A device and method for regulating the content of micro-water in oil

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of oil micro water content regulating device and method, the device includes: main oil tank, main gas path, gas pump, electromagnetic valve.Gas is circulated in the device by gas pump, and gas is fully contacted with oil sample by the way of gas bubbling.Gas is controlled to flow through the main gas path by electromagnetic valve, so as to realize the regulation of micro water content in oil.The main gas path includes: humidification gas path, dehumidification gas path and circulation gas path.The device can accurately regulate the micro water content in oil, and leave sensor interface, provide platform for sensor oil humidity performance test.The application also provides a kind of oil micro water content regulating method, first, make oil product fully dry through dehumidification gas path, then make oil product reach set humidity through humidification gas path, finally, if there is program control humidity demand, continue to carry out humidification cycle or dehumidification cycle operation to oil product according to set humidity through circulation gas path, so that oil micro water content can be regulated by program.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of oil trace water content control and monitoring, and relates to an oil trace water content regulation device and method. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial oils such as lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, and insulating oil are widely used in mechanical and electrical equipment, playing a crucial role in the long-term stable and safe operation of these devices. The water content in oil significantly impacts its quality, making its monitoring essential. For example, excessive water in insulating oil can cause insulation breakdown and equipment combustion; excessive water content in lubricating oil accelerates aging and increases acidic byproducts. Furthermore, the humidity of the oil sample needs to be controlled during performance testing of oil moisture sensors used for monitoring water content. Therefore, achieving effective control over the water content in oil is of great significance for both industrial applications and the advancement of water content sensor technology.

[0003] Meanwhile, there is no standard method for controlling the trace water content in oil. Most oil sample drying processes employ methods such as vacuum filtration and pressure filtration, which are time-consuming and extremely inconvenient. This makes it difficult to accurately control the trace water content in oil, hindering its use in scenarios requiring controlled water content in oil samples, such as oil trace water sensor testing, to create different humidity environments. This causes inconvenience for oil trace water sensor testing and content control. Therefore, achieving control over the trace water content in oil and finding a suitable method for this purpose is of great significance.

[0004] The information disclosed in the background section is only intended to enhance the understanding of the background of the present invention, and therefore may contain information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art in this country. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In response to the problems existing in the prior art, the inventors have conducted intensive research and proposed a device and method for regulating the trace water content in oil, which is used to regulate the trace water content in oil.

[0006] Specifically, the objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: This invention provides a device for regulating the trace water content in oil, the device comprising: The main oil tank is used to hold oil samples to be processed. Main gas passage, used for gas flow; The gas is used to regulate the trace water content of the oil sample.

[0007] Preferably, the main gas path includes a humidifying gas path for humidifying the oil sample.

[0008] Preferably, the main gas path further includes a dehumidifying gas path for dehumidifying the oil sample.

[0009] Preferably, the main air path further includes a circulating air path, used to accelerate oil-water balance after humidification or dehumidification operation.

[0010] Preferably, the device further includes a solenoid valve for controlling the opening and closing of the main air path.

[0011] Preferably, the gas is controlled by the solenoid valve to flow through the circulating gas path and the humidifying gas path, or the circulating gas path and the dehumidifying gas path, thereby regulating the trace water content in the oil.

[0012] Preferably, the device further includes an air pump for driving gas to circulate in the main air passage and the main oil tank.

[0013] Preferably, the air inlet is inserted into the oil sample and the end is connected to a foaming stone to generate dense bubbles.

[0014] Preferably, the device further includes a sensor interface for connecting a sensor to be tested or monitored.

[0015] This invention also provides a method for regulating the trace water content in oil, the method comprising: S1, set the humidity setpoint as needed; S2, perform a dehumidification cycle to remove water from the oil sample and ensure that the oil sample is fully dried; S3, perform a humidification cycle to gradually increase the water content in the oil until the requirements are met; S4, alternate between dehumidification and humidification cycles to satisfy the humidity setpoint.

[0016] Preferably, the humidification / dehumidification operation cycle includes: Step 1: Open the humidification / dehumidification gas line and blow humid / dry gas into the oil; then close the humidification / dehumidification gas line. Step 2: Open the recirculation air circuit, and close the recirculation air circuit after the oil and water are balanced.

[0017] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following advantages: The oil trace water content control device proposed in this invention can conveniently and quickly control the trace water content in oil. Through the circulating gas path, the gas can fully contact the oil sample, accelerating the oil-water mass transfer equilibrium process, and the control time is on the order of hours; the controllable oil relative humidity range is wide, reaching 5%RH~90%RH; at the same time, the present invention proposes an oil trace water content control method, which can programmatically control the trace water content in oil, greatly increasing the application prospects of the device in scenarios such as oil trace water sensor performance testing.

[0018] Specifically: 1. Independent humidification, dehumidification, and recirculation gas paths: The independent gas path design supports multi-mode operation and adapts to diverse experimental requirements. The humidification and dehumidification gas paths treat the gas through a saturated water vapor generator and a drying tube, respectively, ensuring that the humidity of the gas meets the requirements before entering the oil sample. The recirculation gas path accelerates the oil-water mass transfer equilibrium process through gas circulation, significantly shortening the settling time.

[0019] 2. Flexible humidity control method: The entire device can be flexibly controlled through a program. The solenoid valve, air pump, temperature controller and other components all have program control interfaces. The entire oil humidity control process and tasks can be controlled by a microcontroller, which greatly improves the efficiency of controlling trace water in the oil and enhances its practicality.

[0020] 3. Circular layout of sensor interfaces: The sensor interfaces are evenly distributed in a ring on the upper side of the main oil tank, ensuring that the sensors can be evenly distributed around the oil sample, thereby improving the accuracy and reliability of monitoring.

[0021] 4. Cylindrical design of the main oil tank: The cylindrical design ensures uniform internal pressure distribution, reduces resistance during bubble formation, and thus improves the contact efficiency between gas and oil sample.

[0022] 5. Use of foaming stone: The porous design of foaming stone ensures that gas can be evenly distributed in the oil sample in the form of tiny bubbles, thereby significantly improving the contact efficiency between gas and oil sample and accelerating the oil-water mass transfer equilibrium process.

[0023] 6. Modular Design: Each component adopts a modular design, which facilitates maintenance and replacement, reducing long-term operating costs. At the same time, the modular design increases the flexibility of the device, allowing for expansion or optimization according to actual needs. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Various other advantages and benefits of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the preferred embodiments below. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of the invention, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings.

[0025] In the attached diagram: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a device for regulating the trace water content in oil according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a preferred method for controlling the trace water content in oil according to the present invention; Figure 3 The results are monitoring results from a standard sensor during the oil trace water content regulation process of an oil trace water content regulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 The results are from testing the sensor performance of an oil micro-water content control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Attached reference numerals: 1-Main oil tank, 2-Dehumidifying air path, 3-Humidifying air path, 4-Heating pipe, 5-Inlet and outlet oil ports, 6-Sensor interface, 7-Oil tank air inlet, 8-Oil tank air outlet, 9-Air pump, 10-Solenoid valve, 11-Temperature controller, 12-Foaming stone, 13-Circulating air path.

[0026] The present invention will be further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The following will refer to the appendix. Figures 1 to 4 Specific embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail below. While specific embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to enable a more thorough understanding of the invention and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0028] It should be noted that certain terms are used in the specification and claims to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that different terms may be used to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in terminology, but rather on differences in function. The terms "comprising" or "including" used throughout the specification and claims are open-ended and should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to." The following descriptions are preferred embodiments for carrying out the invention; however, these descriptions are for the purpose of understanding the general principles of the specification and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The scope of protection of this invention is determined by the appended claims.

[0029] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship in the working state of this invention. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," "third," and "fourth" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0030] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of the present invention, further explanations and descriptions will be provided below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. The accompanying drawings do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present invention.

[0031] This invention provides a device and method for regulating the trace water content in oil, which can programmatically regulate the trace water content in oil. In the aforementioned device, the oil sample to be processed is first injected into the main oil tank through the inlet, and then the inlet is closed. Each time it is used, the temperature control system is first turned on, and the temperature of the device is controlled by the temperature controller and heating element. To increase the moisture content in the oil, turn on the air pump and the solenoid valve in the humidification air circuit. After the gas passes through the saturated water vapor generator in the humidification air circuit, the humid gas is blown into the oil tank through the air inlet. The moisture in the gas diffuses into the oil, thereby increasing the oil humidity. Then the gas is drawn back into the humidification air circuit from the air outlet to increase the humidity. Repeat the above process to increase the oil humidity. To reduce the moisture content in oil, turn on the air pump and the solenoid valve in the dehumidification air circuit. After the gas passes through the drying tube in the dehumidification air circuit, the dried gas is blown into the oil tank through the air inlet. The moisture in the oil diffuses into the gas, thereby reducing the oil humidity. Then the gas is drawn back into the dehumidification air circuit from the air outlet for drying. Repeat the above process to reduce the oil humidity. After each humidification or dehumidification cycle, the circulating air path and its solenoid valve need to be opened to allow the gas to circulate continuously in the oil tank, thereby ensuring a full balance between oil and water and stabilizing the humidity in the oil.

[0032] The gas circulates within the device via a gas pump, and bubbling ensures thorough contact between the gas and the oil sample. Gas flow is controlled by solenoid valves through humidification, dehumidification, and circulation paths, thereby regulating the trace water content in the oil. The device enables accurate control of the trace water content in oil and includes a sensor interface, providing a platform for testing the moisture sensitivity of oil using sensors.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] For better understanding, in a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 1 As shown, an oil trace water content control device includes: The main oil tank 1 holds the oil sample to be processed. The main oil tank is a hollow aluminum cylindrical sealed oil tank with a capacity of 2L. It has an oil inlet and outlet 5 at the bottom of its side, and an air inlet 7 and an air outlet 8 connected to the top. At the same time, an interface 6 for a micro water sensor in the oil is provided on the upper side. This design ensures the airtightness and stability of the oil sample, while facilitating the addition or removal of the oil sample and the connection of monitoring equipment.

[0035] The oil tank outlet 8 is connected to the air pump 9, and three air paths are set on the right side of the air pump. From bottom to top, they are the humidification air path 3, the dehumidification air path 2, and the circulation air path 13. The right ends of the three air paths converge and are connected to the oil tank inlet 7. The dehumidification air path 2 is located outside the main oil tank 1. One end of the air path is connected to the oil tank outlet 8 through a solenoid valve 10 and an air pump 9. A drying pipe is installed in the middle of the air path. The other end of the air path is connected to the oil tank inlet 7 through a solenoid valve. The dehumidification air path removes moisture from the oil through the drying pipe and reduces humidity.

[0036] Humidifying gas path 3 is located outside the main oil tank 1. One end is connected to the oil tank outlet 8 via a solenoid valve and an air pump, and the other end is connected to the oil tank inlet 7 via a solenoid valve. A saturated water vapor generator is installed in the gas path. Dry gas blown out of the oil tank is blown into the saturated water vapor generator from the oil tank outlet 8. After humidification, it is blown back into the oil tank from the oil tank inlet 7, thereby increasing the humidity of the oil sample. Heating tube 4 is fixed to the bottom of the main oil tank and extends into the main oil tank. The heating power is preferably 150W. It is connected to temperature controller 11 through a connecting wire to control the oil tank temperature, which helps to maintain the consistency of the experimental environment. Oil inlet / outlet 5 is located at the bottom side of the main oil tank and is used for adding and draining oil from the main oil tank 1. Sensor interface 6, which is used to connect the sensor to be tested or monitored, is preferably a G1 / 2” ISO threaded through hole, which is evenly distributed in a ring on the upper side of the main oil tank, preferably 6 in number, each spaced 60° apart in space; The oil tank air inlet 7 is a stainless steel pipe with an outer diameter of 4mm and an inner diameter of 3mm. It extends from the top of the main oil tank 1 into the main oil tank 1 and is connected to a foaming stone 12 inside the oil sample for blowing dry or moist gas into the oil sample. The oil tank outlet 8 is a stainless steel pipe with an outer diameter of 4mm and an inner diameter of 3mm. It extends from the top of the main oil tank 1 into the main oil tank 1 and is located above the oil sample to discharge the gas in the main oil tank 1. Air pump 9, preferably a 12V miniature air pump with a flow rate of 15L / min, is connected to the air outlet 8 of the oil tank and is used to drive the gas to circulate in the air path and the oil tank. Solenoid valve 10, preferably a 12V normally closed solenoid valve, is connected in series in the air circuit to control the opening and closing of the air circuit, realize automated control, simplify the operation process and improve safety. Temperature controller 11, preferably a PID temperature controller, is connected to heating tube 4 and is used to control the temperature of the oil sample. Foaming stone 12, with pores of about 50 μm, is connected to the end of the oil tank air inlet 7 to generate dense bubbles, thereby enabling the gas to contact the oil sample more effectively and improving mass transfer efficiency. The circulating air path 13 is located outside the main oil tank 1. It is equipped with a solenoid valve 10. One end is connected to the oil tank outlet 8 via an air pump 9, and the other end is connected to the oil tank inlet 7. This is used to ensure the circulation of gas in the oil tank after the humidification (dehumidification) air path has finished working, thereby accelerating the oil-water balance.

[0037] In summary, this invention, through the rational arrangement of humidification, dehumidification, and circulating gas paths, can effectively control the trace water content in oil within a short time, meeting the needs of different application scenarios. The independent gas path design supports multi-mode operation, adapting to diverse experimental requirements; the reserved sensor interface facilitates the integration of various monitoring devices. Furthermore, the modular design facilitates maintenance and component replacement, reducing long-term operating costs. Utilizing solenoid valves for gas path management ensures operational safety and reduces the possibility of human error.

[0038] This invention also provides a method for controlling the trace water content in oil: First, the oil sample is humidified in stages, with the solenoid valves at both ends of the air pump and the humidification air path opened; after each humidification, the solenoid valve in the circulation air path is opened to accelerate oil-water balance; then, the oil sample is dehumidified in stages to reduce the trace water content in the oil, with the solenoid valves at both ends of the air pump and the dehumidification air path opened; after each humidification, the solenoid valve in the circulation air path is opened to accelerate oil-water balance. It should be noted that all the solenoid valves are normally closed solenoid valves.

[0039] The corresponding flowchart is as follows Figure 2 As shown, the control requirements for the trace water content in the oil are first determined by setting a humidity target point, thus clarifying the control objective. Next, the dehumidification air path is opened to dehumidify the oil for an extended period until the oil humidity drops to below approximately 5% RH. Then, the oil humidity is regulated. For each humidity target point, the current humidity is compared with the target humidity (humidity setpoint) to determine whether to execute a humidification or dehumidification subroutine. Each humidification (dehumidification) subroutine includes humidification (dehumidification) operations and a circulation operation. Specifically, the humidification subroutine includes: if the current humidity is lower than the target humidity, the humidification air path is opened to introduce moist gas into the oil, gradually increasing the oil humidity; after each humidification, the circulation air path is opened to promote oil-water balance until the oil humidity approaches the target value. The dehumidification subroutine: if the current humidity is higher than the target humidity, the dehumidification air path is opened to introduce dry gas to remove excess moisture from the oil; after each dehumidification, the circulation air path is used to accelerate the balancing process until the humidity requirement is met. The program ends when each humidity target point is met.

[0040] Example 2

[0041] In one embodiment, the program sets two humidity setpoints, namely N=2, requiring the humidity in the oil to first reach 65%RH and then drop to 30%RH, i.e., k1=65%RH and k2=30%RH.

[0042] According to the present invention, the method for controlling micro-water in oil includes three steps: Step 1: Open the dehumidification air circuit, open the solenoid valves at both ends of the dehumidification air circuit, and turn on the air pump to remove water from the oil. The dehumidification time is 2-4 hours, preferably 3 hours. After 3 hours of dehumidification, the humidity in the oil can be reduced to about 5%RH, so that the oil is fully dried and the humidity in the oil is reduced to below 10%RH, preferably 5%RH. Then close the dehumidification air circuit and the solenoid valves at both ends. Step 2: Humidification operation cycle. Open the humidification air circuit and the solenoid valves at both ends of the dehumidification air circuit. Turn on the air pump to humidify the oil for 1-2 minutes, preferably 1 minute. Humidification for 1 minute can increase the oil humidity by about 5%RH. Then close the humidification air circuit 3 and its solenoid valves at both ends, and open the solenoid valve in the circulation air circuit to balance the oil and water. The balancing time is 30-60 minutes, preferably 40 minutes. After 40 minutes of circulation, the fluctuation of oil humidity is less than 2%RH. Repeat the above operation to gradually increase the water content in the oil until the oil humidity reaches the k1 requirement. Step 3: Dehumidification operation cycle. Open the dehumidification air circuit and the solenoid valves at both ends of the dehumidification air circuit. Turn on the air pump to dehumidify the oil for 1-2 minutes, preferably 1 minute. Dehumidification for 1 minute can reduce the oil humidity by about 5%RH. Then close the dehumidification air circuit and the solenoid valves at both ends, and open the solenoid valve in the circulation air circuit to balance the oil and water. The balancing time is 30-60 minutes, preferably 40 minutes. After 40 minutes of circulation, the fluctuation of oil humidity is less than 2%RH. Repeat the above operation to gradually reduce the water content in the oil until the oil humidity reaches the k2 requirement. The results of the change in relative humidity in the oil during the regulation process are as follows: Figure 3 As shown in the figure, the oil sample to be treated was initially dehumidified to approximately 25% RH. The initial requirement was to adjust the oil sample humidity to 65% RH, and then reduce it to below 30% RH. The figure shows that after prolonged dehumidification, the oil sample humidity decreased to approximately 5% RH. Then, a humidification cycle was initiated, increasing the oil humidity by approximately 5-10% RH each time, eventually reaching 65% RH. After reaching the first humidity target point, a dehumidification cycle was then initiated, decreasing the oil humidity by approximately 3-5% RH each time, eventually reducing it to below 30% RH.

[0043] In this embodiment, during the process of regulating the trace water content in the oil, a sensor to be tested can be set in the main oil tank 1 through the sensor interface 6. By comparing the measurement results of the sensor to be tested with those of the standard sensor, the oil trace water sensing performance of the sensor to be tested is evaluated. The test results are as follows: Figure 4 As shown, the results indicate that the humidity rise and fall curves of the sensor under test almost coincide, with a small hysteresis; the sensitivity is approximately 0.13 pF / %RH.

[0044] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and application fields described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and instructive, and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms based on the guidance of this specification and without departing from the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention, and all of these are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for regulating the trace water content in oil, characterized in that, The device includes: The main oil tank is used to hold oil samples to be processed. Main gas passage, used for gas flow; The gas is used to regulate the trace water content of the oil sample.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, Preferably, the main gas path includes a humidifying gas path for humidifying the oil sample.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The main gas path also includes a dehumidification gas path, used to dehumidify the oil sample.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, The main air path also includes a circulating air path, which is used to accelerate oil-water balance after humidification or dehumidification operation.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, The device also includes a solenoid valve for controlling the opening and closing of the main air path.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The gas is controlled by the solenoid valve to flow through the circulating gas path and the humidifying gas path, or through the circulating gas path and the dehumidifying gas path, thereby regulating the trace water content in the oil.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes an air pump for driving gas to circulate in the main air passage and the main oil tank.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The device also includes a sensor interface for connecting a sensor to be tested or monitored.

9. A method for regulating the trace water content in oil, characterized in that, The method includes: S1, set the humidity setpoint as needed; S2, perform a dehumidification cycle to remove water from the oil sample and ensure that the oil sample is fully dried; S3, perform a humidification cycle to gradually increase the water content in the oil until the requirements are met; S4, alternate between dehumidification and humidification cycles to satisfy the humidity setpoint.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The humidification / dehumidification operation cycle includes: Step 1: Open the humidification / dehumidification gas line and blow humid / dry gas into the oil; then close the humidification / dehumidification gas line. Step 2: Open the recirculation air circuit, and close the recirculation air circuit after the oil and water are balanced.

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