Shrouded body flow meter assembly

• US 20060278017A1
• Filed: 06/09/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Shelly, Mark A., Carns, James A., Cutler, Theron L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,952 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/861.790
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/10 using rotating vanes with axial admission
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/115 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/14 Casings, e.g. of special material
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/185 Connecting means, e.g. bypass conduits
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 9/24 by observing the transmission of wave or particle radiation through the material

Abstract

A shrouded body flow meter assembly includes an inner fluid-conducting conduit disposed in a spaced relation from and within an outer conduit. The shrouded flow meter assembly can be connected to other shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus and/or used to replace sections of a shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus system. The shrouded flow meter assembly maintains the integrity of the inner fluid-conducting conduits and outer conduits of the shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus.

Claims

1. A shrouded flow meter comprising:

a fluid tight inner conduit operable to conduct a fluid therethrough;

a fluid tight outer conduit disposed over said inner conduit with a space therebetween; and

a detector attached to said outer conduit and operable to sense a signal indicative of a characteristic of a fluid in said inner conduit, said detector being isolated from direct contact with the fluid in said inner conduit.

2. The shrouded flow meter of claim 1, wherein said detector communicates with said space between said inner and outer conduits.

3. The shrouded flow meter of claim 1, further comprising a rotatable impeller in said inner conduit, said impeller rotating in response to fluid flowing through said inner conduit.

4. The shrouded flow meter of claim 1, further comprising end fittings attached to said inner and outer conduits and operable to attach to end fittings of other shrouded apparatuses and maintain the integrity of said inner and outer conduits.

5. The shrouded flow meter of claim 1, wherein said detector can be removed from said outer conduit without compromising an integrity of said inner conduit.

6. The shrouded flow meter of claim 1, further comprising a seal member forming a fluid-tight seal between said detector and said outer conduit.

7. The shrouded flow meter of claim 6, wherein said seal member prevents fluid within said space from flowing out of said outer conduit through an interface between said detector and said outer conduit.

8. An aerial refueling system including the shrouded flow meter of claim 1.

9. A method of determining a characteristic of fluid within an inner conduit of a shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus, the method comprising:

(a) locating a detector proximate the inner conduit of the shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus while maintaining an integrity of the inner conduit;

(b) sensing a signal with said detector based on a fluid within the inner conduit; and

(c) converting said sensed signal into a characteristic of said fluid within the inner conduit.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein (a) includes locating said detector in an outer conduit of the shrouded fluid-conducting apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein (a) includes locating said detector in said outer conduit and in communication with a space between said inner and outer conduits.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein (a) includes removeably locating said detector in said outer conduit such that said detector can be removed from said outer conduit while maintaining a fluid integrity of the inner conduit.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein (a) includes disposing a seal between said detector and said outer conduit such that fluid in said space between said inner and outer conduits cannot flow past said outer conduit through an interface between said detector and said outer conduit.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein (b) includes sensing a change in a magnetic field caused by fluid flowing through the inner conduit.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein (c) includes converting said sensed change in said magnetic field into a flow rate of said fluid flowing through the inner conduit.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising rotating a magnetic field inducing member within said inner conduit with a fluid flowing through the inner conduit.