Ultrasonic apparatus and method for measuring the concentration and flow rate of gas
First Claim
1. A ultrasonic apparatus for measuring a gas concentration, comprising:
- a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the concentration of which is to be measured;
a ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit;
a reflector mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the ultrasonic transmission-reception device between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
a calibration gas source for supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
a temperature sensor, disposed in the conduit, for measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit;
propagation time calculation means for calculating the time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector; and
calibration means for calibrating a reference length between the ultrasonic transmission-reception device and the reflector on the basis of the calculation results by the propagation time calculation means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus 100 for measuring a gas concentration comprises a conduit 102 through which an objective gas to be measured flows, a ultrasonic transmitting and receiving element 118 fixed in a straight portion 108 of the conduit, a reflecting plate 122 fixed in the straight portion to face to the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving element, a transmit-receive switching element 124 for switching the operational mode of the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving element between a transmitting mode and receiving mode. The apparatus further comprises a calibration gas source 114 for supplying a calibration gas of which components and component ratio are preliminarily known, temperature sensors 116, 120 for measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit, a propagation time calculating means 126 for calculating the time period for propagation of the ultrasonic through the calibration gas in the conduit, a calibration means for calibrating the reference distance between the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving element and the reflecting plate based on the calculation results of the propagation time calculating means.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A ultrasonic apparatus for measuring a gas concentration, comprising:
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a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the concentration of which is to be measured;
a ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit;
a reflector mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the ultrasonic transmission-reception device between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
a calibration gas source for supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
a temperature sensor, disposed in the conduit, for measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit;
propagation time calculation means for calculating the time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector; and
calibration means for calibrating a reference length between the ultrasonic transmission-reception device and the reflector on the basis of the calculation results by the propagation time calculation means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. (Amended) A method of measuring the concentration of an objective gas by a ultrasonic gas concentration measuring apparatus which comprises, a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the concentration of which is to be measured, a ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit, a reflector mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the ultrasonic transmission-reception device, and a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the ultrasonic transmission-reception device between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit by a temperature sensor disposed in the conduit;
generating ultrasonic waves by the ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
switching the operation mode of the transmission-reception device from the transmission mode for transmitting the ultrasonic waves to the reception mode for receiving the ultrasonic waves;
calculating propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the reflector; and
calibrating a reference length between the ultrasonic transmission-reception device and the reflector on the basis of the calculation results. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6)
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
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7. A ultrasonic apparatus for measuring a gas concentration, comprising:
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a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the concentration of which is to be measured;
a first ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit;
a second ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
a calibration gas source for supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
a temperature sensor, disposed in the conduit, for measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit;
propagation time calculation means for calculating a first propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in thee conduit on the basis of the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves, and a second propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves; and
calibration means for calibrating a reference length between the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices on the basis of the calculation results by the propagation time calculation means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A method of measuring the concentration of an objective gas by a ultrasonic gas concentration measuring apparatus which comprises, a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the concentration of which is to be measured, a first ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit, a second ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device, and a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit by a temperature sensor disposed in the conduit;
generating ultrasonic waves by the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device and receiving the ultrasonic waves by the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
switching the operation mode of the first transmission-reception device from the transmission mode to the reception mode and the operation mode of the second transmission-reception device from the reception mode to the transmission mode;
calculating a first propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves, and a second propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves; and
calibrating a reference length between the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices on the basis of the calculation results. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
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13. (Amended) A ultrasonic apparatus for measuring a gas flow rate, comprising:
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a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the flow rate of which is to be measured;
a first ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit;
a second ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
a calibration gas source for supplying a calibration gas, the component, the component ratio and the flow rate of which are known, to the conduit;
a temperature sensor, disposed in the conduit, for measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit;
propagation time calculation means for calculating a first propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves, and a second propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves; and
calibration means for calibrating a reference length between the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices and the inner diameter of the conduit, on the basis of the calculation results by the propagation time calculation means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. (Amended) A method of measuring the flow rate of an objective gas by a ultrasonic gas flow rate measuring apparatus which comprises, a conduit for flowing an objective gas, the flow rate of which is to be measured, a first ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit, a second ultrasonic transmission-reception device mounted to the inside of the conduit to face the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device, and a transmission-reception switch for switching the operation mode of the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices between a transmission mode for transmitting ultrasonic waves and a reception mode for receiving ultrasonic waves;
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
supplying a calibration gas, the component and the component ratio of which are known, to the conduit;
measuring the temperature of the calibration gas flowing through the conduit by a temperature sensor disposed in the conduit;
generating ultrasonic waves by the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device and receiving the ultrasonic waves by the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device;
switching the operation mode of the first transmission-reception device from the transmission mode to the reception mode and the operation mode of the second transmission-reception device from the reception mode to the transmission mode;
calculating a first propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves, and a second propagation time period where the ultrasonic waves propagates through the calibration gas in the conduit on the basis of the time when the second ultrasonic transmission-reception device transmits the ultrasonic waves and the time when the first ultrasonic transmission-reception device receives the ultrasonic waves; and
calibrating a reference length between the first and second ultrasonic transmission-reception devices and the inner diameter of the conduit, on the basis of the calculation results. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- the method comprising, prior to the start of the process for measuring the concentration of the gas to be measured, the steps of;
Specification