US 12,306,048 B2
Non-invasive measurement and calculation system
Kenneth Leibig, Coatesville, PA (US); Matthew Annen, Audubon, PA (US); Ye Zhu, Weymouth, MA (US); and David Alan Austin, Jr., Philadelphia, PA (US)
Assigned to OMEGA ENGINEERING, INC., Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed by OMEGA Engineering, Inc., Norwalk, CT (US)
Filed on Feb. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/673,045.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/186,388, filed on May 10, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/149,837, filed on Feb. 16, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0260432 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. G01K 17/00 (2006.01); G01K 1/024 (2021.01); G01K 1/08 (2021.01); G01K 1/143 (2021.01); G01K 7/16 (2006.01)
CPC G01K 17/00 (2013.01) [G01K 1/024 (2013.01); G01K 1/08 (2013.01); G01K 1/143 (2013.01); G01K 7/16 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-invasive measuring device configured to calculate a temperature of a medium in a container or conduit, the measuring device comprising:
a temperature sensor in thermal contact with an exterior surface of a container or conduit, the temperature sensor measuring and outputting a temperature (To) of the exterior surface;
a heat flux sensor in thermal contact with the exterior surface of the container or conduit, the heat flux sensor measuring and outputting a heat flux (q″) moving through a wall of the container or conduit;
an I/O controller operatively coupled to the temperature sensor and the heat flux sensor to receive the output temperature (To) and the output heat flux (q″) therefrom;
a digital communication device operatively coupled to the I/O controller for at least one of wired or wireless communication between the non-invasive measuring device and one or more data processing devices, the digital communication device receiving a value of at least one parameter used to calculate a temperature of the medium in the container or conduit, the value including a selectively inputted or adjusted value made at the one or more data processing devices based on at least one of a range of sensing temperatures or characteristics of the container or conduit; and
a processor operatively coupled to the I/O controller, the processor configured to receive the temperature (To) measurements, the heat flux (q″) measurements, and the value of the at least one parameter from the I/O controller and to calculate the temperature of the medium in the container or conduit;
wherein the calculated temperature (Tcalc) is determined as follows:

OG Complex Work Unit Math
where:
To=temperature is measured by the temperature sensor;
q″=heat flux per unit area is measured by the heat flux sensor;
Fc=factor of a cross-sectional configuration of the container or conduit;
to=wall thickness of the container or conduit;
ko=thermal conductivity of container or conduit material; and
hc=Empirical thermal contact conductance at the interface of the container or conduit and the non-invasive measuring device.