Sensor Heat Exchanger Housing for High-Temperature Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial sensors, such as EMAT sensors, have operating temperature limits that are exceeded in high-temperature environments like furnaces or reactors, necessitating equipment downtime for examination, which is costly.
Innovation Solution
A heat exchanger device is coupled to the sensor to create a passage for circulating a cooling fluid, maintaining the sensor within its operating limits by exchanging heat with the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the sensor is used directly in high-temperature environments, then the sensor can perform examination of process equipment, but the sensor temperature exceeds operating limits causing equipment downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the thermal management function from the sensor itself by introducing a separate heat exchanger system with cooling channels. The sensor body is divided into a sensing portion and a cooled housing portion, allowing the sensing face to remain exposed while the main body is actively cooled through circulated coolant in the heat exchanger passage.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat exchanger fluid acts as an intermediary between the sensor and the high-temperature environment. The coolant circulates through the heat exchanger passage surrounding the sensor, absorbing excess heat and transferring it away, thereby maintaining the sensor within operating limits while allowing continuous operation in high-temperature process environments.
2Reliability
If the sensor is cooled to maintain operating limits, then continuous operation is enabled, but device complexity increases due to heat exchanger components
Solution Approach 1:
The heat exchanger components are merged with the sensor housing to form an integrated assembly. The housing itself incorporates the heat exchanger passage and cooling channels, eliminating the need for separate cooling apparatus and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it protects the sensor, provides structural support, and acts as the heat exchanger component with integrated cooling channels. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate components needed, simplifying the overall device structure while ensuring the sensor operates within temperature limits.
3Loss of energy
If a heat exchanger passage surrounds the sensor body, then heat exchange is effective, but the sensing face may be interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling function is applied locally to specific regions of the sensor housing that do not interfere with the sensing face. The heat exchanger passage is configured to surround the main body while leaving the sensing face exposed and accessible, providing targeted thermal management only where needed without compromising sensing operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat exchanger passage is positioned in a different spatial dimension relative to the sensing face. The cooling channels are arranged circumferentially around the sensor body in a manner that does not obstruct the sensing face, allowing heat exchange to occur in the radial direction while the sensing face remains accessible in the axial direction.
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 the sensor to operate in high-temperature environments without interference, allowing continuous use and reducing downtime, thus maintaining productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a heat exchanger passage receiving heat exchanger fluid circulated therethrough for altering the permissible operating temperature range of the sensor
Implementation Method 2
circulating a heat exchanger fluid through the heat exchanger passage in heat exchanging relationship with the sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A heat exchanger device for an industrial sensor, for example an EMAT sensor, includes a housing arranged to be coupled to a main body of the sensor in a non-interfering relationship with a sensing face of the sensor so as to define a heat exchanger passage at least partially surrounding the sensor body. One or more fluid ports enable a heat exchanger fluid can be circulated through the heat exchanger passage. The heat exchanger allows existing industrial sensors to be used in environments that would normally exceed the operating limits of the sensors. The principles by which EMAT sensors function is not impeded by temperatures, so if the sensor can be kept below the operating limits, examination of process equipment operating outside of the normal operating limits is made possible by the heat exchanger device.