The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 26, 1992
Filed:
Feb. 11, 1991
James L McShane, Churchill Boro, PA (US);
Nancy H Ulerich, Monroeville, PA (US);
Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (US);
Abstract
A system and method for determining the condition of one or more parameters of a valve, e.g., particularly a check valve in a fluid carrying pipe, by monitoring fluid turbulence downstream of the valve. An ultrasonic transmitter-receiver transducer pair provides a signal modulated by the fluid turbulence, which signal is demodulated and processed to obtain a signature or other signal indicative of the valve condition. The processes signature signal may additionally be compared with a measure of flow rate determined just upstream from the valve. By operating the ultrasonic system at high frequency and using appropriate detecting circuitry, low frequency interference from mechanical shocks and vibrations is avoided, yielding a reliable detection of the flow turbulence caused by the valve.