Capillary Tube Transducer Assembly Eliminates Header Welds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pressure transducer assemblies face difficulties in welding multiple sensor headers onto a flat plate due to interference and tolerancing issues with perpendicular welds, making it challenging to incorporate multiple, tunable pressure sensors in a single assembly.
Innovation Solution
A tunable transducer assembly design that eliminates the need for header-to-flat plate welds by using a capillary tube and cap configuration, allowing multiple sensing elements of various geometries and configurations to be accommodated, with the capillary tube channeling incoming condition streams to the sensing elements for measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sensor headers are welded onto a flat plate, then multiple pressure sensors can be incorporated into one assembly, but the welds interfere with adjacent headers and tolerancing issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
A common header structure serves as an intermediary component that receives multiple capillary tubes instead of welding sensor headers directly to the flat plate. This mediator absorbs the complexity of multiple connections, allowing sensors to be mounted on the header rather than welded to the plate, thereby eliminating weld interference issues while maintaining the ability to incorporate multiple sensors.
2Ease of manufacture
If perpendicular welds are used to attach sensor headers, then multiple headers can be connected to the flat plate, but the welds are difficult to achieve due to tolerancing and fixturing issues
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment function is segmented into two independent operations: (1) mounting sensors onto individual sensor headers, and (2) connecting capillary tubes to the common header. This segmentation eliminates the need for difficult perpendicular welds between sensor headers and the flat plate, as the common header provides a simplified connection interface that is easier to manufacture with standard tolerances.
3Strength
If a traditional welded header design is used, then sensor headers can be securely attached, but the design lacks flexibility for individual tuning of sensing elements
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dynamic adjustability by allowing individual capillary tubes to be tuned independently of other sensors. Each capillary tube can be adjusted for length, diameter, or configuration to optimize performance for specific sensing requirements, while the common header maintains secure attachment functionality. This dynamic capability enables individual sensor tuning without compromising attachment strength.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables flexible configuration and individual tuning of sensing elements, allowing for accurate measurement of different conditions and ranges without the interference issues of traditional welds, while accommodating various sensing elements within a single transducer assembly.
Implementation Method 1
a first capillary tube having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end receives a first incoming condition stream and the second end is attached to the first cap; wherein the first capillary tube channels the first incoming condition stream from the first end to the second end of the first capillary tube and into the first cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A transducer assembly configured to accommodate a plurality of individually tunable sensing elements of various geometries and configurations by using a cap and an accompanying capillary tube. The configuration of the various embodiments described herein eliminate the header to flat plate welds of the prior art, and therefore better accommodates a plurality of sensing elements and corresponding header assemblies within one transducer assembly.