Ultrasonic path bundle and systems
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic measuring system characterized by an enhanced signal path comprising a signal conductor interposed as a link in the signal path to conduct an ultrasonic measurement signal pulse at least partway between a transducer and a process fluid environment, wherein the signal conductor includesa plurality of rods each having a first end, a second end and a defined diameter and length, said diameter being sufficiently small to propagate an effective measurement portion of the signal pulse between its first end and its second end, anda terminating sheet of material continuous with said first ends and configured to acoustically couple said effective measurement signal portion into and out of said rodswherein the rods are bundled together in tight mutual contact within a sealing enclosure together with said terminating sheet of material to form a rigid sealed assembly for mounting in the transducer signal path such that the assembly conducts and couples a directed beam of said effective measurement signal portion between said process fluid environment and said transducer while providing both thermal separation of and effective sealing between the transducer and the fluid environment.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An encapsulated or rigid bundle of rods forms a substantially non-dispersive buffer usable in extreme environments, operable over wide bandwidth, and in some implementations, easily repairable in the field. In one preferred configuration, suitable for measuring the flow of low-molecular-weight gases over a wide range of pressure, temperature and flow rates, the bundle is made of about one thousand stainless steel welding rods tightly packed inside a 1-inch diameter tube. The rigid encapsulated assembly is sealed at the end that is in contact with the gas and may be sealed into a high-pressure flange in a manner that yields broadband transmission characteristics. A second buffer bundle, aligned with the first bundle, may be pressure-coupled on the other side of the flange. Ultrasonic pulses transmitted into the first bundle remote from the gas are transmitted with little loss and little pulse distortion into the gas, while the transducer is thermally isolated by the second bundle and remains near ambient temperature. The high-pressure flange is thinned locally over a central area yet supports the rod safely and withstands pressures of 300 bar. This locally-thin region supports and aligns both buffers, while transmitting a broad band-width pulse in the preferred axial direction, while discouraging transmission in all other directions. This helps reduce solid-body-borne crosstalk and results in a high signal-to-noise ratio and high accuracy in the measurement of flow or other measurands. Signals may be combined to remove noise and then be processed to compute flow-related terms. The bundles are non-degrading waveguides to carry signals through degrading environments. This is useful for numerous stack, freestream and chordal path configurations, as well as clamp-on systems and special mode-converting configurations. Beam shaping and steering may be passively effected with patterned bundle constructions.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An ultrasonic measuring system characterized by an enhanced signal path comprising a signal conductor interposed as a link in the signal path to conduct an ultrasonic measurement signal pulse at least partway between a transducer and a process fluid environment, wherein the signal conductor includes
a plurality of rods each having a first end, a second end and a defined diameter and length, said diameter being sufficiently small to propagate an effective measurement portion of the signal pulse between its first end and its second end, and a terminating sheet of material continuous with said first ends and configured to acoustically couple said effective measurement signal portion into and out of said rods wherein the rods are bundled together in tight mutual contact within a sealing enclosure together with said terminating sheet of material to form a rigid sealed assembly for mounting in the transducer signal path such that the assembly conducts and couples a directed beam of said effective measurement signal portion between said process fluid environment and said transducer while providing both thermal separation of and effective sealing between the transducer and the fluid environment.
-
14. An ultrasonic buffer comprising a signal conductor for interposition as a link in the signal path to conduct an ultrasonic measurement signal pulse at least partway between a transducer and a process fluid environment, wherein the signal conductor includes
a plurality of rods each having a first end, a second end and a defined diameter and length, said diameter being sufficiently small to propagate an effective measurement portion of the signal pulse between its first end and its second end, and a terminating sheet of material continuous with said first ends and configured to acoustically couple said effective measurement signal portion into and out of said rods wherein the rods are bundled together in tight mutual contact within a sealing enclosure together with said terminating sheet of material to form a rigid sealed assembly for mounting in the transducer signal path such that the assembly conducts and couples a directed beam of said effective measurement signal portion between said process fluid environment and said transducer while providing both thermal separation and effective sealing between the transducer and the fluid environmemt.
Specification