Technical field

Our invention relates to a wireless measuring device that measures the pressure, temperature, flow and fluid velocity values of the working fluid by being mounted on the pipelines through which the fluid passes in industries where heat energy is widely used by fluids such as steam, water, oil, gas, petroleum, and chemical fluids, and in facilities such as power plants, chemical plants, oil refineries, and food processing plants.

The invention relates particularly to a wireless measurement device that aims to instantly measure the pressure, temperature, flow rate, fluid velocity values of the fluid, which is essential to ensure the control, follow-up and safety of the process and to determine the working efficiency in applications where there is a certain difference between the temperature of the fluid passing through the pipelines and the outdoor temperature and to transmit the measured values to the central control and data acquisition (SCADA) device without using any wiring.

State of the Art

Today, devices comprising different sensors are used to measure the pressure, temperature, flow and fluid velocity values of gas and liquid components with volumetric size. For example, in order to measure the pressure value, the data obtained by converting the pressure value into electrical signals with the measurement sensor are converted into tracking, analysis and statistical data. The pressure of the components in a closed area can be monitored and controlled by pressure sensors.

Direct cabling is used for data collection in industries where existing heat energy is heavily utilized and facilities such as power plants, chemical plants, oil refineries, food processing plants. In some power plants, the control room may be several hundred meters from the measuring devices. This situation increases the installation costs depending on the measuring devices, the number of sensors they comprise and the distance. These cables for thermocouples are expensive and easily damaged. This increases the sensor installation cost of the sensors, depending on the number of sensors and related distances. It can also affect the electromagnetic interference signal (EMI) over long wiring distances. The electrical output from a thermocouple is only a few mV and can be completely shadowed by EMI depending on the set-up. This can cause false alarms and/or circuit breaker tripping. A typical power plant has a source of electromagnetic interference (EMI) that causes multiple electrical frequencies to interfere with each other. Electricity generation and transmission equipment are the main sources of electrical noise.

The patent application numbered 2021/010137 in the prior art is titled "A Capacitive Force and/or Measurement sensor". The summary of the invention reads as follows: “The invention relates to a sensor for use as a pressure and/or a force sensor. The sensor comprises an elastic and resilient layer comprising material having a first Young's modulus and a first yield strain; at least one first flexible electrode and a second flexible electrode connected to the elastic and flexible layer and arranged at a first distance from each other, a flexible foil with a second Young's module and an electrically conductive cable system connected to the flexible foil. At least a portion of the electrically conductive cable system is electrically conductively connected to the flexible electrodes; the first yield strain is at least 10 percent; The first Young module is less than the second Young module, and the thickness of the flexible foil is 0.5 m at most.” In said application, how to find a solution to the problems that may be experienced over long distances, since cables will be used for transmission, is not mentioned.

In another patent application numbered CA2345389A1 in the prior art, a sensor to be placed on the body is mentioned. The techniques of this sensor in wireless communication include radio-telemetry, inductive coupling, passive transponders and the use of the body as a conductor. Data from the receiver can be downloaded to the computer for analysis or viewing. However, in said invention, how the process operations outside the body will work in the working environment is not mentioned.

The patent application numbered 2015/12547 in the prior art is titled "Wireless Temperature Sensor for Concrete Transport". The summary of the invention reads as follows: “A wireless temperature sensor for a concrete transport vehicle detects the temperatures in the cylinder and wirelessly sends this data to a central processor. The sensor uses power management methods to reduce power consumption and increase battery life, thereby enabling battery usage in the sensor. The sensor's temperature readings can be used to characterize or evaluate a load.” The fact that the energy required for the sensor is supplied from the battery in said application also brings with it negativities such as heating and exhaustion of the battery in industrial systems. In another patent application numbered US2013125386A1 in the prior art, a temperature measuring device that can operate in harsh environments with antenna, diode and dielectric layer placed on the object whose temperature is to be measured is mentioned. In this system, the antenna includes an embedded part that extends from inside the object and is electrically connected to the object. An exposed part and diode placed on the outer surface of the dielectric layer are coupled between the object of interest and the exposed part of the antenna. The antenna receives interrogation signals from a transmitter and is configured to transmit response signals corresponding to the resonant frequency and harmonics of the temperature sensor, which indicates the measured temperature of the object of interest. A receiver detects the response signals and correlates the frequency with a known temperature response of the dielectric material. However, in this invention, how it will be used in industrial facilities is not mentioned.

The existence of the technical problems explained above and the inadequacy of the solutions to these problems have revealed the necessity of making a wireless measuring device.

The Aim of the Invention

The present invention is related to a wireless measurement device (A) meeting the abovementioned requirements, eliminating all technical problems and bringing some additional advantages.

The main aim of the invention is to provide a measurement device that will provide the opportunity to analyse the data directly from the source faster, more focused and without malfunction, that is wireless, battery-free, and capable of producing its own energy, capable of wireless communication, enables the measurement of all measurable values with wireless sensors such as pressure, temperature, flow, fluid velocity, by means of the measuring device and can provide its working energy by processing at least one or more data at the same time, using the energy in the difference between the fluid temperature it is connected to and the ambient temperature, and/or harvesting from pressure fluctuations in the fluid line.

Another aim of the invention is to ensure instantly measuring all measurable values of the fluid with sensors such as pressure, temperature, flow, fluid velocity, which are essential to know to ensure the control, follow-up and safety of the process and to determine the working efficiency in applications where there is a certain temperature difference between the temperature of the fluid passing through the pipelines or in the collector, tank and the outdoor temperature, and transmitting the measured values to the data centre control and data acquisition (SCADA) system without using any cable connection, and ensuring that this is done without requiring any power connection.

Another aim of the invention is to provide instantaneous effective control by transferring the data obtained with the help of the communication unit it comprises to a data centre control unit, directly to the user, to a control panel in the physical environment, to mobile devices, and to the internet environment with the help of cloud drives.

Another aim of the invention is to provide instantaneous direct measurement in systems and processes where the monitoring of fluid values is critical and to provide information about the course of the process.

Another aim of the invention is to eliminate the cost of power and data cable, as well as the costs such as time and labour required for the installation, maintenance and repair of cable connections, by means of the wireless communication feature.

Another aim of the invention is to prevent situations that may cause false alarms and/or tripping of the circuit breaker by affecting the electromagnetic interference signal (EMI) in long wiring distances.

Another aim of the invention is to include a communication unit that can transfer information to the data centre by hops, by communicating with each other in case they are out of range of the central data system in systems using more than one wireless measuring device.

Another aim of the invention is to consume energy of approximately 3.8 volts so that the measuring device can operate for a long time with batteries or rechargeable batteries, in cases where the thermoelectric and piezoelectric generator, which can generate energy from the temperature difference and fluctuations in fluid pressure, is not used.

Another aim of the invention is to harvest (produce) the energy of the measuring device by using a Thermo Generator, which can generate energy from the difference between fluid and atmosphere temperatures, or a piezo generator, which can generate energy from pressure fluctuations in the fluid line. A piezo generator can be used in fluids where the temperature difference is small, and a thermo generator can be used in cases where the fluid temperature difference is high, or in an alternative embodiment of our invention, it is possible to use a thermowell generator and a piezo generator at the same time.

Another aim of the invention is to obtain a measuring device in which at least one or more of all measurable fluid data can be measured instantly with the help of sensors such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, ultrasonic wave, vibration, pollution in the flow, conductivity and pH value of the fluid, depending on the need, and which can communicate with other devices by instant data transfer with wireless communication protocols that can generate working energy without the need for batteries and batteries.

Another aim of the invention is to include an internal siren system and/or a trigger connected to the central siren system, which can provide information about danger situations when there is no communication between the control data centre and the measuring device in a different embodiment of the invention.

The structural and characteristic features of the invention and all its advantages will be understood more clearly by means of the figures given below and the detailed explanation written with reference to these figures, and therefore the evaluation should be made by taking these figures and detailed explanation into consideration.

Figures to Help Understand the Invention

In order to for the embodiment of the present invention and its advantages with additional elements to be understood in the best way, it should be evaluated together with the figures described below

Figure - 1 The general view of the wireless measurement device that is the subject of the invention.

Figure - 2 The block diagram showing the working principle of the wireless measurement device that is the subject of the invention.

References of the system

A. Measurement device

1. Thermowell

2. Measurement sensor

3. Housing

4. Generator

5. Communication Module

6. Super capacitor

7. Microcontroller 8. Power management circuit

9. Cooler cover

10. Data centre

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention is related to a wireless measurement device (A) meeting the abovementioned requirements, eliminating all disadvantages and bringing some additional advantages.

In this detailed description, preferred embodiments of the wireless measurement device (A) that is the subject of the invention are explained only for a better understanding of the subject.

The wireless measurement device is mounted on the pipelines through which the fluid passes in facilities such as chemical plants and oil refineries, where the heat and pressure energy of fluids such as steam, water, gas are utilized, and measures the values of the fluid such as pressure, temperature, flow, and fluid velocity. The system comprises at least one measurement sensor (2) to measure the pressure, temperature, flow and fluid velocity values of gas and liquid components with volumetric size, at least one thermowell (1) with open end so that the fluid can pass through and reach the sensor and a pressure sensor capable of measuring a pressure value instead of said thermowell (1). The system consists of the housing (3), which has a sealing feature that protects the elements inside, the thermoelectric generator that generates energy by means of the temperature difference between the hot fluid flowing through the pipe and the outside air, or the generator (4) that has the feature of a piezo generator that generates energy from fluctuations in fluid pressure, at least one super capacitor (6) that stores the regulated energy, a microcontroller (7) that evaluates the data received from the measurement sensor (2), a communication module (5) that sends the data to the receiver in a specified period with the software installed on the microcontroller (7), the power management circuit (8), which collects and evaluates the energy and data required for the system, transmits it to the measurement sensor (2) and microcontroller (7), and can convert the obtained energy current into AC/DC, DC/DC - DC/AC operating current, and cooler cover (9) made of aluminium with fins added to achieve optimum heat transfer.

The generator (4), which supplies all the energy of the measuring device (A), obtains electrical power from the current temperature difference or pressure fluctuations. In the measurement device (A), one surface of the thermoelectric or piezo generator (4) is exposed to hot fluid or piezo variable pressure. Thus, it is in contact with the thermowell (1), which can transmit the heat of the generator (4). The other surface of the generator (4) is in contact with the aluminium cooler (4) exposed to the outdoor temperature. The generator (4) can generate enough energy for the measurement device (A) from the temperature difference between the two surfaces or the changes in fluid pressure. In cases where the measurement device (A) does not have data access to the data centre (10), it can record instant data. In a different embodiment of our invention, a measurement device (A) is provided that can inform the user about the dangerous temperature level by giving a signal warning in cases where wireless connection to the data centre (10) is not possible. When the connection with the data centre (10) is lost or out of range, it is possible to transfer data between the measurement devices (A) to each other and to connect with the data centre (10) via the closest measurement device (A) in the coverage area with the help of the communication unit (7).