System and method for electronically determining fluid parameters

摘要

A system and method for measuring at least one property of a fluid includes a housing for receiving the fluid, a first and second spaced electrodes positioned in the housing, and an impedance modifier positioned between the first and second electrodes that changes an electrical impedance of the fluid between the electrodes. Electronic circuitry generates different waveform voltages across the electrodes and the fluid, monitors an output thereof to thereby obtain data related to impedance of the fluid for each waveform voltage; and combines data related to the outputs to create a unique identification signature for the fluid. Once signatures for known fluids have been created, they can be compared to a generated signature of an unknown fluid to identify the unknown fluid.

主权项

1. A system for measuring at least one property of a fluid, the system comprising:
a housing for receiving the fluid, the housing having a first chamber with a first volume and a second chamber with a second volume; an impedance modifier separating the first and second chambers; a first electrode positioned in the first chamber of the housing, the first electrode having a first electrically conductive plate, a relatively large first surface area with respect to the first chamber, and a first electrically insulative coating positioned on the first plate for electrically isolating the first plate from the fluid, the first coating being relatively thin with respect to a thickness of the first plate, with the relatively large first surface area of the first plate and the relatively thin first coating together with the fluid in contact with the first coating create a first capacitance that is substantially negligible with respect to an impedance of the fluid; a second electrode positioned in the second chamber of the housing and spaced from the first electrode, the second electrode having a second electrically conductive plate, a relatively large second surface area with respect to the second chamber, and a second electrically insulative coating positioned on the second plate for electrically isolating the second plate from the fluid, the second coating being relatively thin with respect to a thickness of the second plate, with the relatively large second surface area of the second plate and the relatively thin second coating together with the fluid in contact with the second coating create a second capacitance that is substantially negligible with respect to the impedance of the fluid; the impedance modifier including at least one opening or conduit with a predetermined diameter or cross-dimension and a predetermined length to define a third volume that is less than the first and second volumes and creating a reduced flow volume so that electrons associated with the fluid are forced to funnel through the reduced flow volume between the first and second electrodes to thereby increase the impedance of the fluid between the first and second electrodes; and electronic circuitry operably associated with the first and second electrodes for generating signals across the electrodes and the fluid located between the electrodes, and analyzing resulting signals to determine the one or more properties of the fluid.