Sealed Cavity Water Ingress Detection Using Dissimilar Metals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Water accumulation in mechanical systems, in various states, goes undetected, leading to corrosion, wear, and system failure, necessitating costly reactive maintenance, especially in high-value assets.
Innovation Solution
A device with a first space sealed by a first sealing, incorporating two metal regions made of different metals and a control unit to measure voltage, current, resistance, or conductance between them, detecting liquid ingress through changes in these electrical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing systems are overdesigned to delay water ingress, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by installing sensors and monitoring systems that detect water ingress early, allowing preventive maintenance before severe damage occurs. This enables the use of simpler sealing systems while maintaining reliability through early detection and response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through continuous monitoring of seal performance and water presence. This feedback allows for real-time adjustments and alerts, enabling the system to maintain reliability with less complex sealing configurations by compensating through active monitoring.
2Reliability
If preventive maintenance is performed long before seal failure, then reliability is improved, but loss of time and productivity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static scheduled maintenance to dynamic condition-based maintenance. The monitoring system continuously assesses actual seal condition and water presence, allowing maintenance to be performed only when necessary, thus improving reliability while minimizing operational interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary detection of water ingress and seal degradation, enabling maintenance to be scheduled at optimal times rather than following rigid preventive schedules. This allows maintenance to be performed just in time, reducing unnecessary operational interruptions while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If Karl Fischer titration is used to measure water in grease, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases due to application pause
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical offline sampling and laboratory analysis system with an in-situ electrical sensing system. The sensors continuously measure water content directly in the bearing assembly, providing precise measurements without requiring application pause or physical sample removal, thus maintaining both precision and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system performs self-service by continuously measuring water content in the grease without requiring external laboratory intervention. The sensors are integrated into the bearing assembly and provide autonomous, real-time measurements, eliminating the need to pause operations for sampling and analysis.
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
Early detection of water ingress allows timely maintenance, reducing operational costs and extending service life by minimizing damage, scalable and energy-efficient across various mechanical systems.
Implementation Method 1
a control unit (28), which is designed for measuring a voltage between the metal regions and/or a resistance between the metal regions and/or a current between the metal regions and/or a conductance between the metal regions
Implementation Method 2
the two metal regions are made from different metals and/or the device comprises a conductive route from one of the two metal regions to the other of the two metal regions which runs at least in two different metals
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~5
AI summary
The invention starts from a device (10) with a first space (12) and a first sealing (14), which seals the first space from a second space (16). It is suggested the device comprises two metal regions (18, 20), which are located in the first space, and a control unit (28), which is designed for measuring a voltage between the metal regions and/or a resistance between the metal regions and/or a current between the metal regions and/or a conductance between the metal regions, wherein the two metal regions are made from different metals and/or the device (10) comprises a conductive route from one of the two metal regions to the other of the two metal regions which runs at least in two different metals.