Flowmeter fluid composition correction

• US 4,885,938 A
• Filed: 12/16/1988
• Issued: 12/12/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Higashi, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldstein, Herbert
• Application Number:
  US07/285,896
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 73/861.02, 73/204.18, 73/204.19, 73/204.26, 364/510
• US Class Current: 73/204.18
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/684 Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/6842 with means for influencing the fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/043 using electrical means

Abstract

Certain relationships among the mass flow signal the thermal conductivity, specific heat and density of the fluid measured can be used to correct a mass flowmeter measurement with respect to changes in composition of the fluid.

Claims

1. A method for compensating the mass flow measurement of a fluid flowmeter of the thermal microanemometer class for changes in the composition of the fluid of interest the flow of which is sought to be determined or monitored comprising the steps of:

obtaining an on-going uncorrected nulled mass flow value (M_o)for the fluid of interest in relation to the microanemometer sensor output;

obtaining the specific heat (c_p) thermal conductivity (k) and density (q)

obtaining the corrected mass flow (M) from the nulled mass flow according to the relationship ##EQU2##

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said c_p, k and q values are derived from a static anemometer measurement of the fluid of interest.

3. A method for compensating compositional changes with respect to the actual dynamic sensor flow output signal from a microanemometer flow sensor in a mass flowmeter of the thermal microanemometer class conducting a fluid of interest comprising the steps of:

obtaining the nulled microanemometer sensor output signal in relation to the mass flow of the fluid of interest;

obtaining the specific heat (c_p) thermal conductivity (k) and density (q);

obtaining the corrected sensor output (s) from the nulled sensor output according to the relationship

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">S=S.sub.o {k(3.8+q)/c.sub.p)}.sup.0.4 (II)

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said c_p, k and q values are derived from a static anemometer measurement of the fluid of interest.