Sensing frost and ice accumulation using capacitance

A capacitance sensing system for sensing frost and ice accumulation. The capacitance sensing system comprises a first capacitor formed by a portion of a metal heat exchanger and a sensor electrode electrically isolated from the metal heat exchanger, a tank oscillator comprising a second capacitor an...

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Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser:	Seidl, Michael, Eversmann, Bjoern Oliver, Kraemer, Andreas Felix Martin
Format:	Patent
Sprache:	eng
Schlagworte:	BLASTING COLD ROOMS COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS COOLING OR FREEZING APPARATUS NOT COVERED BY ANY OTHERSUBCLASS HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS HEATING ICE-BOXES INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES LIGHTING LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE MEASURING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PHYSICS REFRIGERATION OR COOLING REFRIGERATORS TESTING WEAPONS
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Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:	A capacitance sensing system for sensing frost and ice accumulation. The capacitance sensing system comprises a first capacitor formed by a portion of a metal heat exchanger and a sensor electrode electrically isolated from the metal heat exchanger, a tank oscillator comprising a second capacitor and an inductor connected in parallel with each other and coupled in parallel with the first capacitor, and a circuit coupled to the tank oscillator. The circuit coupled to the tank oscillator is configured to determine a resonant frequency of the tank oscillator, determine a capacitance value based on the resonant frequency of the tank oscillator, determine that the capacitance value is greater than a predefined threshold, and transmit a heater activation command in response to determining the capacitance value is greater than the predefined threshold.