Ultrasonic water meter

• US 9,714,855 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2016
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arad Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Arad Ltd.
• Inventors: Bar-on, Omri
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Jewel V
• Application Number:
  US14/997,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20160223373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 7386128, 7386127, 7386129
• 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

An ultrasonic flow meter device includes a piping arrangement, at least two ultrasonic transducers, and at least two reflective elements. The piping arrangement includes a fluid passage extending through a tubular body. The at least two ultrasonic transducers are configured to generate and/or receive an ultrasonic sound wave and the at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave through a fluid passage in a measurement section of the piping arrangement between the at least two ultrasonic transducers in a travel path that is substantially Z-shaped. A width of the fluid passage in the measurement section is less than the width of the fluid passage at the ends of the tubular body, but the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section is the same as the cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the ends of the tubular body.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic flow meter device, comprising:

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

at least two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are configured to generate and/or receive an ultrasonic sound wave and the at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave through the fluid passage in the measurement section of the tubular body from one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers to another of the at least two ultrasonic transducers in a travel path that is substantially Z-shaped,

wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body,

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width and a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the inlet and the outlet is the same as a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section, and

wherein the fluid passage in the measurement section has an oblong circular shape configured to create an elliptical flow of liquid through the measurement section.

2. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid passage has a circular shape at the inlet and the outlet.

3. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are disposed at opposing ends of the measurement section.

4. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two reflective elements are disposed at opposing ends of the measurement section and are each disposed on the tubular body opposite to a respective one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers.

5. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are disposed in recesses defined in the tubular body.

6. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least two reflective elements is disposed on a respective bracket inserted in the fluid passage.

7. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 6, An ultrasonic flow meter device, comprising:

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

at least two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are configured to generate and/or receive an ultrasonic sound wave and the at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave through the fluid passage in the measurement section of the tubular body from one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers to another of the at least two ultrasonic transducers in a travel path that is substantially Z-shaped,

wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body,

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width and a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the inlet and the outlet is the same as a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section,

wherein each of the at least two reflective elements is disposed on a respective bracket inserted in the fluid passage, and

wherein each bracket is removably inserted in a slot defined in an interior surface of the tubular body and extending along the longitudinal axis from a respective one of the first end and the second end of the tubular body to the measurement section.

8. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 6, An ultrasonic flow meter device, comprising:

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

at least two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are configured to generate and/or receive an ultrasonic sound wave and the at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave through the fluid passage in the measurement section of the tubular body from one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers to another of the at least two ultrasonic transducers in a travel path that is substantially Z-shaped,

wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body,

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width and a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the inlet and the outlet is the same as a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section,

wherein each of the at least two reflective elements is disposed on a respective bracket inserted in the fluid passage, and

wherein each bracket comprises an inclined surface for holding the respective reflective element at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

9. An ultrasonic flow meter device, comprising:

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

at least two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein each of the at least two reflective elements is disposed on a respective bracket removably inserted in a slot defined in an interior surface of the tubular body and extending along the longitudinal axis from a respective one of the first end and the second end of the tubular body to the measurement section, and

wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are configured to generate and/or receive an ultrasonic sound wave and the at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave through the measurement section of the tubular body from one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers to another of the at least two ultrasonic transducers.

10. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein at least two reflective elements are configured to direct the ultrasonic sound wave in a travel path that is substantially Z-shaped.

11. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body, and

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width.

12. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 11, wherein the fluid passage has a circular shape at the inlet and the outlet.

13. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 11, wherein the fluid passage in the measurement section has an oblong circular shape.

14. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 11, wherein the fluid passage has a constant cross-sectional area from the inlet, through the measurement section, and to the outlet.

15. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are disposed at opposing ends of the measurement section, and

wherein the at least two reflective elements are disposed at opposing ends of the measurement section and are each disposed on the tubular body opposite to a respective one of the at least two ultrasonic transducers.

16. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein the at least two ultrasonic transducers are disposed in recesses defined in the tubular body.

17. The ultrasonic flow meter device according to claim 9, wherein each bracket comprises an inclined surface for holding the respective reflective element at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

18. A method of measuring a flow rate of a liquid through a flow meter device, comprising:

providing a flow meter device, comprising;

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body,

wherein the fluid passage in the measurement section has an oblong circular shape, and

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width and a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the inlet and the outlet is the same as a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section;

creating a flow of liquid through the piping arrangement, wherein the oblong circular shape of the fluid passage in the measurement section creates an elliptical flow of the liquid through the measurement section;

generating an ultrasonic sound wave with one of the two ultrasonic transducers;

directing the ultrasonic sound wave with the at least two reflective elements along a travel path through the fluid passage in the measurement section of the tubular body from the ultrasonic transducer generating the ultrasonic sound wave to the other ultrasonic transducer, the travel path being substantially Z-shaped;

receiving the ultrasonic sound wave at the other ultrasonic transducer;

measuring a speed of the ultrasonic sound wave through the measurement section; and

calculating the flow rate of the liquid based on the measured speed of the ultrasonic sound wave.

19. A flow meter device for measuring a flow rate of a liquid, comprising:

a piping arrangement comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end and including a measurement section disposed intermediate the first end and the second end, the tubular body defining a fluid passage extending along the longitudinal axis through the tubular body from the first end to the second end;

two ultrasonic transducers disposed on opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and

at least two reflective elements disposed on the opposing sides of the tubular body and spaced apart along the longitudinal axis,

wherein the fluid passage includes an inlet defined at the first end of the tubular body and an outlet defined at the second end of the tubular body, the fluid passage having a first width at the inlet and the outlet and a second width in the measurement section of the tubular body,

wherein the first width of the fluid passage is larger than the second width and a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage at the inlet and the outlet is the same as a cross-sectional area of the fluid passage in the measurement section,

wherein the fluid passage is configured to accommodate a flow of the liquid through the piping arrangement,

wherein the fluid passage in the measurement section has an oblong circular shape configured to create an elliptical flow of the liquid through the measurement section

wherein one of the ultrasonic transducers generates an ultrasonic sound wave,

wherein the at least two reflective elements direct the ultrasonic sound wave along a travel path through the fluid passage in the measurement section of the tubular body from the ultrasonic transducer generating the ultrasonic sound wave to the other ultrasonic transducer, the travel path being substantially Z-shaped,

wherein the other ultrasonic transducer receives the ultrasonic sound wave, and

wherein the device further comprises means for measuring a speed of the ultrasonic sound wave through the measurement section and means for calculating the flow rate of the liquid based on the measured speed of the ultrasonic sound wave.