Apparatus for filtering a liquid and method for detecting a state of at least a filter element

Abstract

An apparatus for filtering a liquid includes a filter housing, at least one filter element arranged in the filter housing, and at least one sensor unit. The at least one sensor unit includes at least one sensor and a radio module. The at least one sensor is configured to detect an operating parameter representative of a state of at least the at least one filter element or the apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for filtering a liquid, comprising: a filter housing; at least one filter element arranged in the filter housing; and at least one sensor unit including at least one acceleration sensor and a radio module, the acceleration sensor configured to measure a vibration of at least one of (i) the filter housing and (ii) the at least one filter element representative of a state of at least the at least one filter element or the apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the at least one sensor or the at least one sensor unit is firmly connected directly to at least the filter housing or the at least one filter element.

3. An installation, comprising: at least one radio unit; at least one apparatus configured to filter a liquid, the apparatus including: a filter housing; at least one filter element arranged in the filter housing; and at least one sensor unit including at least one sensor and a radio module, the at least one sensor configured to detect at least one operating parameter representative of a state of the at least one apparatus, the at least one operating parameter including at least one of (i) a structure-borne sound of the at least one apparatus and (ii) a vibration of the at least one apparatus; and a data processor configured to (i) receive sensor data including measured values of the operating parameter from the at least one sensor unit via the at least one radio unit, and (ii) detect an electrostatic discharge within the at least one apparatus based on the sensor data.

4. The installation according to claim 3, wherein the at least one radio unit is configured to receive the sensor data from the at least one sensor and forward the sensor data to the data processor.

5. The installation according to claim 3, wherein the at least one radio unit includes a smartphone or a gateway.

6. A method for detecting an electrostatic discharge within an apparatus for filtering a liquid, the method comprising: activating at least one sensor unit, the at least one sensor unit including at least one sensor and a at least one radio module; measuring at least one operating parameter representative of a state of the apparatus, the at least one operating parameter including at least one of (i) a structure-borne sound of the at least one apparatus and (ii) a vibration of the at least one apparatus; transmitting sensor data including measured values of the at least one operating parameter from the at least one sensor unit with the radio module to a data processor; and detecting, with the data processor, an electrostatic discharge within the apparatus based on the sensor data.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: activating at least the at least one radio module or the at least one sensor unit only when a measured value of the at least one operating parameter exceeds a threshold value.

8. The method according to claim 6, the detecting further comprising: detecting the electrostatic discharge within the apparatus in response to at least one of the measured values being characteristic of electrostatic discharge within the apparatus.

9. The method according to claim 6, wherein a computer program for the at least one radio module or the at least one sensor unit is configured to at least partially perform the method.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The solution presented in this case and the technical sphere of said solution are explained more specifically below with reference to the figures. It should be pointed out that the disclosure is not intended to be restricted by the exemplary embodiments shown. In particular, unless explicitly depicted otherwise, it is also possible to extract partial aspects of the substantive matter explained in the figures and to combine said partial aspects with other elements and/or insights from other figures and/or the description. Schematically:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an apparatus as proposed in this case,

(3) FIG. 2 shows an installation as proposed in this case,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sensor unit that can be used in an apparatus as proposed in this case,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a cycle of a method presented in this case in the case of a regular operating cycle,

(6) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary response of an operating parameter,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a further exemplary response of an operating parameter, and

(8) FIG. 7 shows an exemplary frequency spectrum.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(9) FIG. 1 schematically shows an apparatus 1 as proposed in this case. The apparatus 1 is used for filtering a liquid. The liquid in this case is, in exemplary fashion, oil, which means that the apparatus 1 in this case is, in exemplary fashion, an oil filter.

(10) The apparatus 1 comprises a filter housing 2 and a filter element 3 arranged in the filter housing 2. The filter element 3 in this case is, in exemplary fashion, a metallic filter textile configured to detain particles carried along by the liquid. The filter housing 2 in this case is metallic, for example, and has an inlet 14 and an outlet 15.

(11) Also, the apparatus 1 in this case comprises, in exemplary fashion, three sensor units 4 that each have a sensor 5 and a radio module 6. Each of the sensors 5 is configured and arranged such that it can detect an operating parameter representative of a state of at least the filter element 3 or the apparatus 1.

(12) According to the depiction shown in FIG. 1, the sensors 5 and the sensor units 4 are each firmly connected to the filter housing 2 and, via the latter, also to the filter element 3. Furthermore, the sensors 5 in this case are, in exemplary fashion, each in the form of an acceleration sensor.

(13) The acceleration sensors firmly to the filter housing 2 and the filter element 3 can each be used to measure a structure-borne sound or a vibration of at least the filter element 3 or the apparatus 1. On the basis of the structure-borne sound detected in this manner or the vibration detected in this manner, it is possible to infer the presence of an electrostatic discharge of the filter housing 2 and/or the filter element 3.

(14) Depending on the regularity and/or intensity of the electrostatic discharge(s), the filter housing 2 and/or the filter element 3 can be damaged thereby. Therefore, on the basis of the detected structure-borne sound or the detected vibration, it is also possible to infer the presence of possible damage to the filter element 3 and/or the apparatus 1.

(15) FIG. 2 schematically shows an installation 9 as proposed in this case. The installation 9 in this case comprising, in exemplary fashion, two apparatuses 1 as proposed in this case and two radio units 10.

(16) The radio units 10 are, in exemplary fashion, each configured to receive data of the sensor units 4 of the apparatuses 1 and to forward them to a data processing installation 11. The data processing installation 11 in this case is embodied in the style of what is known as a cloud. Apart from this, each radio unit 10 in this case has a computing unit 12 configured to process data received from the sensor unit 4 at least in part.

(17) The radio unit 10 depicted on the left in FIG. 2 is designed in the style of a smartphone. This variant embodiment of a radio unit 10 designed as a smartphone further has an energy store 13 in the style of a storage battery.

(18) The radio unit 10 depicted on the right in FIG. 2 is designed in the style of a gateway. This variant embodiment of a radio unit 10 designed as a gateway further has an energy store 13 in the style of a wired power supply.

(19) FIG. 3 schematically shows a sensor unit 4 that can be used in an apparatus as proposed in this case. The reference signs are used consistently, which means that reference can be made to the explanations pertaining to FIGS. 1 and 2.

(20) The sensor unit 4 in this case comprises a radio module 6 and, in exemplary fashion, two sensors 5. One of these sensors 5 is, in exemplary fashion, an acceleration sensor and the other is a light sensor.

(21) Apart from this, FIG. 3 illustrates that the sensor unit 4 can furthermore comprise a microcontroller 7 and an energy store 8. The energy store 8 can comprise an NFC induction coil (not depicted in this case), for example.

(22) FIG. 4 schematically shows a cycle of a method as presented in this case in the case of a regular operating cycle. The method is used for detecting a state of at least a filter element or an apparatus for filtering a liquid.

(23) The depicted order of method steps a), b) and c) with blocks 110, 120 and 130 is merely exemplary. In block 110, at least one sensor unit having at least one sensor and a radio module is activated. In block 120, at least one operating parameter representative of a state of at least the filter element or the apparatus is detected. In block 130, the operating parameter is transmitted from the sensor unit by means of the radio module to at least at least one radio unit or at least one data processing installation.

(24) FIG. 5 schematically shows an exemplary response of an operating parameter. The operating parameter in this case is, in exemplary fashion, an acceleration 16. This acceleration 16 can be detected using an acceleration sensor of the sensor unit.

(25) The acceleration 16 is plotted over time 17 according to the depiction shown in FIG. 5. The response in this case is distinguished by three peaks (swings) 20 that are successive after a comparatively short period duration 19. This response is an example of the response of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of three electrostatic discharges. This response is, apart from this, an example of a response of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of possible damage to at least the filter element or the apparatus.

(26) FIG. 6 schematically shows a further exemplary response of an operating parameter. The operating parameter in this case too is, in exemplary fashion, an acceleration 16.

(27) The acceleration 16 is also plotted over time 17 according to the depiction shown in FIG. 6. The response in this case is distinguished by two peaks (swings) 20 that are successive after a comparatively long period duration 19. This response is an example of a response of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of two electrostatic discharges. Apart from this, this response is not an example of a response of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of possible damage to at least the filter element or the apparatus, however.

(28) FIG. 7 schematically shows an exemplary frequency spectrum. This has, in exemplary fashion, an acceleration 16 plotted, as an example of an operating parameter, over frequency 18.

(29) The frequency spectrum in this case is distinguished by four peaks (swings) 20 that occur at different frequencies. It can be seen that the left-hand peak 20 has a comparatively high value. This value is an example of a value of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of an electrostatic discharges. This value is, apart from this, an example of a value of the operating parameter that is characteristic of the presence of possible damage to at least the filter element or the apparatus.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(30) 1 Apparatus 2 Filter housing 3 Filter element 4 Sensor unit 5 Sensor 6 Radio module 7 Microcontroller 8 Energy store 9 Installation 10 Radio unit 11 Data processing installation 12 Computing unit 13 Energy store 14 Filter inlet 15 Filter outlet 16 Acceleration 17 Time 18 Frequency 19 Period duration 20 Peak