Flow measurement system with reduced noise and crosstalk

• US 7,000,485 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 02/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Sensing Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Infrastructure Sensing Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Bradshaw, James E., Ao, Xiaolei
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US10/329,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20030172743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 738/612.7, 738/612.8, 738/612.9, 738/611.8, 738/612.5, 738/612.6
• US Class Current: 73/861.29
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/667 Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters

Abstract

A flow measurement system including at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to an existing conduit, a damping material about the conduit between the first and second ultrasonic transducers to prevent crosstalk, a damping material about the conduit upstream of the first ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large, and a damping material about the conduit downstream of the second ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large.

Claims

1. A flow measurement system comprising:

at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to an existing conduit;

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit between the first and second ultrasonic transducers to prevent crosstalk;

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit upstream of the first ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large; and

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit downstream of the second ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large.

2. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material is a polymer material.

3. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material is rubber.

4. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material is grease.

5. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material is a gel.

6. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material circumferentially surrounds the conduit.

7. The system of claim 1 in which the damping material is disposed directly on the conduit.

8. The system of claim 1 in which the transducers are clamped directly on the conduit.

9. A flow measurement system comprising:

at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to an existing conduit;

non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit upstream of the first ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large; and

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit downstream of the second ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large.

10. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material is a polymer material.

11. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material is rubber.

12. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material is grease.

13. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material is a gel.

14. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material circumferentially surrounds the conduit.

15. The system of claim 9 in which the damping material is disposed directly on the conduit.

16. The system of claim 9 in which the transducers are clamped directly on the conduit.

17. A flow measurement system comprising:

at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to an existing conduit;

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit between the first and second ultrasonic transducers to prevent crosstalk; and

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit upstream of the first ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large.

18. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material is a polymer material.

19. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material is rubber.

20. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material is grease.

21. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material is a gel.

22. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material circumferentially surrounds the conduit.

23. The system of claim 17 in which the damping material is disposed directly on the conduit.

24. The system of claim 17 in which the transducers are clamped directly on the conduit.

25. A flow measurement system comprising:

at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to a conduit;

damping material about the exterior surface of the conduit between the first and second transducers to prevent crosstalk;

damping material about the exterior surface of the conduit upstream of the first ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large;

damping material about the exterior surface of the conduit downstream of the second ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large; and

a cover layer disposed on the damping material for stabilizing the damping material.

26. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material is a polymer material.

27. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material is rubber.

28. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material is grease.

29. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material is a gel.

30. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material circumferentially surrounds the conduit.

31. The system of claim 25 in which the damping material is disposed directly on the conduit.

32. The system of claim 25 in which the transducers are clamped directly on the conduit.

41. The flow measurement system of claim 25 in which the cover layer is fiberglass fabric.

33. A flow measurement system comprising:

at least first and second ultrasonic transducers coupled to an existing conduit;

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit between the first and second ultrasonic transducers to prevent crosstalk; and

a non-metallic pliable damping material about the exterior surface of the existing conduit downstream of the second ultrasonic transducer to attenuate system background noise travelling in the conduit at large.

34. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material is a polymer material.

35. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material is rubber.

36. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material is grease.

37. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material is a gel.

38. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material circumferentially surrounds the conduit.

39. The system of claim 33 in which the damping material is disposed directly on the conduit.

40. The system of claim 33 in which the transducers are clamped on the conduit.