US 12,493,002 B2
Method for distinguishing between the presence of a foreign body or a gas bubble in a medium, and corresponding system
Mohammad Sadegh Ebrahimi, Lörrach (DE); Dietmar Frühauf, Lörrach (DE); Volker Frey, Schopfheim (DE); Raphael Kuhnen, Schliengen (DE); Wolfgang Drahm, Freising (DE); Stefan Pflüger, Munich (DE); Anne Habermehl, Erding (DE); and Hao Zhu, Freising (DE)
Assigned to Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG, Reinach (CH)
Appl. No. 18/698,446
Filed by Endress+Hauser Flowtec AG, Reinach (CH)
PCT Filed Sep. 22, 2022, PCT No. PCT/EP2022/076335
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 4, 2024,
PCT Pub. No. WO2023/057218, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 13, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2021 126 221.6 (DE), filed on Oct. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0426770 A1, Dec. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 22/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 22/00 (2013.01) 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for distinguishing between a presence of a foreign body or a gas bubble in a flowable medium in a pipeline or a container, the method comprising:
transmitting microwave signals into the flowable medium;
introducing mechanical vibrations into the flowable medium;
receiving microwave signals that have passed through the flowable medium;
evaluating the received microwave signals and detecting the presence of an object the gas bubble, or the foreign body in the flowable medium via the received microwave signals or a value derived therefrom, wherein the gas bubble present in the flowable medium is set into vibration by the mechanical vibrations, and a modulation of the received microwave signals or of the value derived therefrom is generated by the vibrating gas bubble;
detecting the gas bubble only when mechanical vibrations are introduced and the received microwave signals or the value derived therefrom is/are modulated; and
otherwise, detecting a foreign body.