within a housing (1) and having three equally spaced longitudinal slots (16) therethrough; a knurled handle (3) for sliding the cylinder within the housing; a set screw (4) in the handle for selectively locking and unlocking an indicator gage to the cylinder; a piston (6) slidably disposed in the cylinder and contacting the indicator gage point (7); a spring (11) biasing the piston from the indicator stem (15); three equally spaced link blades (8) extendable through the corresponding slots in the cylinder of which one end of each link blade is pivotally mounted to piston and the other end of the link blade of the respective set is pivotally attached to one end of one corresponding blade of a set of three measuring blades (9) and the other end of the respective blade of the set of measuring blades being pivotally fastened to the lower end (10) of the cylinder which is redu

Abstract: The diagnostic system of the present invention monitors and accumulates the thermal signatures or characteristics during at least one operational mode of the cooking appliance. These thermal signatures or characteristics are collected--through the same temperature sensor used to regulate the temperature of the cooking appliance--and then stored in, for example, a look-up table. Advantageously, this may be accomplished without the need of special sensors or interface boards. The thermal signatures or characteristics may include first order or higher order temperature gradients, as well as temperature profiles. The stored thermal signatures provide a baseline from which the diagnostic system can detect and identify whether the cooking appliance is working under normal operating conditions.

Abstract: A vehicle control unit estimates a temperature of the vehicle's battery including the temperature of each of the battery's plurality of cells. The control unit includes a memory unit having stored therein heat transfer coefficients of three types. The first type is representative of heat transfer between the cells of the battery; the second type is representative of heat transfer between the surrounding air and the middle cells of the battery; and the third type is representative of heat transfer between the surrounding air and the end cells of the battery. A microprocessor retrieves the heat transfer coefficients from the memory unit and determines individual cell temperatures of the battery based on the heat transfer coefficients, temperature of the ambient air, and the drive state of the vehicle.

Abstract: A pressure monitoring isolating device for monitoring the pressure of fluid in a pipeline. The device comprises an annular housing that is axially insertable in the pipeline between two ends thereof. The annular housing has a central opening through which fluid in the pipeline flows. The central opening defines an inner diameter of the annular housing. Secured to the annular housing around the central opening thereof is a flexible sleeve member. An annular fluid chamber is positioned around and in communication with the outer surface of the sleeve member. A sensing fluid cavity extends radially from the annular fluid chamber toward the outer periphery of the annular housing. The annular fluid chamber and the sensing fluid cavity is filled with a sensing fluid. An elastomeric member seals the top end of the sensing fluid cavity. A pressure gauge assembly is releasably secured around the upper end of the sensing fluid cavity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and its implementation for the rapid calibration of thermoelements, preferably in the temperature range from 700.degree. C. to 1800.degree. C. The calibration apparatus consists of commercially available components, is therefore comparatively very economical, light and portable; the energy consumption is low, because the conventional heating chamber can be eliminated. Errors of the first and second kind associated with the thermoelements to be calibrated are detected.

Abstract: The invention is a method of determining the permeability of an earth formation using a wireline formation testing instrument. The method includes measuring pressure with respect to time at a probe in hydraulic communication with the earth formation, calculating time derivatives of the measured pressure, withdrawing fluid from the earth formation by increasing a volume of a chamber in hydraulic communication with the probe, measuring the volume of the chamber with respect to time, and calculating time derivatives of the measured volume. Increasing the volume of the chamber is stopped. The permeability is calculated when the measured pressure substantially stops increasing, by determining a slope of a linear relationship of the measured pressure with respect to a fluid flow rate calculated from the time derivative of the volume and the time derivative of the pressure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying a level of a liquid contained in a tank are disclosed, wherein the level of the liquid is measured using a sensing device. An embodiment of a system includes a user interface, a processor, and a display. The user interface allows a plurality of parameters, including a lower display level and an upper display level, to be modified. The processor communicates with the sensing device and the user interface to scale the level in dependence upon the lower display level and the upper display level. The display communicates with the processor to graphically display the level of the liquid scaled in dependence upon the lower display level and the upper display level.

Abstract: A HVAC system automates the process of calibrating the individual branch flows of the system. For each branch of the system, a damper is closed and flow values at the output of the prime mover and at the input of the damper are measured. The damper is then opened 50% and again flow values at the output of the prime mover and at the input of the damper are measured. A flow coefficient, which correlates the flow difference measured at the output of the prime mover with the flow difference measured at the input of the damper, is then determined. The flow through each damper of each branch is calibrated in this manner, resulting in an overall balancing of the HVAC system. The automated process of branch flow calibration eliminates the tedious and time consuming process of both manual steps of measuring the branch flows and determining the flow coefficients as was performed in the prior art.

Abstract: Vapors are removed from a vessel by a sweeping of a carrier gas gently above and/or across the surface of a solid or liquid sample and upward to an exit orifice. With an apparatus of the invention employed in a version of the sample volatility and vapor retrieval test, for example, the precision of high-yield vapor collection from lubricating oil samples at low pressure can be increased significantly and in some cases generally by an order of magnitude.

Abstract: A pressure sensor, having a simple structure for accurately measuring any one of pressure and weight, is provided. The pressure sensor includes a pair of electrode layers and a dielectric layer. The dielectric layer is composed of a rubber elastic body positioned between the pair of electrode layers to act as a spacer for the pair of electrode layers. The dielectric layer has a tan .delta., at 1 to 30 Hz at a temperature of 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C., of 0.03 or less. The dielectric layer also has a rubber hardness of 20 to 80 degrees in terms of scale A according to JIS-K-6301 at 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. Further, the dielectric layer has an impact resilience of 75% or more measured according to JIS-K-6301 at 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. and a compression set of 3% or less measured according to JIS-K-6301 at 10.degree. C. to 30.degree. C. The dielectric layer is formed of any one of natural rubber, polybutadiene rubber, polyisoprene rubber, polyurethane rubber and silicone rubber.

Abstract: An integrated circuit-type DIP package for micromachined (silicon) sensors such as pressure sensors has the fluid ports necessary for operation of the pressure sensor located laterally (rather than extending vertically) from the upper and lower portions of the assembled package. This lateral arrangement includes a first nozzle extending laterally from the upper surface of the package cover (lid) and a side port communicating with a second nozzle located in the lateral surface of the package body. This provides a low profile package by eliminating the otherwise vertical nozzles and also allows mounting of such a package on a printed circuit board without the need to drill a hole to accommodate the nozzle extending from the bottom of the package. The side ports also enhance the ability to mount the package and temporarily plug the side ports during cleaning of the printed circuit board, since the side ports are easily accessible rather than being hidden underneath the package when mounted.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for measuring the surface temperature/emissivity of coated steel strip during a coating (e.g., galvannealing) process. The apparatus includes first and second radiation sensors each having a response exponentially related to the reciprocal of absolute temperature when viewing a blackbody source, and each positioned to receive focused radiation from the surface to be measured to provide first and second signals indicative of the radiation received by the sensor, respectively. To provide the focused radiation, the apparatus includes an optical system for gathering thermal radiation emitted by the surface to be measured and focusing it onto the sensors after a first common filter and second individual filters of differing wavelengths such that the first sensor is responsive to shorter wavelengths, the second sensor is responsive to longer wavelengths, and both sensors view the same area simultaneously.

Abstract: An analog thermometer of the bimetal coil type has a rotatable hub carrying the bimetal coil. The thermometer is calibrated to indicate exact ambient temperature by rotating the hub to the proper angular position. The hub and the base supporting the hub are designed to allow fabrication as a unitary molded plastic article. A preferred embodiment of this design comprises at least four inwardly projecting tabs carried in an opening in the base and spaced from each other around the periphery of the hole. The hub has at least four outwardly projecting tabs spaced about its periphery. The angles which each of the hub's tabs and the hole's tabs subtend and the tabs' axial positions allow the hub to be rotated to interleave the tabs, restraining the hub in a predetermined axial position and frictionally fixing the hub in the angular position for calibration.