Lowpass Resonator Filter for Pressure Transducer Clogging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Pressure transducers often malfunction due to clogging from particulates in measurement media, which can cause resonance excitation and damage from dynamic pressures, especially in fuel and hydraulic systems where steady-state pressures are monitored alongside dynamic pressures.

Innovation Solution

A pressure transducer assembly with a mechanical filter element featuring multiple machined passageways is introduced, which reduces clogging by allowing the measurement media to traverse through multiple paths, preventing particulates from reaching the transducer and maintaining functionality even if some paths become blocked.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single narrow path with in-line sintered/porous filter is used, then the transducer can attenuate high frequency pressure components, but the filter becomes clogged over time causing malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransducer operation continuityVSAvoidparticulate clogging

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The filter element is divided into multiple separate passageways (e.g., three distinct channels) instead of using a single narrow path. This segmentation ensures that if particulates block one passage, the others remain functional, maintaining continuous transducer operation and improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element utilizes a porous or sintered metal construction with multiple interconnected passageways. This porous structure provides both filtering capability to attenuate high frequency pressure components and multiple flow paths to prevent complete clogging, resolving the contradiction between attenuation effectiveness and clogging susceptibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #31Porous materials

2Speed

If dynamic pressures are allowed to reach the transducer, then fast response times are achieved, but resonance excitation causes permanent damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresponse timeVSAvoidtransducer survivability

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The multi-passageway filter element acts as an intermediary component between the high-energy dynamic pressure source and the transducer. It selectively attenuates high frequency pressure components that cause resonance excitation while allowing the transducer to respond to meaningful pressure signals, thus protecting the transducer without completely blocking the measurement path.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The filter element converts the harmful high frequency pressure components into a beneficial filtering function. By designing the passageways with specific dimensions and patterns, the filter attenuates the harmful resonant frequencies while maintaining the ability to measure steady state and low frequency dynamic pressures, turning a potential damage source into a protective mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 transducer assembly effectively prevents clogging and maintains reliable operation by allowing particulates to be restricted, reducing the impact of dynamic pressures and ensuring long-term survivability of the transducer.

Implementation Method 1

a mechanical filter element having multiple machined passageways for which the measurement media may traverse

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

a resonator structure having an inlet, an outlet, and a cavity there between, which may be used to control pressure phase and/or amplitude

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectResonance: Resonance

Data Source

PatentUS10837854B2Lowpass resonator and particulate filter for a pressure transducer

Publication Date: 2020.11.17 KULITE SEMICON PROD INC

AI summary

The disclosed technology includes a transducer assembly having a first transducer element. The transducer assembly includes a first filter element adjacent to least of portion of the first transducer element such that a first cavity is defined between the first filter element and the first transducer element. The first filter element includes a plurality of machined passageways in communication with the first cavity. The transducer assembly also includes an inlet passage having a first end in communication with a first external portion of the transducer assembly and a second end in communication with the plurality of machined passageways.