Temperature Measurement Facility with Self-Diagnostic Evaluator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Non-invasive temperature measurement devices face accuracy issues due to unpredictable external conditions such as incorrect assembly, abrupt ambient temperature fluctuations, and temperature jumps, which are not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A temperature measurement facility that includes an evaluator to determine the rate of change between two temperatures, providing a quality feature that assesses measurement accuracy, and an analyzer to record an uninterrupted confidence curve for diagnostic purposes, allowing for improved accuracy and self-diagnostic capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If non-invasive temperature measurement is performed using external sensors, then the measurement can be performed without contact with the medium, but the measurement accuracy is affected by external conditions such as incorrect assembly, ambient temperature fluctuations, and temperature jumps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism by continuously monitoring the difference quotient dT/dt between the first temperature (closer to medium) and second temperature (above it) and using this information to generate a quality feature that indicates measurement accuracy. This feedback loop allows the system to self-evaluate and communicate measurement quality to higher-level systems, enabling operators to respond to actual temperature changes rather than misinterpreting them as measurement errors.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature measurement facility performs self-diagnosis by automatically evaluating its own measurement accuracy through the evaluator component. The system monitors its own operational state by analyzing the rate of change of temperature differences and generates self-assessment quality features, reducing the need for external verification and enabling autonomous detection of measurement quality issues.
2Productivity
If the measurement facility monitors temperature continuously, then it can detect abrupt fluctuations and jumps, but it cannot distinguish between actual temperature changes and measurement errors caused by external conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The evaluator provides continuous feedback about measurement quality by analyzing the difference quotient dT/dt. When the system detects conditions indicating measurement inaccuracy (such as abrupt ambient temperature changes or improper assembly), it generates quality features that alert higher-level systems. This allows operators to distinguish between genuine temperature changes in the medium and artifacts caused by external conditions, preserving the integrity of continuous monitoring data.
3Device complexity
If the facility transmits only temperature values without quality information, then the data transmission is simple, but higher-level systems cannot assess measurement accuracy or make informed decisions
Solution Approach 1:
The quality feature acts as an intermediary information element that bridges the gap between simple temperature measurements and complex accuracy assessment requirements. Rather than transmitting complex diagnostic data or requiring complex analysis at the higher-level system, the evaluator condenses measurement quality information into standardized quality features (such as quality codes or accuracy class assignments according to DIN IEC 751) that can be easily transmitted and interpreted, maintaining data transmission simplicity while enriching the information content.
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
Enhances measurement accuracy by distinguishing between steady and non-steady states, enabling timely maintenance and improving the reliability of temperature readings in dynamic environments.
Implementation Method 1
a first sensor (S1) for determining a first temperature (T1)... a second sensor (S2) for determining a second temperature (T2)... where the first sensor (S1) and the second sensor (S2) are arranged at different distances (A1, A2) from the coupling face (22)
Data Source
AI summary
A temperature measurement facility for determining a medium temperature of a medium from first and second temperatures at a location immediately around a surface surrounding the medium includes a first and second sensors for determining the first and second temperatures, and a measured value processor connected to the first and second sensors by a first and second feed lines and which provides, cyclically over time, at a measurement interval the first and second temperatures as the measured value for determining the medium temperature, wherein an evaluator is configured to determine a rate of change, from a difference between the first and second temperatures, and depending on its value configured to provide a quality feature, and is further configured to transmit the quality feature, as an evaluation of a measurement accuracy of the medium temperature, together with the measured value of the medium temperature, to a higher-level system.