Method and apparatus for detecting discontinuities in a fluid stream
First Claim
1. Apparatus for detecting a discontinuity in a stream of a first fluid flowing in a tube comprisinga sensing means having spaced apart transmitting and receiving transducers, the space accommodating the tube,means for supplying successive bursts of pulses of electrical energy to said transmitting transducer to cause it to vibrate to produce corresponding bursts of pulses of sonic energy which are transmitted through said tube to said receiving transducer, there being a predetermined time of no pulse production between successive burst of pulses, said receiving transducer converting the bursts of pulses of received sonic energy into corresponding electrical signals during said predetermined time between said successive bursts,and circuit means responsive to said electrical signals produced by said receiving transducer during said predetermined time for producing first signals corresponding to the pulses of the transmitted pulses of a burst in response to the presence of said first fluid and a second signal in response to the presence of a discontinuity in said first fluid,and means responsive to receipt of a respective predetermined number of said first or said second signals to produce an output corresponding to the presence of liquid or a discontinuity in said tube.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for detecting discontinuities, such as bubbled, in a fluid stream, in which a tube is placed between a transducer transmitting successive bursts of ultrasonic energy and for receiving the bursts. The receiving transducer is connected to a signal processing circuit which keeps an indicator in a first state when signals are received corresponding to the presence of a fluid and in a second state when the bursts of energy are modified by the discontinuity.
126 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for detecting a discontinuity in a stream of a first fluid flowing in a tube comprising
a sensing means having spaced apart transmitting and receiving transducers, the space accommodating the tube, means for supplying successive bursts of pulses of electrical energy to said transmitting transducer to cause it to vibrate to produce corresponding bursts of pulses of sonic energy which are transmitted through said tube to said receiving transducer, there being a predetermined time of no pulse production between successive burst of pulses, said receiving transducer converting the bursts of pulses of received sonic energy into corresponding electrical signals during said predetermined time between said successive bursts, and circuit means responsive to said electrical signals produced by said receiving transducer during said predetermined time for producing first signals corresponding to the pulses of the transmitted pulses of a burst in response to the presence of said first fluid and a second signal in response to the presence of a discontinuity in said first fluid, and means responsive to receipt of a respective predetermined number of said first or said second signals to produce an output corresponding to the presence of liquid or a discontinuity in said tube.
-
13. A method for detecting a discontinuity in a stream of fluid flowing in a tube comprising the steps of:
-
placing the tube between a transducer for transmitting sonic energy and one for receiving sonic energy, providing said transmitting transducer with successive bursts of pulses to produce corresponding bursts of pulses of sonic energy with a predetermined time interval between successive bursts of pulses, detecting receipt of the successive bursts of sonic energy pulses transmitted through said fluid to said receiving transducer and producing during a said predetermined time interval first signals corresponding thereto, detecting that a burst of pulses of sonic signals has encountered a discontinuity in the fluid flow and producing a second signal corresponding thereto. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
-
Specification