Measurement device based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system and method for producing a measurement device

• US 9,291,488 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: em-tec GmbH (Dover Corporation)
• Original Assignee: em-tec GmbH (Dover Corporation)
• Inventors: Bober, Maciej, Esterl, Stefan, Reszel, Bernward
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Harshad R
• Application Number:
  US14/030,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20140076062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 916 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/66 by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/662 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49005 Acoustic transducer

Abstract

A measurement device determines a volume flow based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system and a method produces the measurement device. The measurement device includes a measurement path with two coupling wedges with two sound transducers disposed on the coupling wedges. The pump system and the coupling wedges are made of metal or a metal alloy.

Claims

1. A measurement device for determining a volume flow based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system, the measurement device comprising:

a first acoustic measurement path with first and second coupling wedges with a first sound transducer disposed on the first coupling wedge and with a second sound transducer disposed on the second coupling wedge, the first acoustic measurement path being disposed in a radial direction or in an axial direction or in a diagonal direction,

wherein the pump system and the coupling wedges are made of metal or a metal alloy,

wherein the first and second coupling wedges are milled out from a housing or from an inlet or an outlet,

wherein a wall thickness in a region between the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge is reduced compared to a wall thickness in a region outside the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge, and

wherein a groove is milled into a wall between the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge.

2. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the pump system is a blood pump system.

3. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the pump system and the first and second coupling wedges are made of titanium or a titanium alloy.

4. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling wedges have a wedge spacing from 0 to 20 mm.

5. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling wedges form a wedge angle between 20°

and 70° and

a right angle at the coupling wedge tip.

6. The measurement device according to claim 5, wherein the first sound transducer has a triangular shape.

7. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second coupling wedges comprise a concave milled-out recess on a support surface for the sound transducer.

8. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a damping medium is disposed between the first and second coupling wedges.

9. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sound transducers are piezoceramic elements.

10. The measurement device according to claim 9, wherein the piezoceramic elements are disposed as a phased array.

11. The measurement device according to claim 10, wherein the non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer comprises insulating particles with a diameter of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m.

12. The measurement device according to claim 10, wherein the non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer comprises a plurality of adhesive layers and has a layer thickness of 10 μ

m to 200 μ

m.

13. The measurement device according to claim 9, wherein the insulation comprises a non-conductive adhesive or epoxy resin layer.

14. The measurement device according to claim 9, wherein the first sound transducer is coated over the whole area with insulating material on the contact side, and wherein the layer thickness of the insulating material amounts to less than a wavelength of the resultant wavelength in the material.

15. The measurement device according to claim 9, wherein spacers are disposed between the first sound transducer and the first coupling wedge.

16. The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the first and second sound transducers are electrically insulated with respect to the first and second coupling wedges.

17. A method for producing the measurement device for determining a volume flow based on acoustic flow measurement methods in a pump system, wherein the measurement device comprises:

a first acoustic measurement path with a first coupling wedge and a second coupling wedge with a first sound transducer disposed on the first coupling wedge and with a second sound transducer disposed on the second coupling wedge, the first acoustic measurement path being disposed in a radial direction or in an axial direction or in a diagonal direction, the pump system and the first and second coupling wedges being made of metal or a metal alloy,

wherein the method comprises steps of;

milling out the first and second coupling wedges from a housing or from an inlet or an outlet;

disposing the first sound transducer on the first coupling wedge and the second sound transducer on the second coupling wedge;

reducing a wall thickness in a region between the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge compared to a wall thickness in a region outside the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge; and

milling a groove into a wall between the first coupling wedge and the second coupling wedge.