MEASUREMENT DEVICE BASED ON ACOUSTIC FLOW MEASUREMENT METHODS IN A PUMP SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEASUREMENT DEVICE

• US 20140076062A1
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Published: 03/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: em-tec GmbH (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: em-tec GmbH (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: BOBER, Maciej, ESTERL, Stefan, RESZEL, Bernward
• Granted Patent: US 9,291,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/861.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

A measurement device determines a volume flow based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system and a method produces the measurement device. The measurement device includes a measurement path with two coupling wedges with two sound transducers disposed on the coupling wedges. The pump system and the coupling wedges are made of metal or a metal alloy.

Claims

1. A measurement device for determining a volume flow based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system, wherein the measurement device comprises a measurement path with two coupling wedges with two sound transducers disposed on the latter, wherein the pump system and the coupling wedges are made of metal or a metal alloy.

2. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the pump system is a blood pump system.

3. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the pump system and the coupling wedges are made of titanium or a titanium alloy.

4. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a plurality of measurement paths.

5. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a measurement path is disposed in a radial direction and/or in an axial direction and/or in a diagonal direction.

6. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling wedges have a wedge spacing from 0 to 20 mm.

7. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling wedges form a wedge angle between 20°

and 70° and

a right angle at the coupling wedge tip.

8. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling wedges comprise a concave milled-out recess on a support surface for the sound transducer.

9. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a wall thickness in a region between two coupling wedges is reduced compared to the wall thickness in a region outside the two coupling wedges.

10. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a groove is milled into a wall between two coupling wedges.

11. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a damping medium is disposed between two coupling wedges.

12. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the sound transducers are piezoceramic elements, in particular composite ceramics.

13. The measurement device according to claim 12, wherein the piezoceramic elements are disposed as a phased array.

14. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the sound transducers are electrically insulated with respect to the coupling wedges.

15. The measurement device according to claim 12, wherein the insulation comprises a non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer.

16. The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer comprises insulating particles with a diameter of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m, preferably of 100 μ

m.

17. The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer comprises a plurality of adhesive layers and has a layer thickness of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m, preferably of 100 μ

m.

18. The measurement device according to claim 12, wherein the sound transducer is coated over the whole area with insulating material on the contact side, wherein the layer thickness of the insulating material amounts to less than a wavelength, preferably Lambda/4 of the resultant wavelength in the material.

19. The measurement device according to claim 12, wherein spacers are disposed between sound transducer and coupling wedge, in particular with a thickness of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m, preferably of 100 μ

m.

20. A method for producing the measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling wedges are milled out from a housing or from an inlet or an outlet.