C.r.f. Societa Consortile Per Azioni

Silvio Corrias

Paolo Faraldi

Gianfranco Innocenti

Marco Pizzi

Marco Pidria

Gianmarco Boretto

Edoardo Merlone Borla

Valter Stabielli

A miniaturized sensor device comprises at least one pair of active projecting elements or cantilevers, which are set parallel to one another and at a micrometric or sub-micrometric distance apart and are designed to be submerged at least partially in a fluid. Each pair comprises a first cantilever, equipped with actuator means, and a second cantilever, equipped with sensor means. The actuator means can cause a movement of the first cantilever, whilst the sensor means can detect a movement of the second cantilever, induced by the movement of the first cantilever, for generating accordingly a measurable signal, which represents the lubricating capacity of the fluid.

Miniaturized sensor device for detecting characteristics of a fluid, in particular a lubricating oil

A method of determining the amount of particulate accumulated in a particulate filter, is based on determining possible variations in the spatial distribution and/or physical-chemical properties of the particulate as a function of engine operating conditions and past particulate accumulation in the particulate filter. A number of reference values defining a relationship between the amount of particulate accumulated in the particulate filter and the pressure drop across the particulate filter are mapped, each of the reference values relating to a respective steady engine operating condition in which particulate is accumulated in the particulate filter. In a given engine operating condition, an operating value of the parameter is then determined as a function of the reference value of the parameter relative to the same steady engine operating condition, and of past particulate accumulation in the particulate filter.

Method of determining the amount of particulate accumulated in a particulate filter

A tribological test apparatus has a supporting structure, to which are fitted a central shaft rotating about a respective axis, and three peripheral shafts rotating about respective axes equally spaced angularly about the axis of the central shaft; the central shaft and peripheral shafts respectively support a central specimen and three peripheral specimens facing one another radially; and the apparatus has three actuators, each for exerting on a relative peripheral specimen a force directed towards the central specimen, and a guide and slide device associated with each peripheral shaft to enable each peripheral specimen, in use, to translate radially towards the central specimen and exert a contact pressure on the central specimen by virtue of the force generated by the relative actuator.

Tribological test apparatus

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Orbassano, Italy

Silvio Corrias