Insertion paddle wheel flow sensor for insertion into a fluid conduit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An impeller comprising:
- a plurality of substantially semi-circular blade portions each defining a generally planar surface disposed substantially perpendicular to a flow path to allow the impeller to be rotated;
a cylindrical hub portion having two ends each having an opening, the openings defining a longitudinal passage within the hub portion;
an anti-friction bearing means, positioned within the hub portion, the bearing means acting as a radial bearing for rotation of the impeller and as a thrust bearing against a wall of an impeller housing;
an axle for rotatably mounting the impeller to the impeller housing, the axle being rotatably enclosed by the anti-friction bearing means; and
a plurality of stem portions extending outward from a circumference of the hub portion and spaced apart at an equal distance with respect to each other wherein each of the stem portions connect the hub portion to one of the blade portions.
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Abstract
A flow sensor using induction pickup and having an improved paddle wheel type impeller within an impeller housing having a concave opening defining a protective skirt area for shielding a portion of the paddle wheel and a stem of the paddle wheel with a varying thickness for reducing cavitational backflow and therefore achieving a precise measurement of the fluid flow velocity and a high turndown ratio is disclosed.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. An impeller comprising:
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a plurality of substantially semi-circular blade portions each defining a generally planar surface disposed substantially perpendicular to a flow path to allow the impeller to be rotated; a cylindrical hub portion having two ends each having an opening, the openings defining a longitudinal passage within the hub portion; an anti-friction bearing means, positioned within the hub portion, the bearing means acting as a radial bearing for rotation of the impeller and as a thrust bearing against a wall of an impeller housing; an axle for rotatably mounting the impeller to the impeller housing, the axle being rotatably enclosed by the anti-friction bearing means; and a plurality of stem portions extending outward from a circumference of the hub portion and spaced apart at an equal distance with respect to each other wherein each of the stem portions connect the hub portion to one of the blade portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A flow sensor, for measuring velocity of a fluid flowing through a fluid conduit, comprising:
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an impeller housing having a first and a second end with the first end having a concave opening, the housing being mountable to a periphery of a fluid conduit and providing means for adjusting a distance the impeller housing protrudes into the conduit; an impeller, including a paddle wheel having a plurality of semi-circular blade portions each defining a generally planar surface disposed substantially perpendicular to a flow path to allow the impeller to be rotated and extending radially outwardly from an axle, the axle being attached to the impeller housing such that the impeller is rotatably mounted in the concave opening of the impeller housing and at least one of the blade portions extends outside of the impeller housing beyond the first end of the impeller housing and is oriented perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow; an inductive pickup disposed within the impeller housing proximate the second end of the impeller housing, the inductive pickup producing a signal when the impeller blade portions rotate through an inductive field; a sensing circuitry connected to the impeller housing for determining a velocity of a fluid in response to a signal from the inductive pickup, the circuitry containing an oscillation means for exciting the pickup and a control loop; and a coil wherein the control loop maintains an optimal signal level at the coil. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A paddle wheel impeller for an insertion flow sensor comprising:
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a plurality of blade portions, each of the blade portions having an outer edge having a shape of a circular section and each of the blade portions defining a generally flat planar front side surface disposed substantially perpendicular to a flow path to allow the paddle wheel impeller to be rotated; a cylindrical hub portion; and a plurality of stem portions extending radially outwardly from the hub portion, each of the blade portions being connected to the hub portion by a single corresponding stem portion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An insertion flow sensor for measuring velocity of a fluid flowing through a fluid conduit comprising:
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a cylindrical impeller housing having a first and a second end with the first end having a concave opening defining a skirt area, the cylindrical impeller housing capable of being inserted into and mounted to a periphery of a fluid conduit; a paddle wheel impeller including a plurality of blade portions, each of the blade portions having an outer edge having a shape of a circular section and each of the blade portions defining a generally planar surface disposed substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow to allow the paddle wheel impeller to be rotated, the impeller further including a plurality of stem portions extending radially outwardly from a cylindrical hub portion, each of the blade portions being connected to the hub portion by a single corresponding stem portion, the cylindrical hub portion of the paddle wheel impeller being rotatably attached to the impeller housing such that the impeller is partially mounted within the concave opening of the impeller housing; an inductive pickup disposed within the impeller housing, the inductive pickup producing a signal when the impeller blade portions rotate through an inductive field; and sensing circuitry supported within the impeller housing for determining a velocity of the fluid flow in response to a signal from the inductive pickup.
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31. An insertion flow sensor for measuring velocity of a fluid flowing through a fluid conduit comprising:
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a cylindrical impeller housing having a first and a second end with the first end having a concave opening defining a skirt area for preventing impingement of the fluid into the skirt area, the skirt area defined partially by a circular inner sidewall portion of the cylindrical impeller housing, the circular inner sidewall portion having a curvature; and a paddle wheel impeller including a plurality of blade portions, each of the blade portions having an outer edge having a shape of a circular section and each of the blade portions defining a generally planar surface disposed substantially perpendicular to the fluid flow to allow the paddle wheel impeller to be rotated, the impeller further including a plurality of stem portions extending radially outwardly from a cylindrical hub portion, each blade portion being connected to the hub portion by a single corresponding stem portion, each blade portion having an outer edge in the shape of a circular section with a curvature substantially corresponding to the curvature of the circular inner sidewall portion of the impeller housing, the cylindrical hub portion of the paddle wheel impeller being rotatably attached to the impeller housing such that the impeller is partially mounted within the concave opening of the impeller housing. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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Specification