Flow-Through Pressure Sensor Minimizing Dead Volume
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow-through pressure sensors have dead spaces that trap contaminants, interfere with fluid flow, and are cumbersome for high-speed applications, making them difficult to clean and limiting their dynamic response and adaptability to various conduit sizes.
Innovation Solution
A compact flow-through pressure sensor apparatus with minimized dead volume, featuring a pressure sense die mounted within a housing with molded ports and a programmable compensation integrated circuit, and optional humidity and temperature sensors, designed for surface mount technology with minimal internal volumes and adaptable connections to reduce contamination risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pressure sensors utilize T-fittings or similar connections to connect the conduit to the pressure-sensitive component, then the pressure sensor can be connected to the fluid whose pressure is to be detected, but dead spaces are created that trap contaminants and interfere with fluid flow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the T-fitting connection component entirely, replacing it with a direct flow-through design where the pressure-sensitive component is integrated into the conduit wall. This removal of the separate connection element eliminates the dead space that would otherwise trap contaminants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the conduit and pressure sensor into a single integrated structure, where the pressure-sensitive component is disposed directly within the conduit wall. This integration eliminates the separate connection interface (T-fitting) that created dead spaces, combining the fluid transport function with the pressure sensing function.
2Reliability
If conventional pressure sensors use dead-ended pressure connections with conduits and fittings, then the pressure can be measured, but the frequency response is limited in high-speed dynamic applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the dead-ended connection architecture (conduits and fittings) and replaces it with a direct flow-through design. This extraction of the intermediate connection elements eliminates the volume that limits frequency response, enabling high-speed dynamic measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of the conventional approach where fluid flows into a dead-ended connection to reach the sensor, the patent inverts the design so that fluid flows continuously through the sensor. The pressure-sensitive component is positioned to sense pressure directly in the flow path, with fluid entering and exiting the sensor, eliminating dead volumes.
3Reliability
If the sensor has a large surface area exposed to the fluid to ensure proper sensing, then pressure measurement is effective, but contaminants are more easily trapped
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the pressure-sensitive component from a conventional housing with large exposed surfaces and integrates it directly into the conduit wall. This eliminates the additional surfaces that would otherwise trap contaminants, maintaining only the minimal surface area required for pressure sensing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by positioning the pressure-sensitive component specifically within the conduit wall where it contacts fluid only in the necessary measurement zone. The sensor surface area is localized to the functional requirement, minimizing exposure while maintaining sensing effectiveness.
4Reliability
If manual dismantling and cleaning of the conduit and transducer is performed to maintain extreme fluid purity, then contamination is removed, but the process is costly and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex multi-component connection architecture that requires manual disassembly for cleaning. By integrating the pressure sensor directly into the conduit with a flow-through design, the number of parts that need cleaning is minimized, and the structure becomes easier to clean or replace as a single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables a strategy where the entire sensor assembly can be quickly replaced rather than manually cleaned and reassembled. The integrated design allows the sensor to be discarded and replaced as a single component, recovering system operation without time-consuming manual cleaning procedures.
5Ease of manufacture
If the pressure sensor is made larger to accommodate conventional connections and components, then the sensor can be assembled with standard fittings, but it becomes difficult to fit into constricted operating environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the pressure sensor with the conduit structure itself, eliminating the need for separate connection fittings and housing. This integration dramatically reduces the overall size of the sensor assembly, enabling installation in constricted spaces while maintaining assembly compatibility through direct mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent embeds the pressure-sensitive component within the conduit wall structure, nesting the sensor inside the existing conduit geometry. This nested arrangement minimizes the external dimensions of the sensor assembly while maintaining full functionality, allowing installation in tight spaces.
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
The solution reduces contamination risks, enhances dynamic response, and allows for easy cleaning and adaptation to different conduit sizes, providing accurate and reliable pressure measurements with minimal disruption to fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
A flow-through pressure sensor apparatus possesses absolute minimum trapped volume with only a small hole through the substrate and a volume immediately behind the sense die
Implementation Method 2
The temperature can be measured utilizing the sense die, an internal temperature sensor in the ASIC, or an external temperature sensor mounted directly in the flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A flow-through pressure sensor apparatus that reduces the dead space of a flow tube utilized to provide fluid communication between a pressure sense die and a fluid and with an absolute minimum trapped volume. A cover (e.g., plastic) with two-molded ports can be added to one side of the pressure sense die utilizing molded-in solder pins to improve ruggedness and rigidity. A temperature and a humidity sensor can also be mounted to a substrate (e.g., ceramic) in the flow path and can be connected to a programmable compensation integrated circuit on the opposite side utilizing a clip end of mounting pins or by vias through the substrate outside a pressurized area.