Method and structure for flow measurement
First Claim
1. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising:
- (.Iadd.1.Iaddend.) a support;
(.Iadd.2.Iaddend.) a "U" shaped, continuous conduit .Iadd.which(i) is free of pressure sensitive joints,(ii) is .Iaddend.solidly mounted at the open .[.end.]. .Iadd.ends .Iaddend.of the "U" to the support.Iadd.,(iii.Iaddend.) .[.and extending therefrom in a nonarticulated,.]. .Iadd.extends from the support in a .Iaddend.cantilevered fashion.[.;
.]..Iadd.,(iv) has an oscillation axis, passing through the side legs thereof substantially at the points of solid mounting and parallel to the support, about which the conduit may be rotated relative to the support and a deflection axis positioned in the plane of the conduit substantially equidistant between and parallel to the side legs of said conduit and extending perpendicularly through the oscillation axis,(v) exhibits a different resonant frequency about each of the respective axes;
(3.Iaddend.) means for oscillating the conduit relative to the support on either side of the static plane of the "U" shaped conduit and about .[.a first.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.oscillation axis; and
(.Iadd.4.Iaddend.) means to measure the .Iadd.magnitude of .Iaddend.Coriolis forces tending to elastically distort the "U" shaped conduit .[.around a second.]. .Iadd.about the .Iaddend. deflection axis .[.positioned substantially equidistant between the side legs of the "U" shaped conduit and through the oscillation axis thereof.].;
whereby the rate of mass flow of the flowable material .[.may be.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.determined .[.by.]. .Iadd.from .Iaddend.the magnitude of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said Coriolis .Iaddend.forces .[.tending to deflect the "U" shaped conduit around the second deflection axis.]..
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method for mass flow measurement utilizing a substantially "U" shaped conduit mounted in a cantilever manner at the legs thereof, .[.means for oscillating the conduit, and means for measuring.]. .Iadd.so that, when the conduit is oscillated, sensors mounted on the conduit can measure .Iaddend.the Coriolis force by measurement of the force moment or the angular motion of the conduit around an axis substantially symmetrical to the legs of the conduit. The force moment is measured by sensing incipient movement around the axis, and generating and measuring a nulling force. In preferred embodiments, the oscillating means are mounted on a spring arm having a natural frequency substantially equal to that of the "U" shaped conduit, and in a particularly preferred .[.displacement.]. .Iadd.embodiment .Iaddend.the measuring .[.means are sensors.]. .Iadd.sensors are .Iaddend.mounted on the "U" shaped conduit and adapted to measure, with proper direction sense, the time differential between the leading and trailing portions of the "U" shaped conduit passing through the plane of the "U" shaped conduit at substantially midpoint of the oscillation thereof.
235 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising:
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(.Iadd.1.Iaddend.) a support; (.Iadd.2.Iaddend.) a "U" shaped, continuous conduit .Iadd.which (i) is free of pressure sensitive joints, (ii) is .Iaddend.solidly mounted at the open .[.end.]. .Iadd.ends .Iaddend.of the "U" to the support.Iadd., (iii.Iaddend.) .[.and extending therefrom in a nonarticulated,.]. .Iadd.extends from the support in a .Iaddend.cantilevered fashion.[.;
.]..Iadd.,(iv) has an oscillation axis, passing through the side legs thereof substantially at the points of solid mounting and parallel to the support, about which the conduit may be rotated relative to the support and a deflection axis positioned in the plane of the conduit substantially equidistant between and parallel to the side legs of said conduit and extending perpendicularly through the oscillation axis, (v) exhibits a different resonant frequency about each of the respective axes; (3.Iaddend.) means for oscillating the conduit relative to the support on either side of the static plane of the "U" shaped conduit and about .[.a first.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.oscillation axis; and (.Iadd.4.Iaddend.) means to measure the .Iadd.magnitude of .Iaddend.Coriolis forces tending to elastically distort the "U" shaped conduit .[.around a second.]. .Iadd.about the .Iaddend. deflection axis .[.positioned substantially equidistant between the side legs of the "U" shaped conduit and through the oscillation axis thereof.].; whereby the rate of mass flow of the flowable material .[.may be.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.determined .[.by.]. .Iadd.from .Iaddend.the magnitude of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said Coriolis .Iaddend.forces .[.tending to deflect the "U" shaped conduit around the second deflection axis.].. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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16. A flow meter as set forth in .[.claims.]. .Iadd.claim .Iaddend.15 in which the centerline crossing sensors each comprise a pair of flags, one fixedly mounted and the other attached to .[.the.]. .Iadd.a .Iaddend.side leg of the "U" shaped conduit and adapted to overlap the fixed flag at about the midpoint of the oscillation, a light source mounted on one side of the flags, and a photosensitive detector mounted on the other side of the flags whereby the centerline crossing may be detected by blocking the light source from the photosensitive detector by the flags.
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24. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising:
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(.Iadd.1.Iaddend.) a support; (.Iadd.2.Iaddend.) .[.a continuous joint-free conduit fixedly attached to the support at the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and extending directly from the support in a cantilevered, nonarticulated manner around an axis of symmetry substantially midway between the inlet and outlet of the conduit and in the plane of the conduit;
.]. .Iadd.a continuous conduit which(i) is free of pressure sensitive joints, (i) is fixedly attached to the support at the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit, (iii) extends from the support in a cantilevered fashion, (iv) is mounted about an axis of symmetry located substantially midway between the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and transverse to an oscillation axis, said oscillation axis passing through the side legs of the conduit substantially at the points of solid mounting and parallel to the support, and both axes being in the plane of the conduit, and (v) exhibits a different resonant frequency about each of the respective axes;
.Iaddend.(.Iadd.3.Iaddend.) means for oscillating the conduit .[.around an.]. .Iadd.about the .Iaddend.oscillation axis .[.transverse to the axis of symmetry.].; and (.Iadd.4.Iaddend.) means for measuring the angular displacement of the conduit as a result of elastic deformation of the conduit around the axis of symmetry thereof upon oscillation of the conduit with fluid flow therethrough; whereby .Iadd.the rate of .Iaddend.mass flow through the conduit .[.may be.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.determined as a function of the angular displacement of the conduit .[.around.]. .Iadd.about .Iaddend.the axis of symmetry. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising.[.;
- .]..Iadd.;
(1.Iaddend.) a support; .[.a continuous joint-free conduit fixedly attached to the support at the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and extending directly from the support in a cantilevered, nonarticulated manner around an axis of symmetry substantially midway between the inlet and outlet of the conduit and in the plane of the conduit;
.].(.Iadd.2) a continous conduit which (i) is free of pressure sensitive joints, (ii) is fixedly attached to the support at the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit, (iii) extends from the support in a cantilevered fashion, (iv) is mounted about an axis of symmetry located substantially midway between the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and transverse to an oscillation axis, said oscillation axis passing through the side legs of the conduit substantially at the points of solid mounting and parallel to the support, and both axes being in the plane of the conduit, and (v) exhibits a different resonant frequency about each of the respective axes; (3) .Iaddend.means for oscillating the conduit .[.around an.]. .Iadd.about the .Iaddend.oscillation axis .[.transverse to the axis of symmetry, the oscillation being at a predetermined frequency;
.]. .Iadd.at a constant frequency and amplitude;(4) .Iaddend.means to sense incipient angular displacement of the conduit .[.around.]. .Iadd.about .Iaddend.the axis of symmetry .[.thereof.]. upon oscillation of the conduit with fluid flow therethrough; (.Iadd.5) .Iaddend.means responsive to the incipient angular displacement sensing means to generate a nulling force to limit elastic deformation of the conduit .[.around.]. .Iadd.about .Iaddend.the axis of symmetry to small increments; and (.Iadd.6) .Iaddend.means to measure the nulling force; whereby mass flow .[.to.]. .Iadd.rate through .Iaddend.the conduit .[.may be.]. .Iadd.is .Iaddend.determined as a function of the magnitude of the nulling force. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising:
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a support; a "U" shaped conduit mounted at the open .[.end.]. .Iadd.ends .Iaddend.of the "U" to the support and extending therefrom in a cantilevered fashion; means for oscillating the conduit relative to the support on either side of the static plane of the "U" shaped conduit and about a first oscillation axis; first and second sensors mounted adjacent the "U" shaped conduit at symmetrical positions relative to a second deflection axis positioned substantially equidistant between the side legs of.Iadd., and in the same plane as, .Iaddend.the "U" shaped conduit and through the oscillation axis thereof, the sensors being positioned substantially at the midpoint of oscillation of the "U" shaped conduit and each sensor being adapted to output a signal as the adjacent portion of the "U" shaped conduit passes the sensor; and means for measuring the time lag between the signal outputs by the sensors thereby establishing the .[.degree of deflection of the "U" shaped conduit..]. .Iadd.mass flow rate through the "U" shaped conduit. .Iaddend. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 53)
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38. A flow meter for flowable materials comprising:
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a support; a continuous conduit attached to the support at the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and extending from the support in a cantilevered manner around an axis of symmetry substantially midway between the inlet and outlet of the conduit and in the plane of the conduit; means for oscillating the conduit around an oscillation axis substantially transverse to the axis of symmetry;
first and second sensors positioned adjacent opposite sides of the conduit at a point positioned at the midpoint of oscillation thereof; andfurther means for measuring the time differential of passage of the .[.corresponding.]. .Iadd.symmetrically opposite .Iaddend.portions of the conduit past the first sensor and the second sensor. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method of measuring flow of a material comprising:
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(.Iadd.1) .Iaddend.flowing the material through a continuous.[., joint-free.]. curved conduit .Iadd.free of pressure-sensitive joints, .Iaddend.with the inlet and outlet portions thereof solidly connected in a cantilevered.[.,.]. beamlike fashion to a support.[.;
.]..Iadd., which conduit(i) is mounted about an axis of symmetry located substantially midway between the inlet and outlet ends of the conduit and transverse to an oscillation axis, said oscillation axis passing through the side legs of the conduit substantially at the points of solid mounting and parallel to the support, and both axes being in the plane of the conduit, and (ii) exhibits a different resonant frequency about each of the respective axes; (2) .Iaddend.oscillating the conduit .[.substantially around an axis transverse to the inlet and outlet portions thereof;
.]. .Iadd.about the oscillation axis;
(3) .Iaddend.generating Coriolis forces in the curved conduit as a result of material flow through the oscillating conduit; and(.Iadd.4) .Iaddend.measuring the .Iadd.magnitude of the .Iaddend.Coriolis forces tending to deform the conduit .[.around an.]. .Iadd.about the .Iaddend.axis of symmetry substantially perpendicular to the oscillation axis of the conduit; whereby the magnitude of the .[.deforming.]. .Iadd.Coriolis .Iaddend.forces .[.indicates the mass flow.]. .Iadd.is a function of the mass flow rate .Iaddend.through the conduit. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. is oscillated at a predetermined amplitude..]. 51. A method for measuring .Iadd.mass .Iaddend.flow .Iadd.rate .Iaddend.of a material comprising:
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flowing the material through a "U" shaped conduit; oscillating the conduit .[.around.]. .Iadd.about .Iaddend.an axis of oscillation passing through the legs of the conduit at substantially .[.equal.]. .Iadd.right .Iaddend.angles; and measuring the .[.forces tending to deflect the "U" shaped conduit around a deflection axis perpendicular to the oscillation axis and symmetrical to the conduit.]. .Iadd.material mass flow rate .Iaddend.by determining the time lag between the passage of one side of the conduit through a plane substantially at the midpoint of oscillation and the passage of the other
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- 52. is measured by determining the net time lags..]. 54. A method for measuring material .Iadd.mass .Iaddend.flow .Iadd.rate .Iaddend.as set forth in claim 52 in which the .Iadd."U" shaped conduit is oscillated at a constant amplitude and frequency and the magnitude of .Iaddend.forces.Iadd., resulting from the conduit oscillation and fluid flow, .Iaddend.tending to deflect the "U" shaped conduit are measured by generating counterforces thereto in response to the net time lags measured to minimize the time lags, and determining the magnitude of the counterforces to establish the material .Iadd.mass .Iaddend.flow
Specification