Isolated Pressure Sensor Assembly for Thermal Stress and Arcing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pressure sensors in industrial process transmitters face challenges in providing reliable electrical isolation from the transmitter body while managing thermal stress and preventing electrical arcing, leading to potential high-potential failures.
Innovation Solution
The pressure sensor design incorporates an electrically conductive sensing layer, a conductive backing layer, and an insulative layer with integrated electrical isolation features, reducing thermal stress and arcing risks through optimized wafer stack assembly and notch formation to create sufficient gaps, and using bonds with insulative materials for hermetic sealing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a pressure sensor is integrated into a canister seal assembly, then real-time pressure monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pressure sensor is integrated directly into the seal assembly structure, merging the pressure monitoring function with the existing seal components. This allows real-time pressure data acquisition within the canister system without requiring a completely separate monitoring system, thereby improving measurement capability while controlling complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal assembly is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides the sealing function, structural support, and now pressure sensing capability. By making the seal assembly multi-functional, the patent avoids adding a completely separate pressure monitoring device, thus improving measurement precision while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
2Reliability
If real-time pressure data is collected and transmitted to a remote device, then monitoring reliability is improved, but loss of time increases due to data transmission delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system transmits pressure data at predetermined time intervals rather than continuously. This periodic transmission approach maintains monitoring reliability by providing regular updates while reducing the cumulative time loss associated with constant data transmission, allowing the system to balance reliability with time efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor within the seal assembly autonomously determines when to transmit data based on predetermined criteria and time intervals. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for continuous external communication requests, reducing transmission delays while maintaining reliable monitoring through intelligent, autonomous data transmission decisions.
3Productivity
If the canister is designed as a sealed pressurized environment, then productivity is improved through efficient sample collection, but object-generated harmful factors increase due to pressure buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates pressure monitoring and alert mechanisms before pressure reaches dangerous levels. By detecting pressure changes in advance and providing warnings, the system allows for preventive action (such as venting or stopping collection) before harmful pressure buildup occurs, thus maintaining productivity while mitigating the harmful effects of pressurization.
Solution Approach 2:
The pressure sensor provides continuous feedback about the internal pressure conditions to the processor, which can then adjust or terminate sampling operations based on pressure thresholds. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain efficient pressurized sampling while automatically preventing dangerous pressure buildup, balancing productivity with safety.
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
This design achieves enhanced electrical isolation, reduced thermal stress, and prevents high-potential failures, resulting in improved reliability and cost-effectiveness of pressure sensor assemblies.
Implementation Method 1
Pressure sensor assembly integrated into a canister seal assembly to enable real-time pressure monitoring
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4A
AI summary
A pressure sensor assembly (110) includes a pressure sensor (112), a pedestal (116) and an electrically conductive header (114) having a header cavity (144). The pressure sensor (112) includes, an electrically conductive sensing layer (150) having a sensor diaphragm (176), an electrically conductive backing layer (152) having a bottom surface (160) that is bonded to the sensing layer (150), an electrically insulative layer (154) having a bottom surface (160) that is bonded to a top surface (162) of the backing layer (152), and a sensor element (182) having an electrical parameter that changes based on a deflection of the sensor diaphragm (176) in response to a pressure difference. The pedestal (116) is bonded to the electrically insulative layer (154) and attached to the header (114) within the header cavity (144).