Sensing device using MEMS technology and prognostic health monitoring

Abstract

A sensor component that may be used in conjunction with a filter module may include a plurality of sensor packages. The latter, in turn, may incorporate one or more micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) sensors to measure various characteristics of fluid flow and filtration. A single sensor component may be adapted to measure the pressure, temperature, flow rate, differential pressure, conductivity, viscosity, pH level, etc. of the fluid at an upstream and a downstream location. Sensor measurements may be obtained continuously in order to monitor and indicate fluid conditions, including the use of a warning mechanism to indicate an out-of-range condition when the measurements fall outside of pre-set limits. Depending on the application and the fluid being filtered, data, including measurement data, may be transmitted through electrical connections or wirelessly. In wireless configurations, a sleep-mode may be included to maximize the life of local power supplies.

1 . A filtration monitoring system comprising: 
 a filtration module including a filter element, said filter element receiving a fluid in an unfiltered state at an inlet side upstream of the filter element and producing said fluid in a filtered state at an outlet side downstream of the filter element;    a single-body sensor component disposed proximate one of said inlet side and said outlet side, said sensor component comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of sensor packages, each said sensor package including a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensor and being configured to measure at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of pressure, temperature, and flow rate;  
 (b) a plurality of sensor-package receptacles, wherein each one of said receptacles is configured to selectively receive a respective one of said sensor packages; and  
 (c) a casing housing said sensor packages and said sensor-package receptacles; and  
   a data-processing device configured to receive measurement data collected by each of said sensor packages.    
   
   
       2 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is adapted to be in communication with said unfiltered fluid upstream of the filter element and at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is adapted to be in communication with said filtered fluid downstream of the filter element.  
   
   
       3 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is configured to measure at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a conductivity, a pH level, and a viscosity of the unfiltered fluid.  
   
   
       4 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is in direct contact with said unfiltered fluid.  
   
   
       5 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor packages includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, and a pressure sensor.  
   
   
       6 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the sensor packages includes redundant sensors.  
   
   
       7 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the sensor packages includes one or more sensors for measuring one or more of a conductivity, a pH level, and a viscosity of said fluid.  
   
   
       8 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein said single-body sensor component includes a redundant sensor package.  
   
   
       9 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of sensor packages includes a plurality of MEMS sensors.  
   
   
       10 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said single-body sensor component further includes conductive pins configured to mate with the data-processing device.  
   
   
       11 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is configured to measure a pressure of the unfiltered fluid, at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is configured to measure a pressure of the filtered fluid, and said data-processing device is configured to calculate a differential pressure based on said pressure measurements.  
   
   
       12 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the single-body sensor component further includes at least one of a visual warning light and an audible alarm configured to indicate an out-of-range condition of said fluid.  
   
   
       13 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein said condition is determined based on measurement of one or more of said fluid's pressure, temperature, flow rate, and differential pressure.  
   
   
       14 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein said visual warning light is disposed proximate a longitudinal end of said sensor component.  
   
   
       15 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 12 , wherein the casing housing the sensor packages and sensor-package receptacles defines circumferential holes through the periphery thereof, said visual warning light being disposed within said casing so as to provide a visual out-of-range indication through said holes.  
   
   
       16 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , further including a filter manifold, wherein the single-body sensor component includes a flange that is disposed around the periphery of said casing so as to lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sensor component, said flange being configured to be coupled to said manifold by connecting means.  
   
   
       17 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein said single-body sensor component is configured to measure differential pressure.  
   
   
       18 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , said single-body sensor component further including a processor.  
   
   
       19 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 18 , wherein each said sensor package is configured to take a measurement upon receiving a signal from said processor.  
   
   
       20 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is in communication with the filtered fluid through an aperture defined in the periphery of said casing.  
   
   
       21 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is in direct contact with the unfiltered fluid.  
   
   
       22 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the data-processing device receives said measurement data in real time.  
   
   
       23 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the measurement data is communicated to the data-processing device wirelessly.  
   
   
       24 . The filtration monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the data-processing device is configured to determine the status of the filter element.  
   
   
       25 . A single-body sensor component for sensing fluid conditions at a plurality of locations in a filter module, wherein said filter module includes a filter element which receives a fluid in an unfiltered state at an inlet side upstream of the filter element and produces said fluid in a filtered state at an outlet side downstream of the filter element, said sensor component comprising: 
 a plurality of sensor packages, each said sensor package including a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) sensor and being configured to measure at least one of a pressure, temperature, and flow rate at at least one of said locations;    a plurality of sensor-package receptacles, wherein each said receptacle is configured to selectively receive a respective one of said sensor packages;    a casing housing said sensor packages and said sensor-package receptacles, said casing defining an aperture in the periphery thereof; and    a channel fluidly connecting at least one of the sensor packages with said aperture so as to provide fluid communication through the aperture between said at least one of the sensor packages and the fluid.    
   
   
       26 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein said at least one of the sensor packages is ported through said channel to said filtered fluid downstream of the filter element.  
   
   
       27 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is in direct contact with the unfiltered fluid upstream of the filter element.  
   
   
       28 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein each of said sensor packages includes a MEMS pressure sensor.  
   
   
       29 . The sensor component of  claim 28 , wherein each said MEMS pressure sensor is temperature compensated.  
   
   
       30 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , further including means for communicating the respective measurements collected by each of said sensor packages to a data-processing device.  
   
   
       31 . The sensor component of  claim 30 , wherein said communication is conducted wirelessly.  
   
   
       32 . The sensor component of  claim 30 , wherein said communication is conducted in real time.  
   
   
       33 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein each of the plurality of sensor packages includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a flow rate sensor, and a pressure sensor.  
   
   
       34 . The sensor component of  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the plurality of sensor packages includes redundant sensors.  
   
   
       35 . The sensor component of  claim 34 , wherein at least one of the sensor packages includes one or more sensors for measuring one or more of a conductivity, a pH level, and a viscosity of said fluid.  
   
   
       36 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , further including a redundant sensor package.  
   
   
       37 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein each of said plurality of sensor packages includes a plurality of MEMS sensors.  
   
   
       38 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , further including at least one of a visual warning light and an audible alarm configured to indicate an out-of-range condition of said fluid.  
   
   
       39 . The sensor component of  claim 38 , wherein said condition is determined based on measurement of one or more of said fluid's pressure, temperature, flow rate, and differential pressure.  
   
   
       40 . The sensor component of  claim 38 , wherein said visual warning light is disposed proximate a longitudinal end of the sensor component.  
   
   
       41 . The sensor component of  claim 38 , wherein the casing housing the sensor packages and sensor-package receptacles defines circumferential holes through the periphery thereof, and the visual warning light is disposed within said casing so as to provide a visual out-of-range indication through said holes.  
   
   
       42 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein at least one of said plurality of sensor packages is configured to measure at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a conductivity, a pH level, and a viscosity of the unfiltered fluid.  
   
   
       43 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , further including a processor.  
   
   
       44 . The sensor component of  claim 43 , wherein each said sensor package is configured to take a measurement upon receiving a signal from said processor.  
   
   
       45 . The sensor component of  claim 25 , wherein said filter module further includes a filter manifold, and the single-body sensor component further includes a flange that is disposed around the periphery of said casing so as to lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the sensor component, said flange being configured to be coupled to said manifold by connecting means.